Update – please note we are no longer running classes in Biggleswade – please see our main classes page for up to date information.

The new beginners classes at the Courtyard Centre, Biggleswade, have gone really well – we had lots of interest and have been able to cover quite a bit of territory – in part aided by my return from the Chen Village, origin of Tai Chi – and partly because of the variety of new students – varying from long-time practitioners to complete newcomers.

Response has been very positive with a fair amount of discussion as well as practice – reminder to self – talk less, practice more!

Daytime classes at the Courtyard Centre

Monday classes have gone extremely well with many students turning out for a 9.30am session – perhaps encouraged by the thought of a coffee and cake in the café afterwards!

Evening classes at the Courtyard Centre

Tuesday evening classes have been very interesting with the group progressing though basic exercises to the early postures of Laojia form.

We still have space left in both daytime and evening classes – and the centre is offering some super deals.

We had a lovely time doing Tai Chi last year at The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living – so this year we have opened it up a little – I am joined by the most excellent and enthusiastic Judy Hammond who adds a delightful energy to our study of Tai Chi movement from her work in her classes for Moving Mindfully and Alexander Technique – which are so very compatible whith the Tai Chi/Chi Kung models.

Plus this year we have expanded the program so that now we have two seminars on Saturday 27th April –  a FREE 1 hour seminar from 1.00pm to 2.00pm – followed by a 3 hour seminar  from 2.00pm  to 5.00pm  at a cost of £35.

Contact The Letchworth Centre to book your place.

Update – please note we are no longer running these classes – for up to date information on other classes please see our main classes page.

I am delighted to soon be running classes at The Courtyard Centre in Biggleswade with a Grand Opening Day on Saturday 16 March – followed by daytime and evening classes commencing Monday 8 th April:

Open day free Tai Chi Taster @ 11.00 am

Monday daytime classes from April 8th @ 9.30 – 11.00 am

Tuesday evening classes from April 9th @ 7.30 – 9.00 pm

Contact The Courtyard Centre for more information and bookings.

Browsing through Youtube the other day I came across some interesting clips of Master Chen Xiaowang, the Chen village and Master Chen Bing – they are all on the video links pages of our website.

I was asked this question recently and thought it a very sensible one – given the health orientation of Chi Kung and a similar orientation of most people who come to Tai Chi classes, at least with me. So after some consideration my answer was as follows:

Chi Kung ( energy work ) is about learning to move energy around the body in a way beneficial to health – this energy work involves a high degree of body awareness and the ability to adjust internal tensions, posture and the relationships of body parts both statically and in movement.

Tai Chi – is a form of Chi Kung – but also develops the movement aspect further toward principles such as balance, structure, sensitivity, internal power etc. which are of value both in health and in martial arts.

So in early Tai Chi training we focus very much on good healthy body movement based on Tai Chi principles, which can then be extended if desired into the martial art of Tai Chi Chuan.

Considering the practice of visualisation and how we use it to envision our embodied selves in the world, it would make sense to understand that the visualisations we use work best if they correspond accurately with the physical world, and contrarilly if our physical practice is congruent with our vision.

This congruence creates confidence, as seeing our vision operate in the real world confirms our understanding.

So we can use our intellectual understanding derived from the writings, videos etc of the Tai Chi masters to create visions of what our Tai Chi could be – but we anchor these visions in the reality of where we are now – then we practice in ways which are congruent with developing along the path between them – even if we do not at present understand that path – only exploring and observing. We arrange our practice in a way that reinforces our vision and then use the feedback to modify the vision – so ensuring continuing development and developing an embodied understanding.

I have recently been reading a book which I have found very exciting – “Louder than Words – the new science of how the mind makes meaning” by Benjamin K. Bergen. It is an excellent read, putting the old ideas of visualisation which we use extensively in Tai Chi ( also other arts such as Yiquan ) into a modern neuro-scientific context.

In short demonstrating how visualisation works.

Those of us who study Tai Chi may have been struck – as I have been – by the amount of metaphore and dynamic visualisation within the literature and the teaching. Also by the extent to which the Tai Chi classics for example engourage us to ” think deeply about how and why Tai Chi works”.

I am delighted that this new scientific approach seems to validate this practice and give a few clues as to how we can improve it further.

I have been reading a brilliant book on the use of internal visualisation in movement – Dynamic Alignment Through Imagery by Eric Franklin – this was recommended by my teacher Karel Koskuba and it has much in common with the visualisation I have come across in Tai Chi – also sharing a similar rational regarding ways of moving.

Quite a large tome – but a fairly easy read and easy to dip in and out of – Eric Franklin  clearly explains current research and practice.

I am delighted that the new Tai Chi for Golf classes at The Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living were very well recieved – all that attended the 5 week program seemed to find it of value with one person kind enough to say that:

“Ian’s Tai Chi for Golf sessions have improved my flexibility and helped me to focus on developing a more rhythmic, flowing golf swing. The similarities between the golf swing and Tai Chi movements are fascinating. I played one of my best ever rounds after the third session!”