MY APROACH TO TEACHING

Taiji is concerned with mind, health and martial art. These three elements are first investigated through the study of a sequence of movements performed in slow motion.

The study of Taiji is subtle and cannot be rushed. The movements of the routine (form) are a platform to learn the different elements of this art, but the number of movements learnt cannot be a measurement of progress, only their quality is important. A single movement perfectly performed is to be preferred to the shoddy execution of an entire sequence.

Through the practice of Taiji, Qigong and Standing Exercises I gradually introduce physical awareness. A better knowledge of our body mechanics develops and balance and coordination improve. Each movement of the form is the response to an imaginary opponent’s attack. The understanding of these martial art applications will give clarity and precision to the different postures of the form so the body is well aligned, the joints work within healthy range and the muscles remain loose.

In the beginning, I teach pragmatically. I tend to stress the precision of the physical structure because I have come to realise that prematurely chasing the more elusive elements of Taiji will distract you from the truth. The early simple benefits of your practice cannot be underestimated. Finding balance effortlessly or experiencing moments of calm and stillness give great joy and pleasure. With patience, those simple experiences will trickle from physical to deeper levels of your being. Only by practicing and repeating what you are physically learning, will you create a favorable space for internal awareness to arise.

Taiji is best known for its slow movement routine. Indeed this routine alone encompasses most of the benefits that the art can bring. But Taiji also includes routines of a faster pace, weapon forms and partner exercises (see Syllabus). When your practice of the slow form becomes whole, you might choose to study more advanced routines. I, myself, have decided to focus on the 6 forms I already know and am in the process of internalizing, before learning new ones. Advanced forms and partner exercises will help you to further investigate the main aspects of Taiji, extending your awareness beyond the body.

Taiji might be a serious discipline to undertake but its teaching doesn’t need to be stern. Whatever your reasons for joining my classes whatever your goals, my approach, though serious, is usually experienced by my students as fun and enjoyable. I allow for results to come at your own speed, unnoticed, making it all the more powerful and pleasing when you come to recognise the changes in your body or in your life.

By then, effortlessly, through the subtle practice of Taiji you will be experiencing clarity and quietness. Better regulated stress and other physiological health benefits will help you maintain optimum health. Your understanding of change in response to outside forces will also give you effective self-defence skills.