The Walking Tiger Tai Chi Club
Providing private and group lessons in metro San Diego: Phone 619-865-3711 Email: TheWalkingTiger@Juno.Com
Qigong is an ancient Chinese art of self massage, meditation and meditative
exercise, similar to Yoga, which strengthens, adds flexibility, enhances the
nervous system and reduces stress.
Tai Chi (or Taji) is a very advanced form of Qigong. It is a very
active, higher impact form of Qigong which enables one to mobilize deep
internal energies to release stress, promote self-healing and enhance intuitive
powers.
“Tai Chi, practiced correctly and regularly, will gain one the
pliability of a child, the health of a lumberjack and the piece of mind of a
sage.” Cheng Man-Chi’ng
CLICK HERE FOR LINKS
Private Lessons and
Small Group Sessions
Quotes From
Some Masters of Tai Chi and Other Arts
CLASS SCHEDULE and LOCATIONS
The LGBT Center of San Diego provides a free class in combined Qigong and Tai Chi every Saturday at 11:00 AM, beginning May 30, 2009. (see map below).
Qigong is an ancient Chinese art of self massage, meditation and meditative exercise, similar to Yoga, which strengthens, adds flexibility, enhances the nervous system and reduces stress.
Tai Chi (or Taji) is a very advanced form of Qigong. It is a very active, higher impact form of Qigong which enables one to mobilize deep internal energies to release stress, promote self healing and enhance intuitive powers.
11:00 AM Saturday Morning
=========================
Community Resource Room
The San Diego LGBT Community Center
3909 Centre Street
San Diego, CA 92103
Questions? Call Walter at 619-865-3711: Or email to
:TheWalkingTiger@Juno.Com
About Tai Chi Qigong
“A toned body that is strong as an ox, as supple as a tiger, and
as quick as a striking snake requires a type of strength that is much more
complex than just power lifting. To acquire this type of strength requires
gaining skills of strength, agility, grace, relaxation, readiness, effective
breathing and confident movement. Tai Chi’s simple movements provide all that
is needed to retain these qualities for yourself.”
From Stay Young With Tai Chi; by Ellae Elinwood
Like Yoga, Tai Chi frees and mobilizes the body’s energy to
enhance health, awakens the mind, reduces stress and improves flexibility and
strength.
It (Tai Chi) is different from Yoga in that one doesn’t move into a posture and stop, but you keep moving continuously and smoothly; while breathing slow and deep, through a series of postures; all the while shifting the weight from one foot to the other. This movement, done with the right state of mind and with calmness, energizes the body and relinquishes trapped or blocked energy from the body. In this respect it is very similar to acupuncture, but without using any needles.
Most of us recognize Tai Chi when we see it slowly performed. And,
it is quite true that one will gain the most health benefits and learn better
by practicing in slow motion. But, Tai Chi may be performed at any
speed-including very fast.
“In Tai Chi there is no final result. Rather, there is a gradual
accumulation of benefits…” Dr. Robert Chuckrow
In fact, I recommend practice at different speeds, in different
conditions, in darkness, on bumpy ground-even on stairs.
What is the ideal speed? That is really determined by one’s
breathing pattern. At first, you might move a little fast, because you breathe
as many as 10 or 12 times a minute, eventually, breathing will become much
deeper and slower, and your Tai Chi practice is likely to slow down.
The truly defining qualities of Tai Chi are actually structure and
rooting.
Structurally, Tai Chi emphasizes a relaxed but very strong
alignment of the lower and upper body which is very strong, but also very
relaxed.
Chi (The life force energy nurtured and enhanced by Tai Chi Qigong)
Chi refers to the animating energy of the body; sometimes called life force.
Unlike western
medicine, the ancient healers of the east see the human being; as well as
everything else, as a form of energy. When this energy flows freely, it may be
enhanced, strengthened, channeled and focused for healing, elevated
consciousness or self-defense.
What does Chi feel like?
