T'ai Chi Lessons for ARC House and Davis College Beginners and Blackrock Short Form

I had a problem with uploading Tuesday's Short form Video to Vimeo. I'll post it here as soon as I sort it out in the meantime you can watch it on my Facebook Page here

Sorted it out.

 
trim.839B0056-FB5A-4DE9-9619-C82EE8D1BB58 from ann on Vimeo.




Beginning Posture of the Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.







Here is the Full Mini form which we will be exploring for this term with all T'ai Chi Beginners.

It is so nice to have lots of new beginners interested in exploring this Art. Welcome to this wonderful practise. May it bring many insights and enrich your life. 



Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.






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Castletownbere T'ai Chi

Working on Cross Energy Connections at today's class. We are really moving forward with the partner work and the Short Form. Keep up the practise. Looking forward already to my next trip West.


trim.F3719603-A930-4369-A557-C80509F02FD6 from ann on Vimeo.


 Here is  Single Whip this is the one at the beginning of the Short Form I'll make a video of the one we were working on today at Tuesday's Class and post it on Wednesday.

 
Single whip part 1and 2 from ann on Vimeo.

T'ai Chi Exercises for Brú Columbanus Group

What a great session we had on Thursday afternoon. A Big Thanks to Therese for inviting me to introduce you all to this great practise. I am so glad to get the positive feedback and hope that these exercises will remind you of our time together and encourage you to practise T'ai Chi.

Here is the Figure 8 Exercise  which is great for lifting spirits and increasing optimism so you are ready for the day ahead.


Figure 8 Heart Exercise Connecting Heaven and Earth from ann on Vimeo.



In the video below I explain how to do it in more detail.


Figure 8 Heart Exercise Connecting Heaven and Earth from ann on Vimeo.



Here are the 'Warm -Up Exercises we explored.


Warm up exercises from ann on Vimeo.




Turning the ball warm up from ann on Vimeo.

Be sure to email me if you have any questions or comments I will be delighted to respond.

Partner Work

In our T'ai Chi we practise lots of different types of partner work. We learn to listen to and connect with a group as seen in the first video below.


trim.64A9F919-F34A-4D5F-AF79-6F684E2D517A from ann on Vimeo.

 We have fun investigating applications.



trim.00B69858-EE79-4FB6-941A-A9D58A6A4C62 from ann on Vimeo.




This affords us the opportunity to tune our attention to our partner's rhythm and movement.
This type of training is fun and a great way to become more aware of peoples energy and intention. We learn to feel the subtle energetic signals that we give out and receive in our T'ai chi and this understanding overflows into our daily life making us more perceptive in all our relationships.






trim.8A235032-5D07-4E71-8105-0214EE6449EF from ann on Vimeo.




 In these slower more sensitive exercises we tune in to our partners energy, 'listening' with our finger tips. This is a great training allowing us to become much more aware of the different subtle energy signature that everyone has. Just as we all have different finger prints we all have a unique energy signature and listening to and feeling that energy is a fascinating aspect of this practise.




trim.C1AFE9D9-D7A9-4A97-ACAD-990E049423B6 from ann on Vimeo.

Whether we work in a group or one to one we are always exchanging energy and connecting deeply in mysterious ways beyond our minds understanding.

Beginners and Advanced Beginners ( Short form ) Lessons for this Week

Here is the Mini Form lesson for ARC House class. It was just lovely to practise with you all yesterday. Looking forward to seeing you soon again.


Beginning Posture of the Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.


The Full Mini Form ( if you want to look ahead).



Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.







Castletowmbere Lesson from last week.


trim.39694C4E-898F-4FB4-97B4-92FC7333F4E0 from ann on Vimeo.



 Here is the Shoer Form lesson for Monday night's advanced beginners. Great to be working with you on the Short form and such fun with the partnr work and applications. See you soon.


trim.B8FE0471-98E2-4A3E-9E9C-0626F50DFC0D from ann on Vimeo.

