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Class Changes
Hinckley Evening
There will NOT be a class on Wednesday 15 Feb at
St Mary's Church Hall, Hinckley
Back to normal Wed 22nd Feb
SNOW ALERT- CLASS CANCELLATIONS
all classes are running as normal
Sword Stick Silk classes
9-9.50am
Hinckley Methodist Church
book any session in advance & pay £4 or £5 on the day
13 February
5 March
19 March
Chinese Medicine
Seasonal Health Information
WORLD TAI CHI DAY
Saturday 28th April 2012
Book this in your diary. Free tai chi in the park
Full details to be posted here nearer the time
Winter Health
click here
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WINTER HEALTH
As the season moves from autumn into winter we may suffer from any of the following conditions until our bodies adapt to the change in season. If we suffer from these at any other time of the year then our kidney and bladder energy may be out of balance.
Feeling cold, having cold hands and feet, poor circulation, feeling overly fearful, depression, little will-power and ambition, back pain and tension, headaches at back of head and behind eyes, always dressing in blue and black, eating too much salt, shadows under eyes, brittle bones, bladder or kidney problems, craving or distaste of salty foods.
Physically
At this time of year we need to keep warm and eat well. We need to eat nourishing warming foods when we are hungry and sleep or rest when we are tired. Our bodies need to be kept strong and are using energy to keep warm and to fight off those nasty viruses that are floating about. We often feel like doing less and hibernating but we must balance resting and movement. Do not suddenly join the gym in the New Year because you will simply exhaust yourself. Try doing your qigong everyday to keep the body and internal organs balanced, the muscles working and flushing the toxins out. You can start being more physically active when the spring energy comes along.
Emotionally
We tend to feel quieter in the winter, which is quite natural. The start of the winter is the time for quiet reflection of the year that has passed. It is a time for recuperation. Once we feel restored we can turn our attention to the future and consider what we would like from the coming year but this is still a time for thought and contemplation so we are ready to put our plans into action when the spring energy arrives.
Some people feel more depressed in winter and the West has called it SAD (seasonal affective disorder). Chinese Medicine theory offers a simple solution to balance the yin and yang of the body. If you are feeling dark and cold add heat and light!
Chinese Medicine Theory
The kidney and bladder energies are most vulnerable in the winter. The kidney energy is responsible for your bones, spine, brain and all of the fluids in the body. It governs the reproductive area and your immune system. A strong kidney energy gives you lots of ‘va va voom’, sexual vitality, a sparkle in your eyes and you will fight off coughs and colds. If you finish the winter feeling depleted you will not be able to bounce into spring.
Exercises to boost kidney energy
- The restoration breathing exercise, breathing energy balls into the Tantien. A minimum of 3 breaths continuing until you feel restored.
- Turning from the waist
- Quiet, gentle activities
- Either the Form or the Qigong set daily to keep the whole body in balance
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Summer 2011 Newsletter
Class Fee Increase
I have held the class fees as low as possible, for as long as possible, but due to ever increasing costs, with great reluctance I have to increase the fees. From 1 August 2011 all 1 hour classes will be £5.
Hinckley Methodist Church Class, Monday Morning
The class on Monday morning at Hinckley Methodist Church, 10-11am, will be held at the St Mary’s Church Hall in Hinckley on Monday 22 August, for this session only.
Monday 29th August is a Bank Holiday and there will be no class on this date. Back to normal at The Methodist Church on Monday 5th September
Want to learn Tai Chi Dance, Sword, Silk & Stick?
The gentle movements of the Tai Chi Form are about your internal body and mind but the external also needs to be worked to provide a completely balanced approach to health. The Dance, which is actually called I Fou Shou (flying hands) is the external expression of your internal energy. The Forms using the sword, stick and silks are also external. We use the same Tai Chi stances but the steps are in a different order and performed with a different focus, creating an aerobic experience. You should feel carefree, relaxed and full of exuberance after practicing these Forms, while improving your balance, posture and muscle strength.
Sessions
10-10.30am at Stapleton every Wednesday morning- no booking required, just turn up
10-10.30am at Elmesthorpe every Thursday morning- no booking required, just turn up
The people already attending these sessions have learned between 20 & 30 moves and we are about to go back to the beginning to learn the steps properly SO THIS WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO START
Come to these active sessions 10-10.30am for £2.50
Come for these sessions and stay for the Tai Chi 10.30-11.30 for a total of £5.50
Nuneaton classes- if you would be interested in attending a half hour session before your usual class please let me know. If there is enough interest I will set up some sessions
For those who enjoy the weapons-there are 1 hour sessions twice a month at 9am on Monday mornings, Hinckley Methodist Church. The dates vary month by month so please ask for details of these sessions
Do I have your email?
If you would like to receive information about Chinese medicine, tai chi, class changes and new events please provide me with your email address
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Crystal Healing Workshop
Following the Crystal day at Elm Lea earlier this year, I have been asked to provide a workshop to explore Crystal Healing further. As the current owners of Elm Lea will be leaving in August, I am looking for an alternative local venue. I hope to run this workshop in September or October. Based on my current research the day will cost no more than £40. If you are interested in attending please let me know as I am taking names now (deposits are not required at this stage)
Tai Chi Retreat Weekends
Are you interested in finding space and time for yourself while learning more about Tai Chi and how the seasons, emotions and life changes affect our health?
I am planning 5 weekend retreats over the next year; one for each of the seasons, Autumn (lungs), Winter (kidneys), Spring (liver), Summer (heart) and Late Summer (stomach/spleen).
We will use Tai Chi and Qigong movements to help you improve your health and find inner stillness but the weekends will also include discussions, Chinese medicine talks, meditations, healing techniques and more.
I am hoping to use the facilities of the Purley Chase Centre, near Atherstone. The centre is based in a magnificent old manor house, recently refurbished and extended, set in 7 acres of beautiful grounds, and has a wonderful calm, peaceful but refreshing energy, which makes you forget you are only a few miles from home. There are some pictures of the centre on this website.Please look on the new "Your Page”"
The workshops will begin on a Friday evening and will finish on Sunday afternoon.
Accommodation on a “full board” basis will be included in the price. If this interests you please ask me for more details.
Open Discussion Evenings
If you are interested in energy, auras, healing, and /or the spiritual journey of life you are invited to come along to our home for an evening of chat, experience sharing and information.
Thursday 11th, 8pm, and thereafter on the 3rd Thursday of each month
*due to interest I will be running an extra date on 18th August, choose which date is best for you*
There is no charge and I will provide tea, coffee and biscuits!
If you are interested in coming along to any of these evenings please let me know in advance by phone or email as I need to arrange seats etc. There are limited numbers per session due to space restrictions! Please come with an open mind and a sense of humour!
Website…Your Page!
I have added a gallery page to the site. If anyone has any pictures, comments, funny stories, or experiences relating to Tai Chi that they would like to share, please email them to me and I will add them to the page for all to see.
We are holding several sessions, free of charge. All you have to
The following dates are intended for those who have not come to a group before or who are still in the early stages of their journey
1. Form moves 1-50, front and back views,
2. Form 50-140 front view, 1-140 back view
3. Qigong set, 17 moves, as we do in class
4. Sword, Stick and Silk Forms ,moves 1-30
These DVD's are a basic demonstration of the moves as a prompt to remind you what you have already been taught. They do not contain teaching nor are they performed