The flow of this energy feels at first like a flush of warmth. It
really is the fluid flow and pressure of the whole body moving loosely, like a
snake. Later, one is likely to feel pulsation. This is a sensing of the body
pulse.
Eventually, one will feel tingling, like sand flowing over the
skin. Wriggling, twitchiness, flushness, mottled hands and the sense of a
feeling like a “thrill” are all commonly reported feelings which are
manifestations of the flow of Chi energy.
Have you felt Chi before? You may have felt the flush of warmth
and energy after stretching. Or, if you hold your arms up in the air until they
become tired and heavy. That feeling when you drop your arms and relax is very
much like the fluid pressure and flush of warm energy from Chi.
Do you believe; as most people, that your state of mind can change
your health? Causing ulcers, reduced metabolism, and damaging the heart?
If this is true, then the opposite is also true. A different state
of mind; one that is uplifted, energized and centered, can produce better
health.
About the Teacher
I began training
at the age of 13. In those days the small town of El Cajon, California had
little to offer, and most of the schools that started went out of business in a
very short time. As a result I was exposed to many styles over a very short
period of time. Each of them convinced that theirs was the only truly effective
system.
This continued until the 1970’s when EC McGilvery; who was not
only a master artist but also a good businessman, started the American Colleges
of Karate and Martial Arts, as well as The International Martial Arts
Association.
Master McGilvery developed a system he called Aam-Ka-Jutsu; a
mixed martial system which focused on effective self-defense martial arts.
Hence the term, Jutsu, which conveys the idea that this art is all about
self-defense. Master McGilvery did not care about, nor had he any allegiance
to, any dynastic system of self-defense. He collated every worthwhile and
effective technique into his system.
I remember hearing him laugh out load for several minutes when he
heard someone referred to as “a third generation master”.
At the same time, he had enormous respect for true masters. He
recruited masters of many arts, including Karate, Kung Fu, Aikido, Judo,
Jiu-Jitsu and Tai Chi.
During this time he created a virtual renaissance-offering first
class training in a wide variety of arts to all of his advanced students. It
was during this period, from 1970 to the late 1990’s that I was able to take
Tai Chi training from a number of teachers, including Michael Brown and William
Funchin.
There is a saying from Zen; “Humility is the key to mastery”. This means
that all too often, those who seek mastery cannot put aside their pride and
ego. The way to mastery is in deciding one will always and forever be a
student. One must never put their hands on their hips, swell their chest and
say; “I am a master”.
The term “master” is widely exploited in the United States. There
are some martial organizations in the world that will assign this title, but it
is very, very rare. Further, anyone who calls HIMSELF master, probably has very
serious ego issues.
Arrogance, pride, ego and fear have been the cause of the downfall
of great institutions, countries and masters. During my journey I have known
too many people who, upon reaching a certain level of skill, stopped learning
and closed their minds.
These same people sometimes claim to have created their own art;
forgetting that masters have labored to create these arts. And, that sometimes
there is a reason; not instantly obvious, why things are done a certain way.
I would want my stone to read: “ He was patient, kind and a good
teacher”.
Choosing a School-What to watch our for…
·
Anyone who uses the term “Blood Sport”
·
Teachers who think they are a spiritual Guru
·
Any references to Ninja
·
A teacher who calls HIMSELF master or grandmaster
·
Signs that claim the school teaches several different and
disparate martial arts
·
Those who claim to be students of Bruce Lee (even if it’s true)
·
Mullets
·
Swaggering
·
Swastikas
·
A window full of tournament trophies
·
Ancient fundamentalist religious symbols
·
Contemporary fundamentalist religious symbols
·
A “king of the hill” attitude toward the “Pushing Hands’ exercise
or sparring
·
A wall full of weapons that don’t apply to the 21st century
·
Long-term contracts
·
Shrines
·
Foreign flags
·
Few female students
·
Starry-eyed allegiance to ANYTHING
·
Pee wee black belts
·
Instructors who groan when they get out of their chair
·
Stoic, superior, impolite, cross eyed, smelly or unhealthy looking
instructors
·
Impatient, unkind, ill mannered or intimidating instructors
·
Smiling out of context
·
Smugness
·
Eyes whose “whites” show all the way around
·
Shiny silk uniforms
·
Preoccupation with lineage
·
Bruised, limping or twitching students
·
Topknots
Tai Chi Qigong Forms
The “forms” are
preset sequences of Tai Chi Qigong movements, performed in a very precise
pattern. They are designed to build up and cultivate Chi energy in different
parts of the body. In some sequences a single movement is repeated several
times because the masters found this was the most effective way to cultivate
and augment Chi. Tradition also allows for changes in sequence, repetitions or
direction, as long as all of the postures are performed.
