News!
We are excited to announce that starting Wednesday, September 1, we will be at our new location:
1891 Walnut Street, Saint Paul, MN
Our new schedule will be:
| Wednesday | 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. | Intermediate class |
| 7:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Basics, 8 and 16 Forms classes | |
| Saturday | 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. | Advanced class |
| 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. | Intermediate class | |
| 11:00 - 12 noon | Basics, 8 and 16 Forms classes |
We will not have classes on Mondays in the month of September.
What does the number 1891 mean to you? Not sure?
1891 Walnut Street, St. Paul, is the address of our new school location.
Beginning Wednesday, September 1, we will start having our classes there. It is a little over five miles from our current location. Maps, photos and directions will be available soon.
It is a comfortable, clean, large space with tile flooring and easy access. It's just off 280 and Larpenteur.
Start planning now for Grandmaster Wong's next visit in Spring 2011!
The other day someone close to me said, "summer is almost over." I was taken aback because we have just celebrated July 4th. But in truth summers do fly by and, while summer is a time for relaxing and vacationing and kicking back, we cannot forget the importance of our tai chi chuan (taijiquan) practice. Practice what you know. Patience and Practice are very important.
A month ago I challenged any student who would accept to pick one tai chi form, either empty hand or weapon, and do it every day at least once for a month. I have gotten some excellent feedback about how this practice has touched your every day experience. I am looking for more responses from students about their experiences. Not to worry if you missed a day or two throughout the month, but how has the routine practice made a difference?
The other day someone close to me said "summer is almost over". I was taken aback because we have just celebrated July 4th. But in truth summers do fly by and while summer is a time for relaxing and vacationing and kicking back we cannot forget the importance of our tai chi chuan (taijiquan) practice. Practice what you know . . Patience and Practice is very important. A month ago I challenged any student who would accept to pick one tai chi Form, either empty hand or weapon and do it every day at least once for a month. I have gotten some excellent feedback about how this practice has touched your every day experience. I will be looking for more responses from students about their experience. Not to worry if you missed a day or two throughout the month but how has the routine practice made a difference?
"My name is Chris and my first experience with Tai chi was in Michael Dotson’s class at MCTC. I needed a physical education credit for the degree I’ve been working towards and I had read about the health benefits of Tai Chi. As the semester came to a close, I asked Michael where would be a good place to continue as I was enjoying his class. He brought up Chinatown Tai Chi Center. I looked up the school and discovered it was ways from home. I chose to look into other schools that were closer to home.
"After my research, I decided that the drive to Chinatown Tai Chi was worth it. The lineage of our past masters makes this school feel more 'legit' than other schools. When I finally get properly rooted into a form, it is obvious that this art has been around a while. I also like that there are multiple instructors--the more ways I’m told to keep my elbows down the more likely it is to sink in. One aspect of Chinatown I didn’t realize until I had been here a while is that Sifu Calph’s happy spirit brings joy to every class. Thank you, Sifu.
"Getting Erika and Sarah to join me in this exercise took some cunning. My daughter, Sarah, likes the exercise and body strengthening she gains from Tai Chi. She also enjoys the company of adults who treat her as part of the group, and not like a kid. However, I’m pretty sure that showing her some of the 'intention-follows-your-eyes’ exercises was what really captured her attention.
"Erika, my wife, was pretty skeptical at first. I showed her the brocades, which she liked, but the whole idea of standing on one foot had her worried. I finally convinced her to attend a class to just watch; our wonderful teachers got her to join in - and yes, she can balance on one foot. Erika’s glad that I encouraged her to join me and is feeling the health benefits. She also enjoys the community and laughter in learning.
"One of my favorite parts of Tai Chi is after the forms become internalized; there is a very calming aspect to practicing this art."
Our seminars with Richard Wong were exceptionally good and very tiring. I felt like a beginner again working on the forms he taught us. Now comes the real work of committing it to memory.
Thank you to all who took the meditation challenge. Please send me some feedback about your experience. I will be issuing a new challenge soon.
In China there is a martial arts proverb "To learn is easy, but to correct is difficult." Practice and Patience make perfect.
Tai Chi Chuan will change your life!
Are you wanting more flexibility, more freedom of movement and less stress in your life? Practicing the solo forms of tai chi, both empty hand and traditional Chinese weapon forms, will help with all those things.
Added benefits from practicing tai chi chuan include:
- promoting circulation
- developing balance and coordination
- strengthening bones and muscles
- increasing awareness and sensitivity
- improving your endurance and patience
- improving your posture to reduce chance of injury
- promoting and increasing internal energy
Tai chi chuan is a Life Art. Continued practice of tai chi with a qualified teacher can improve every aspect of your life.
Here are a few tips on the Basics of Good Meditation:
- Environment: Find a quiet, comfortable location.
- Get stretched out: Spend a few minutes stretching or doing tai chi, making sure to loosen your spine and neck.
- Breathing: Deep meditation is only possible when your breath is deep, long and slow. Breathe as slowly and deeply as possible but without tension. Rest your tongue lightly on the roof of your mouth.
There will be no classes Wednesday, December 23, and Saturday, December 26.
Have a Happy Holiday!
We are now holding classes in our new space at 1658 W Lincoln Ave, St Paul, Mn. It is a great space but there are a lot of activities going on in the building, so it may take a few weeks to work out all of the snags.
Plan now for our Holiday Celebration to be held on December 12th from 3 to 5 p.m. It will be pot luck so think of some tasty morsels to bring and be sure to sign up before or after class. We will have maps and directions to the party place in the Members section.
Pictures taken at the seminars in September with Grandmaster Doc-Fai Wong are up.
Special notice: Monday evenings, December 7 and 14, we will be meeting in the Crossroads room, downstairs. Follow the signs.
Check the Directions tab for directions to and pictures of our new space. We will have our first class in the new school space on Monday, November 2, 2009. We can arrive as early as 6 PM so please do not enter before that time. We will have our sign visible on the door and by the building so you will know you are in the right place. Thank you for your patience during the move.
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