TAI CHI VILLAGE Issue 10 23rd May 2020
DISCOVER TAI CHI
Welcome to the Tai Chi Village
About Tai Chi Village
On our cover this week is a very famous picture - Six Persimmons. Ink on paper hanging scroll, attributed to Muqi (active mid-13th century), Nan (Southern) Song dynasty; in the Daitoku Temple, Kyōto, Japan.
Tai Chi Village began when we had to close our face to face classes due to Covid 19 in March this year.
This weeks edition has been inspired by Mental Health Awareness week, we have delved into how Tai Chi promotes mental health and well-being. If you want to know more about Mental Health Awareness Week, visit The Mental Health Foundation website at: Mental Health Awareness Week 2020
Each week we delve into a different facet of Tai Chi and share it with you. If you enjoy reading the Tai Chi Village, we hope you may want to support us our work by buying us a coffee at our new site Ko-fi.com/discovertaichi Just click the button below : )
All the best, Phil & Helen
Grab a cuppa, sit down, and enjoy this week's edition. Image: Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains, detail of a hand scroll by Huang Gongwan. National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
Bright Border Planting at Cliffe Castle Park, Keighley by Helen Image by Tom (Cliffe Castle Class)
Updates on regular classes and one to one sessions When we have the opportunity to return to classes things may look a bit different due to changes that venues may need to put in place before they can open. We will also need to change how we do things to keep you safe. People already enjoyed paying for their class with our 'contactless' card payment machine, or by buying classes in advance, in addition we will offer an unlimited class subscription with other benefits included. (More details on payment options soon). Based on positive feedback we plan to build upon our online learning space for people to enjoy also. We will keep you informed when we plan to open our classes in line with government guidance. At the moment we can only offer one to one private Tai Chi tuition outside. Unfortunately, as yet we can't teach more than one person at a time. Do get in touch to book your session with Phil or Helen. You'll find our details on the back page of this newsletter. Did you know that as a member of our online learning space on the higher tier you get a private session included with your subscription? Take a look:
自然
Zìrán
https://www.patreon.com/disc overtaichi Image by Helen Parsons
Movement In Mind Tai Chi, Qigong and Mental Health Tai Chi has a long association with improvements in anxiety and depression as well as enhancing mood in people living with long term health conditions. While the evidence isn’t conclusive most studies do report that regular practise of tai chi does benefit our sense of wellness. Phil has also spoken about his PTSD since his motorbike accident in 2002. Small scale studies of varying duration and type have found that Tai Chi can reduce some of the symptoms of anxiety associated with PTSD. Studies into tai chi have found it difficult to pin down exactly how Tai Chi and Qigong appear to act on our mental health. Dr Peter Wayne, at Harvard, suggests some fundamental mechanisms at play: There's have strong evidence that moderate exercise like tai chi can prove as effective as prescription medication for treating mild to moderate depression. There is also good evidence that the slow, mindful movements and active relaxation in tai chi practise can reduce stress levels. Another mechanism highlighted by Dr. Peter Wayne is the emphasis on posture. Studies have shown a measurable change in hormones including cortisol when we change our postures. In our Tai Chi practice we spend time actively thinking about our posture and how it moves and changes through each movement without force. Photo by Falco Negenman on Unsplash
Carol from our St Hugh's class sent us this fab image of her on a woodland birthday walk.
Tai Chi, Qi Gong and Mental Health When we work with our own posture and stances we encourage ourselves to have an acceptance and kindness towards our bodies, out strengths and weaknesses. Studies show a meditative or mindful focus have beneficial effect on our emotional well-being and integral of the effect of Tai Chi. In our classes we bring our awareness into the present moment by focusing our attention on bodily sensation and by moving slowly. For example, we might focus our attention to our feet before we commence our practise. Becoming mindful of our bodily sensations allows us to quieten down some of the mental chatter we can experience day to day. We talk about turning down the volume in our classes to begin the process of purposefully quieting the inner critic as we call it.
Finally Tai Chi has been shown to improve sleep quality and who doesn’t feel better and less stressed after a good night's sleep! Tai Chi and Qigong works in a range of ways which may experience differently. We know it works because we hear from our participants so often. You can read more about Dr Peter Wayne here: Peter Wayne, PhD
'Perhaps what makes Tai Chi so special is that this holistic, multicomponent exercise affects us at physical, psychological, social and philosophical levels. Its multilevel effects are especially important for complex chronic diseases that involve many systems throughout the body…' P.29 - Wayne Peter M. PhD. with Fuerst Mark L. The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi. Boston: Shambala, Harvard Health Publications; 2013.
Landscape scene from a bronze fitting of a chariot canopy from Dingxian, Hebei province c. 2nd-1st century BCE
Taoism and Psychology Within Chinese philosophy, Taoist culture has contributed many of the core elements of how we think about our modern day practise of tai chi for health and wellness. Taoism stresses living in 'harmony' or balance with the natural world. It suggests that the place from which we begin that process starts with how we relate to ourselves and others. In modern terms we might think about this from a psychological perspective of having a healthy sense of self-awareness and awareness of how we impact on others, and the wider world around us. You may like to read a long form article called: 'Using Taoist Principle of the Unity of Opposites to Explain Conict and Peace' featured in Psychology Today magazine for more on this idea: https://www.psychologytoday.co m/sites/default/ďŹ les/attachments/ 35629/using-taoist-principle-the-u nity-opposites.pdf
White Clouds over Xiao and Xiang, hanging scroll after Zhao Mengfu by Wang Jian, one of the Six Masters of the early Qing period, ink and colour on paper, 1668; in the Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Clothing & Tote Bags
Improved Live Streams
You can still bag yourself a bag!
Many of you know we have worked hard to improve the quality of our livestreams and reduce interruptions. We have also looked into offering live-streams on other platforms for those people who don't use Facebook.
We have found the happiest items available made with kindness and care, hand screen-printed by the amazing Studio Print Press in Keighley. Ladies Organic Cotton T- shirt - £20.00 (S, L, XL only)
We haven't crossed this hurdle just yet but we hope to very soon. If you are not on Facebook you can now watch our most recent live streams again on our channel Tai Chi Foundations. Click Here: Tai Chi Foundations
Organic Cotton Sweatshirt - £40.00 (S, M, L XXL only)
We broadcast live on our Facebook Group page: Discover Tai Chi. ● ●
Tuesday's from 11:00am Thursday's from 7:00 pm
We host a mix of news and updates, answers to your questions, a review or two, plus some tai chi and qigong movements to relax and enjoy. Recycled Cotton & Polyester Tote Bag - £10.00
We hope to offer a live class for our online learning members on online learn space at patreon.com/discovertaichi
Watch this space… : )
Get in touch to make your order : )
TAI CHI FOUNDATIONS
We'd like to welcome our latest member, Stephen who joined us this week on our online learning course at Patreon.com.
And to say a great big thank you to all our members who continue to subscribe to our online learning space at:
Thank you to everyone who has bought us a coffee via ko-fi.com. It makes such a difference to know you appreciate our efforts. If you'd like to buy us a coffee, just to say thanks, click the big button below: ko-fi.com/discovertaichi
You may like to visit our blog/website at discovertaichi.com for more blog posts about tai chi. Click our logo below:
https://www.patreon.com/discovertaichi
We look forward to seeing you. Helen & Phil : ) GET IN TOUCH T: 07528 959091 Facebook: @discovertaichi
Thanks for reading the Tai Chi Village. If you prefer not to receive this newsletter please do get in touch.
Twitter: @discovertaichi Instagram: @discovertaichi
All the best, Helen and Phil
E: huntunwellbeing@gmail.com
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