Introduce Yourself

Hi, my name is John and I’ve studied tai chi for about 15 years now. I’ve trained soley in Wu (Hao) style Tai Chi and teach it at a local yoga studio. I started this pod so peopole could discuss aspects of Tai Chi from training issues, to philosophical issues, to any where in between. Tai Chi is a life time venture… relax, sink, breathe.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi! I'm Sailmaker and I'm not yet a practioner.  In fact ,my only exposure to Tai Chi is from book references and movies like “Calender Girls”.  I did have a brief - like 5 minute- lesson once from someone I met who worked with large fans.  She was so beautiful moving gracefully through her story. It was a memorable lesson and continued to deepen my interest.   It pulls at me.  

So I'm here to watch and learn.

Sailmaker

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Sailmaker! Glad to have you here. Tai Chi is both the most rewarding wonderful thing and the most frustrating thing I’ve ever taken on. Only closely followed by golf. :-) My recomendation, for what it’s worth, is if you’re interested in trying Tai Chi is to find an instructor. Tai Chi is next to impossible to pick up from videos or books… the guidance of an instructor is crucial.

Relax, sink and breathe!

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, my name is Christian. I started doing Yangstyle in 1987, but have had long periods without training. Until I was 20, my body was in a terrible state, a sick weak body. Tai ji was a revelation of being material. And the first time I enjoyed my body. It was like a dance for me. I did not like the defence aspect. Now I am more grounded, and the art of tai ji as defence has given me a new level of understanding of the movements, and the Way. Though long periods can go without any new insights, suddenly a move, a weightshift, a way of relaxing reveals itself, and I go deeper.
I have studied some Chinese, and speak mandarin for daily use.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Christian!  Sometimes in training we hit a plateau and there is little development for a period of time.  Usually its about three years in.  Tai Chi is, for me, like being in a room.  You become familiar with that room… you gradually examine ever aspect of it until it is becomes very familiar.  Then… the floor falls out and you are in another room and realize you didn't really know anything at all.  Does that make any sense to anyone else?  lol  I need another cup of coffee! 

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, my name is Chuck.  I started Yang style Tai Chi classes 2 1/2 years ago and took classes for about a year until I pretty much “mastered”/learned the form they taught.  I had to drop out due to the expense.  I later took a Chen style class and I enjoyed the difference, but it did seem to be harder on my knee.  I have a bad knee from years of running.  I try to do at least 20 minutes a day regardless of my other workout routines.  It has greatly improved my balance.  I do find that I have to sometimes alter my footwork to compensate for my knee, but it is worth the effort.  I love it.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello All~~

First, thanks for the invite!!

Now that that's out of the way - I'm Jerry, I'm 35, and I've had about 8 classes in the Yang style short form. Our weekly class has been on hiatus, as our sifu went to China on business. It's an informal affair at the local Fo Guang Shan temple here in Texas, so we still get together on occaision.

I'm a practitioner of iaido, aikido, certain aspects of kendo and tai chi, although I'm taking it easy lately due to a pulled calf muscle that keeps threatening. I'm also a practicing zen (ch'an, actually) Buddhist and a frequently-confused student of the Chinese language.

I would definitely be interested in exploring the different styles of tai chi, as the only one I've really looked at is the Yang style.

Thanks again,
~scruff

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Scruff, Welcome Chuck… Glad to have you both aboard. Any large frame Tai Chi style will be harder on the knees. Small frame doesn’t have the deep stances and therefore, as long as you pay attention to proper alignment, it’s much less taxing on the knees. I’ve pushed with a few chen style, a few bagua and a bunch of yang style players and the fact that I train in a small frame has never been a detriment to my abilites in that arena. In fact… it seems to be a little misleading to those looking for a deep stance that I’m not.

Again, Welcome!

relax • sink • breathe

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi,

I started practicing the Tai Chi in 1998 and studied it seriously for about 3 years. Since that time my formal practice of the form has been spotty at best, but I have never lost my devotion to the Tai Chi itself. I have recently re-committed myself to (formal) practice and in fact, am attending a class this evening. The timing of your invitation is almost stunning!

I practice the Middle Length Yang Style form at the Red Lotus School of Movement which descends from Grand Master Cheng Man Ch'ing.

Other details about me: I am a Buddhist practitioner (Tibetan Buddhism - Nyingma), I am married (to a fellow zaadzster). I have 3 grown children and just learned I will be a grandmother in the spring. I work full time as the Associate Director of the Center for High Performance Computing at the University of Utah.