Healing Vision

                                          Dr William Bates

In the last few weeks I have begun to use the "Bates Method" to work on improving my eyesight. Over the last year I noticed that I was becoming more dependant on the use of my glasses, ever since I began wearing glasses I have always tried to keep them off as much as possible somehow I felt that becoming too dependant on them was not a good idea.
Many years ago when I began T'ai Chi training with Steven Moore he mentioned that he had used the Bates Method to heal his own eyes so he no linger needed glasses. Somehow it didn't dawn on me then to work on my own eyes at that time. However this Christmas I decided it was time to give the method a go.
I can definitely see an improvement (punn intended). The method is based on a lot of relaxation which I find is complimenting all my other practise.
If you have a eye defect or would like to maintain perfect eyesight check out these exercises I'm sure you will find them benifical.
 There are lots of  videos on Youtube that demonstrate the exercises I found this one to be clear and concise. Eye Exercises
 
William Bates
In 1885 William Bates graduated from with a medical degree from the college of Phuysicians and Surgeons at Columbia University New York. He was a successful eye surgeon but became increasingly dissatisfird with the methods of treating eye defects. He pondered why if using glasses was supposed to help one's eyes should people need stronger and stronger lenses. Surely if glasses were helping the eyes would become healthier and need weaker lenses. He compared using glasses to the use of crutches. If someone keeps using a crutch even after their broken leg has healed it will never regain it's strength.
Check out this link if you would like to read more about  Dr.William Bates

Eye Exercises

T'ai Chi Lessons For Castetownbere and Beginners Class at ARC House

trim.222F4AD9-F755-463C-BC31-120811B74902 from ann on Vimeo.




trim.39694C4E-898F-4FB4-97B4-92FC7333F4E0 from ann on Vimeo.




Beginning Posture of the Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.




Full Mini Form from ann on Vimeo.

On The Road Again

Snow-capped Paps foretold the wondres to come.

Mist and magic on this journey,

Well remembered views looked fresh,

And mysterious,

As the road wound,

Past curious sheep,

And mystical mountains. 

I pondered on the beauty of this world, the mystery of life, the great connections and journeys that happen through T'ai Chi.

New T'ai chi term Starting January 10

Tai Chi Classes New Term Starting This Week


 Sunday Morning  Starting Back Tomorrow Biweekly Sarah Walker Gallery Castletownbere.
11:30 -1:15pm Cost 15€/class.

Tuesday Evening Blackrock Community Centre Cork


Beginners 7:15 -8:35pm Cost 7€/class

Wednesday Evening Davis College Mallow
Beginners Class 7:30- 9pm 10 Week Course
Enrolling this week.

Friday Morning Blackrock Community Centre Cork
11:30 -1pm Cost 10 €/class.
 
You can read more about my work at ARC House Cancer Support on this link. http://www.corkcancersupport.ie/

Back In Action !

It is soooooo good to be back in action again.



trim.AFC7028B-8E8B-4B9B-91D5-1275704E95CE from ann on Vimeo.

Michael and Steven working on a 'cross - energy ' exercise. In this version both people push together while moving the weight into the front foot and then push appart ( repulse monkey style ) as the weight shifts into the back foot






trim.27779A69-ACBC-48BD-BA90-224FF1D8B360 from ann on Vimeo.

Here is the same exercise but adapted so we stay connected moving together. So instead of pushing towards and away from eachother one person 'sticks'  to the other's movement. 

Nothing like some good energy work to rcharge the body.







trim.F014CF04-3BFE-492A-BB0C-CC91FB7BE321 from ann on Vimeo.

And working on the taichi 'dance' is a great way to get all the neurons in your beain firing happily.
One of the best aspects of the Christmas break is the joy of getting back into the practise  together again. 
I'm really looking forward to a full week of classes starting in Castketownbere on Sunday Morning.

How do you inspire and encourage yourself ?

