One of the many reasons for practising Tai Chi is to improve balance – a major concern for those of us past 50! So if you are past 50 or even 80 – it is worth asking “am I too late?” – no it isn’t.
Tai Chi classes offer a relaxed social environment in which to practice balance exercises and learn to raise your awareness of body structure and movement. Awareness which greatly aids in the management of all sorts of issues in daily life.
Much is made of mind, body, spirit in the “alternative” lifestyle – but truly this and the associated concepts such as mindfullness, natural movement, being in the moment, softness, balance, flow, awareness and many others have been at the heart of Tai Chi for at least the past 500 years.
Beginners classes at Shefford and Marston Moretaine offer a gateway into this amazing and challenging practice – learn to look after your self in mind, body and spirit.
BREAKING NEWS : Harvard University Recommends These 3 Activities Over Walking Or Running For Adults Over 60. As you might expect one of the activities is Taijiquan.
https://share.google/bL6yN6Wn5yBPisWxJ
After 40 years of practice and 20 years of teaching, I am used to being asked this question in various forms – will it help my physical condition, will it help my emotional or spiritual condition, what does it do, what does it offer? Basically, just Why Tai Chi?
Well, my personal journey has included all of these – my entry was from 10 years of martial arts and a doctor’s recommendation to deal with severe stress, but since my teens I had been looking for a better approach to life than was offered by the post Victorian post war society as it was.
Tai Chi has provided a way of looking at the world and relationships and of dealing with them while learning to look after my mind and body, a way to maintain health and function into older age and a way to engage socially with like minded people.
So if you ask me Why Tai Chi? I will probably say – just do it and find out. Tai Chi is a personal reflection of the world we live in on a very personal physical and mental/spiritual level – but then that is just my experience.
I am presently receiving a lot of enquiries about Tai Chi, mainly from people in the middle to later age groups – generally they are exploring its benefits for daily life. I usually think that up to 50 years we are too preoccupied with work and family to have time to look after ourselves, and then after that it is difficult to find the motivation!
Worry not! Tai Chi for health is a very soft but surprisingly good exercise – remember the TV program that compared it to Zumba classes and found it equally good?
A case in point is my class at Marston Moretaine, where after just a few months the group is coming together within the class and socially and have come to share experiences and ideas. Classes for health usually have a good mix of people with varying abilities who can support each others learning – so a new student can just come along and quickly fit in.
These classes are generally run as drop in groups so the commitment is whatever you want it to be. My classes in Shefford take place in our newly refurbished Community Hall with heating and air conditioning. The classes at Marston are organised by the local Community Centre so please contact [email protected]
Here are a couple of links that I liked and promised students I would post.
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1694659038071277
https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=1097443952121603
Enjoy!
I am delighted that I will be teaching a new weekly drop in class at Marston Moretaine from Monday November 25th. Classes are at 10.15 – 11.45 and cost £5 pay as you go. This is organised and run by Marston Moretaine Community Centre so please contact them direct to register or for more details at [email protected]