That's all for now!
Relax, relax, relax. (One of my “goals” is to never hurry)

–Julia (aka Pema Khandro)

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi Everyone,

My name's Heather, I've been studying tai chi for about a year now.  I've almost made it through the yang short form, but due to time constraints, am no longer able to continue classes.  Still, I'm very interested in tai chi and what it does, and how it does it.  I was surprized how many folks in the pod were buddhists, too.  Although I probably shouldn't be, zaads has been advertizing heavily in buddhist magazines, so they're bound to get a lot of us.  Anyway, other practices I'm currently engaged in include writing, cello, and zazen.  Thank you all for being here, I look forward to learning from your experience.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello Lobster John, my name is Dennis and I first got into Tai Chi like ten years ago I stopped practicing (unfortunately) like five years ago but I have been looking to get back into it now that I have been practicing Yoga,  I think that the two (Yoga and Tai Chi) will blend perfectly. And now You have invited me to check out this new Tai Chi pod coincidence?? hmmm… well anyway I appreciate your invitation and did not to hesitate to join… oh by the way I am from colorado, 37 years young almost thirty eight (time flies when your having fun), I also enjoy Yoga, hiking, cooking, creative writing as well as poetry and I could be considered a bibliophile… thats someone who loves to read and collect books(lol). As for what style of tai chi I studied well to be honest I don't remember which one but I will be sure to read the post on the different types. Thanks for the invitation and hope to hear from You soon.
Always
Dennis (aka wanderernocturnal)

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello,

I took several  Tai Chi classes offered by our Summer Community Education program and taught at our local Japanese Tea House & Gardens. It was a wonderful experience and continued it over three summers. That was about 10 years ago.

More recently, I bought some Tai Chi DVDs to refresh my memory a bit. I miss the practice. What I was taught was basic, yet had a noticable effect on me. I look forward to learning more. Thanks for the invite.

Rebecca

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, my name is Will and I've practiced the Yang style long form for two years. I take one class a week but practice nearly every morning in my backyard. I practice mainly for the meditative aspect, but also for the health benefits. Tai Chi helps me focus and, and calms my mind for sttig meditation, which I also practice every morning. It is a great way to start my day.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Everyone! I’m glad the pod is growing… can’t wait to see what kind of discussions will emerge! Again, welcome!

John

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello, my name is Bhiishma, I practiced taiji for quite some time but cannot put a timeframe on it. I first started learning Wu style from a Singaporean practitioner at Auckland Uni but found it difficult to find a teacher of this style when I moved to Australia. After some looking around I found a teacher named Wayne Hanson, who showed me the last few moves i needed to complete the form. He also introduced me to the taiji classics and suggested studying them.

Later I hooked up with a very nice natured Chinese practitioner named MakPoSun in Lane Cove in Sydney, who said he learned from Yang-Chen Chi. He taught a lot of things including Yang Style long form, a sword form (cannot remember which one I learned) Yang Style fast form (very similiar to Chen), and a number of pushing-yielding techniques..

Later I moved north but kept practicing both wu style and yang style forms. While living in Northern NSW, I learned the movements of Sun style. A woman named Rain was teaching them at a center up here.

At the moment, I have gravitated more toward meditation and qigong and have not practiced taiji for a while.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, I'm Chenoa and I've spent much of my life living in or working in Yosemite National Park.  When I started studying Tai Chi four years ago, it felt like an extention of things I'd learned intuitively from being in the mountains, and I fell head over heels in love with it.  I started with the Yang-style form of the Cheng Man-Ching lineage, which I studied in Yellow Springs, Ohio, where I was attending college.  I've been studying a different Yang-style form since last October, as taught by Stephe Watson of Branford, CT, with whom I'm also studying Kung Fu, Aikido, and Qigong.  Right now I'm working in Yosemite again.  I want to be a serious, full-time student of martial arts and live in the mountains at the same time!  Haven't figured out how to do that yet, but I'm sure it's possible.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Chenoa,

I'm sure it is too.  A friend of mine, and fellow tai chi instructor, attends numerous seminars by his teacher Alex Dong, out of Hawaii.  He has become very skilled that way… the key is gettting a good teacher and having a strong foundation in the basics.  :-)  What style Kung Fu do you train?