Do you love and approve of yourself  into action?
Love works, it inspires,nourishes and heals us, and knowing that love is the way, at times I still find myself beating myself up. Disapproving of ourselves is such a habit, our families,our society, and even our religions often 'teach' us to disapprove of ourselves, so is it any wonder that it has become such a bad habit. We have come to believe that the way to change is through disapproving of the things that we don't like in our lives. We feel that if we just hate something about ourselves enough  it will force us to change. Does this work ? Well it has never worked for me.
Learning to Let Go of disapproving of myself and giving myself approval ( for no reason) has allowed me to grow in so many ways, it allows me to stop postponing on life until some 'perfect' time when all my 'problems are resolved ( in other words when I'm dead).
Learning to love ourselves 'warts' and all, brings about a great sense of relaxation, this ease in the body-mind means that lots more energy is available for living and  working on interesting projects.

Loving Yourself Exercise:

Allow yourself to focus inside and bring to mind any area in your life that you are disapproving of right now.
Take your time to just picture this aspect, now ask your mind to just move it out of your body ( just for now you can always bring it back in later if you want).

Actually allow yourself to feel it leaving the body.

Notice  how much lighter you feel without this load.

Now give yourself some approval and notice how that feels. Just say Thank You I love You to yourself a few times.

Repeat the process for each aspect that you are disapproving of and I promise you will have more energy, more well being, more abundance and much more fun and success today.
Just take it for testing and repeat as often as you like. This is a great recipe to a better life. 

Releasing

                    Happy Releasers At Last Summer's Workshop

Releasing is a powerful method which enables us to Let Go of limiting beliefs.  We mostly don't even realise that we have so many limiting beliefs until we are shown how to find them. In my experience we mostly spend our life based on beliefs that we 'picked up' from our families our schools our culture etc. Many of these beliefs are helpful, however we also pick up many beliefs which hold us back , fill us with fear and keep us from even attempting to follow our dreams.
The simple techniques used in the Release technique and The Sedona Method ( two versions of Lester Levenson's work ) teach us how to release those beliefs that are holding us back from living life to the full.
This year I have had amazing feedback from people who have found relief in so many areas of their lives.
Financial relief, ~ "Having spent a lifetime struggling to pay my bills now this Christmas has been so easy and enjoyable all bills paid and still plenty to live with ease what a great beginning to 2016 ".

" My ability to deal with difficult family issues amazes me, situations which I believed were past solving are resolved I have no idea how this happened but things seem to sort themselves out since I began Letting Go ".

These are just 2 of the great messages I received this New Year it is such a joy to get the feedback and further confirmation that this work is helping people. It really encourages me to keep sharing Lester's teaching and allow others to avail of this method.
There is no end to the aspects of our lives where Releasing can help. Here below is one exercise on recognising and Releasing  Resistance which will give you an idea of how it works.

Resisting things in our life is often difficult to recognise. However as soon as you ask yourself to list the things in your life that you want to change you become aware of what you are resisting.
 Wanting to change or  control things and people in our lives is another way of thinking of resistance.
How much time in our day do we 'waste' trying to change or 'fix ' people . Here in Ireland we spend a lot of time resisting the rain , does it work , has the rain stopped ? No ! And all our resisting does is build up frustration inside of us.
In releasing we remind ourselves to let go of resisting, and allow what is to be.
If this is too difficult we welcome the resistance and really allow ourselves to feel it fully. This is a form of releasing because at least we have stopped resisting our resistance.
If you make a list of the things( and people) in your life that you are wanting to change and let go of wanting to change and or fix them you will notice a change happening.
Firstly you will free up a lot of energy that was being used in resisting.
You will be more present in your life and relationships which will allow you to enjoy your life more fully.
We all feel it ether consciously or subconsciously when someone is trying to control us  and we don't like it, it makes us want get away from those people. People feel it from us when we are trying to change or fix them and they don't like it either . When we stop doing this our relationships really blossom .