T'ai Chi Lessons and Partner Work

Here is the Full Mini form for T'ai Chi beginners. A big welcome to all new beginners, so delighted to have the opportunity to share this great practice with you all.

Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.


Short form Lesson

trim.C87A200F-3D41-460A-BB4E-06029DAE4A9A from ann on Vimeo.



Da Lu with Mallow Advanced Short Form Class
We have just begun the interesting Da Lu exploration , lots to learn and discover using this partner work 'form '
trim.14D80023-566C-48EF-B931-DCD7F210D939 from ann on Vimeo.




Here are Michael and Sara investigating Roll Back as a partner work exercise.


trim.FB3C271A-83B0-46AE-AE4F-424BEBDFB391 from ann on Vimeo.

Benefits Of Releasing

One of the great benefits of Releasing it that it can be used anywhere any time to 'Let Go' of stressful thoughts and limiting beliefs and allow us to open to the flow that is already here right now.

Often we limit ourselves by holding on consciously and subconsciously to memories of ' what happened last time ' and these memories block us from being present to this NEW moment.
 When we learn to even recognise this pattern and Release our memories we open to new possibilities.
We see people and places in a new light, life becomes new and fresh each moment. Possibilities and opportunities open to us ( or maybe we just see them now because we have dropped some old beliefs).
Take a moment to Release right now. It is simple to just drop your thoughts for a moment and allow yourself to become conscious of what is right here right now. Feel the body sensations notice the thoughts passing through your head and Relax.  This is releasing you from your past and allowing you to be present to this moment. Say, Thank You to yourself for taking the time to Let Go .
Do this often and I promise the benefits will multiply.

RememberTo Relax

It's a new week so why not make'  A New  Week's Resolution '.
Why not decide to make this a week of relaxation by remembering to take a short relaxation break every hour.

Let's start now, it doesn't need to take long but the benefits will be huge.

While reading this just allow yourself to notice how your body is feeling.

Become aware of your eyes and allow them to soften their focus while they are reading.
Notice the spaces between and around the letters and words while you are reading .
Become aware of the space around your body, the space between you and the device your reading on.
Notice how paying a little attention to space is helping your body to relax already.
Now notice that while you are still reading you can soften your face muscles, your jaw muscles,the muscles all around your eyes and around  your mouth and lips, just allow them to soften and relax.
And now notice how your hands feel, are they warm or cold, feel right down to the tips of your fingers and feel their presence, become conscious of your fingers and hands and how they feel today. 

I bet you feel more relaxed already and it didn't take long, a short time every now and then during the day means that by evening you will be still fresh and relaxed, for some evening fun .

Work In Progress

We are still working on the T'ai Chi ' Dance ' or Fight Set ( I have heard it described both ways ).
Anyway it is very interesting work if one lokes partner work and I have loved partner work from the first very early on in my training. I love how I can 'feel' my body's state of tension or relaxation 'through ' my partner. There is nothing like getting the feedback through one's body.  Here we are below working on rollback variations from the 'Dance '. I love that we have so much more to investigate and explore.

trim.910B01EA-F3F5-4B90-BCCF-E28A3FD5D18C from ann on Vimeo.

In this version when Joan does a roll back she also does the press and then I repeat the posture same on her.




trim.9BBFFDAD-13FE-4AF2-B07A-23F5F1D70C9B from ann on Vimeo.

In this version when I do a roll back on Steven the turns and presses into me. Then we swith 'roles' mid way.  


Scroll down for this weeks lessons.

T'ai Chi Lessons for this week Feb. 17th

Short Form to Ward Off Left

trim.C87A200F-3D41-460A-BB4E-06029DAE4A9A from ann on Vimeo.







Working on the application  for Ward Off Left

trim.B3B4ACEA-2FA0-4EF8-A14D-F5D69F3F3958 from ann on Vimeo.







Full Mini Form
Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.





Short Form to Shoulder Stroke

Short Form to shoulder stroke for Blackrock class from ann on Vimeo.

" Most Important, I had to be willing to try. The try is everything. The try is me saying to my brain, hey, I value this connection and I want it to happen. I may have to try, try and try again without results for a thousand times before I get even an incling of a result, but if I don't try, it may never happen " . Be Inspired By Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor' s Amazing Courage

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is a Harvard-trained and published neuroanatomist who experienced a severe hemorrhage in the left hemisphere of her brain in 1996. On the afternoon of this rare form of stroke (AVM), she could not walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her life. It took eight years for Dr. Jill to completely recover all of her physical function and thinking ability.

 I'm reading her book  My Stroke of Insight  at the moment and it's a wonderful read plus reading it confirms much of what I have learnt and experienced through many years of studying my own mind. It confirms the value of training our brains.

" Neurons either thrive when connected in circuit with other neurons, or they die when they sit in isoation without stimulation. "
 This knowledge is really useful to those of us who want to 'train' our brains , using this information we can focus our attention on developing and connecting neurons that empower us while  'starving ' neuron connections which deplete us.
As Jill worked to retrain her brain and her rational ' left brain hemisphere ' began to function she noticed that her judgements and blaming began to reemerge, she decided not to feed these aspects of her thinking and to focus more on positive aspects of thought. This she did successfully confirming that it is possible to take charge of our ' thinking ' by rewiring our brains.
I wish that I could give everyone a copy of her inspiring book but at least I can give you a link to her speaking about her experience on at this TED Talk   Jill Bolte Taylor

Resonating With LOVE

Words are really important and effect our body and our mind in either positive or negative ways.

When we hold a word in our minds we can begin to resonate with the experiences that that word awakens in us.

Take a moment to repeat the word relax in your mind , Relax , Relax , Reeeellllaaaaxxxxx, repeat it softly slowly and notice your body responds.

Now repeat the 'experiment ' saying Peace , Peace , Peace , Peace.

 Repeat it and allow yourself to 'feel' the word begin to resonate with the cells of your body, sink deeply into the feeling of PEACE.

Then ,  Calm, Calm, Calm , Calm,  Calm  .     ..........Calm  . . . . . .Calm             . . . . . .Calm

Now we come to LOVE,  Open your heart and begin feel your own LOVE

 Repeat LOVE    LOVE     LOVE        LOVE      LOVE        LOVE           LOVE       LOVE           LOVE            LOVE          LOVE         LOVE

 Feel how your body responds feel how your muscles relax.

Now move deeper into this resonance with your own LOVE 

Repeat, I LOVE YOU,   I LOVE YOU.      I LOVE YOU,      I LOVE YOU

         I LOVE YOU   toes and feet, 

         I LOVE YOU  ankles,

         I LOVE YOU  knees,

         I LOVE YOU thighs,

         I LOVE YOU  tummy,

        Now spend some time in your HEART saying

                             I LOVE YOU,

                             I LOVE YOU,

                  I LOVE YOU MY HEART

        I'm Grateful to you for all the LOVE and Insights You have brought me this lifetime.

        Thank You, Thank You, Thank You ,  I LOVE YOU

       Allow yourself to Relax more into this LOVE and Gratitude to Your HEART.
 
       Now allow that HEART LOVE to spread out all over your body, feel it flowing up to the top of your head filling and recharging all the cells along its way.

 Feel it flowing right out to the tips of your fingers recharging all the cells, feel how your cells are beginning to sparkle with bright shining LOVE.

Now it's flowing down to the soles of your feet.

 Your whole body is tingling and sparkling with LOVE and Light and you have become Your Very Own Valentine Resonating With LOVE

And Now Just Imagine This LOVE Spreading Out From Your Body And Shinning It's Light Into Your Whole World.

                                    Happy Valentine