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello all and looking forward to this pod possibly revitalizing my practice.  Have on and off practiced and studied for 10 years.  Yang Long form per TT Liang.

Was able to meet/see Master Liang a few times when he visited.  It's pretty amazing to see the 98 year old Master toss your instructors around like rice chaf.

Anyway great pod and as I see above great folks.  Excellent!

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi,

I'm starr and I have been studying Yang style short form since last October. I decided to try Tai Chi for the health benefits…relaxation…and longevity. I have learned the “mechanics” of the form but am now in the continual process of refinement. I have also just finished a class at our school called Principles where we are learning what makes Tai Chi, Tai Chi.

I am now trying to decide if and how Tai Chi and I will fit together in my life. The teachers say we should do Tai Chi for 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes at night. I am embarrassed to say that I have not done this everyday. I do go to 3-4 1 hour classes a week. So, I am very interested to read other Tai Chi experiences and journeys from you all here.

I have also started to read some stuff on both Taoist and Buddhist philosophy. So far I get “impermanence”  and “be nice”. Makes sense to me.

Take care all,

starr

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Starr… Welcome David… glad to have you both here.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi. I'm Harry. Yoga has been my foundation for health since age 18. I began Tai Chi in my 30s and dabbled with the Five Tibetan rites in my 40s. I bicycle and stretch and hike. When no one is looking, I dance to hard rock for an extreme, three-minute aerobics work out. I recommend power yoga over the power dance. When it comes to martial arts, I recomend Tai Chi; don't let the slow motion fool you; it rocks.

I'm a writer. Here's a quote that describes the kind of writing I aspire to even if it is about a motorcycle. “Art and magic are what we have here. The XR-750 is sharp and specialized and clean, all machine and nothing there that needn't be there.” Alan Girdler

Being undisciplined is the bane of my existence. I'll have to come back to this intro later and add to it to make it rock. Okay?

 “Let's roll.”

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello all.  I am quite excited to have found this pod. 

I have formally studied two styles of martial arts, but that is irrelevant save for the fact that the experience allowed me to readily embrace Tai Chi.  I have been practicing regularly in the last week, now.

Mostly I have been studying Chen style, but not as a martial art.  I practice Tai Chi for the balance, perspective, and self-awareness that it enables - so the “martial” form of Tai Chi is largely irrelevant.  The reason for Chen style is two-fold:  I work out regularly, and have the strength for large body stance, and due to my profession, the chen style may be incorporated into other training and life's experiences. 

I am pleased to meet all of you here!

Christopher

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, my name is Lisa. Several years ago I had a accident at work which resulted in numerous surgeries, with the last being a spinal disc fusion at L4 / L5 / S1. My sciatic nerve was severed.  I have very little feeling in my one leg with numbness in my toes.  After years of Physical therapy I took a Tai Chi class, not sure what version, but it helped enormously with my balance and pain. I am still on many pain meds due to the severity of the injury. I am looking to find another class to attend but need some guidance as to what type of Tai Chi would best fit my need. Any ideas???

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome to the group Lisa. I would say any style of tai chi would be benificial. I may steer away from Chen style as a “rehab” type style… but that’s just my advice. Any recognized style (ie : yang, chen, wu,wu(hao), sun) would be good. I would steer away from someone who has “created” their own style of tai chi (ie: Green Jello Tai Chi; Chai Tea Tai Chi etc… ;-) ).

For people with leg or knee injuries I would (if it is possible in your geographical area) try and find a “small frame” style of tai chi. There are small frame versions of Chen and yang style… and Wu(Hao) style is small frame. I would assume that Sun style is also a small frame style but I’m not certain.

Small frame is relative to the depth of stance and range of motion in the style. And, therefore, is easier on the knees.

Hope it helps.. good luck,

John

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi John,

Can you give me some infromation on Shibashi Tai Chi ?  I received an email from somoeone who started her own business of sort and periodically she offers different styles of Tai Chi.  I never heard of this type and don't want to take something that soeone else has “created” as you mention.

thanks for th advice,

Fondly Lisa

Re: Introduce Yourself

Don’t know much about it… but when I checked out www.shibashi.com the tai chi is that of Cheng Man Ching… good stuff.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi, I'm Moonlight Chi, and I'm a 30 year old student of Tai Chi in Central Florida. I'm not yet involved in an actual class, I intend to be enrolled in one in my local community college somewhere in the spring. I'm slowly but surely studying a form in the DVD set  “Simply Tai Chi”, and I study another form from a Gaiam DVD. I know I'm only a beginner, but I'm slowly blossoming…

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome moonlight… glad to have you here.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Ni hao!!!

S’pose I’ve lurked long enough. My name is Rick, and I have been interested in Tai Chi for nine years. It was exactly that long ago that I actually took lessons for a period, and it was the most remarkable experience.

Alas, the lesons went away before I could really learn enough, and ever since I have hoped for the opportunity to take them again. Where I live, however, there are no instructors, and it there is too far a commute to the city, where there are good instructors in the Yang form (which I originally studied). Hopefully this situation will be rectified soon. Am thinking of moving back to the city so I can be near good things like Tai Chi lessons!

In the meantime, I lurk, listen, and learn. Thanks for starting this pod, John.

Zai Jian!

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi All

My Name is Laurie

In Jan 2006 my boyfriend and I moved to an island off the coast of Belize.

We did practice Yang Style Tai Chi in Canada, however were still in beginning process.

We know that Tai Chi is a missing ingredient to our lives in so many ways and are working towards finding our way back to it as I wrote in my Looking for ideas post.

I was sure glad to find this group on my zaadz list today.


Peace
Laurie

p.s. we do an online magazine called Envision and we would love to have someone who is intrested in writing about Tai Chi do an article for us. If interested please contact me.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi. My name is Mike.

I’ve been a zaadz member for a few months, but I’ve been very busy and haven’t had much time to participate. I hope to stop in to this pod from time to time.

I practice a lesser-known form of the Yang style called Guang Ping Yang Style. I also know the original 24-movement Beijing form (which has since been modified). In addition to Tai Chi, I practice Dragon-style Bagua along with some Northern Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu.

I have lived in Tokyo for the past 20 years.

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello all.  My name is Joel, and I haven't had the opportunity to practice much Tai Chi, per se.  I took a few classes from an instructor in college, but didn't follow through - too antsy at the time, took Tae Kwon Do and then Aikido/Iaido for a few years.

More recently I've been practicing Chi Kung and Yoga, and that's what led me here actually - searched for Chi Kung and got this thread!  I like that the “forms” of Chi Kung are much simpler, thus easier to learn, and allow me to get deeper into their practice more quickly.  I'm interested to explore around the threads here, I'm sure there will be a lot to learn. 

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome Joel, glad to have you here.

Re: Introduce Yourself

It appears as though Elvis has left the building, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

I've been practicing the Guang Ping style (which is a Yang family variant) for over 20 years.  I started and continue to practice through an local adult education program which has made Tai Chi available to the community for free all that time.  I have become one of the class' instructors by social promotion, but I simply consider myself to be the hardest working student in the class.

I also teach Tai Chi to guests at a local destination spa.  Teaching Tai Chi in this environment has unsual demands.

Here is a video clip of me demonstrating a fragment of the Guang Ping set, and another of my rendition of a 32 posture sword form.

I hope there will be signs of life in this pod!  :)

Re: Introduce Yourself

Welcome… I too wish for signs of life! lol… nice to have you here… if you can spark a discussion… I’m all ears! welcome Kiso!

John

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hi Everyone,

My name is Chris and I've just begunt to learn a little about Tai Chi through books and DVDs and will begin studying Chen style Tai Chi with a Master in September.   From the little that I have learned so far it already has amazing effects on my everyday life and I am looking forward to learning more. 


Chris

Re: Introduce Yourself

Hello everybody, from Bergen, Norway.

I've been a taiji practitioner for 10 years, mostly Yang Cheng Fu style, as taught by his son Yang Zhen Duo. When I was in Taiyuan for a few days in 2003, I had private lessons with Yang Zhen Duo and his grandson, Yang Bin.

I also practice modern Chen style (56-form), which I learned mostly from Mr. Huang Kang Hui of Beijing Sport University, as well as some other modern short forms (Yang 8/16/24, Chen 8/36).

I know various qi gong sets but what I've practiced mostly is Zhang Zhuan (standing) and lately a variation of 8 brocades as taught by Ole Eskildsen.

For various reasons, for the last 6 months I've done very little taiji. Instead I've done some qigong (standing) and lots of meditation and reflection. :) But when I do practice taiji these days it feels quite wonderful, and it seems I will soon start practicing again…