It is the “process” of learning the forms that is most important.
While practicing, it is the “way of moving” that is most important. Tai Chi has
so many principles that it is very difficult to learn it in the way we learn in
a History or Physics class. Mimicking the teacher and allowing its many
principles to “seep into your bones” is the best way learn Tai Chi.
The 18 Step Shibashi Sequence (on YouTube)
The 8 Brocades (pdf file)
The
5 Breaths Tibetan Qigong (pdf file)
The Crane Frolic
The Bear Frolic
The 8 Palms Sequence
The 13 posture Trident Form
The 37 Posture Yang Form
The 18 postures (the Shibashi Sequence):
Shibashi (pronounced sher baa sher). This is the first sequence taught.
Shibashi (meaning 18 in Mandarin) is a series of 18
energy-enhancing exercises that co-ordinate movement with breathing and
concentration. It is a gentle, beautiful and flowing Tai Chi Qigong exercise routine
that is both a joy to do and deeply relaxing for people of any age.
Shibashi was developed by Professor Lin Hou Sheng in 1979.
Professor Lin is a renowned Qigong Master, scientist and Master Healer. His
remarkable credentials include Professor of the College of Chinese Medicine in
Shanghai, Director of Qigong Research Institute in China and Honorary President
of the International Society of Natural Cures. He based the Shibashi on the
philosophies of Tai Chi and extracted some of the movements from Yang style Tai
Chi Chuan while keeping the exercise simple to learn and practice. He places
great emphasis on synchronizing the 18 movements with proper breathing
techniques.
Shibashi is designed to improve the general health and wellbeing
of the practitioner. The gentle rocking motions and stretching movements
improve circulation and digestion. The chest exercises and controlled breathing
are good for lung conditions and asthma. The overall effect of the exercise is
to reduce mental stress and physical tension carried in the muscles of the
body. This Qigong is very effective and easy to learn. It is practiced around
the world by over 10 million people, and is considered a national health
exercise in Malaysia and Indonesia
The Eight Brocades
The centuries old Eight Brocades Qigong sequence is one of the
oldest and most widely practiced Qigong sets.
It is revered in
China because if it is performed regularly and correctly, it opens up the
body’s energy pathways, sending nourishing energy to the organs, bones,
ligaments, tendons and muscles in a very efficient way.
The eight exercises here are a superb set of overall strengthening
and health enhancement exercises which have been practiced in China for
centuries. If you progress gradually, do them daily and follow the instructions
carefully, you will almost certainly see surprisingly good benefits within a
few weeks.
The Eight Golden Treasure Brocade has been known to increase
muscular strength and assist in the development of pectoral muscles to make the
figure graceful. It is also good for the prevention and treatment of kyphosis,
scoliosis, and common chronic diseases such as cervical spondylopathy, pain in
the lower back and legs, and stomach ache. With persistent practice this
exercise set can also tone the brain, strengthen health and prolong life.
The 5 Breaths of Tibetan Qigong
This sequence is so old that no origin story exists except in myth
and legend. It was practiced widely throughout China since at least since the
1700 ‘s. Historians believe it predates the Shaolin Temple, some 2000 years
ago.
It is the most challenging, but the most beneficial of all the
Qigong sequence. Though only five movements, done 20 times each; the form is so
effective it can be considered a very complete, and very effective, advanced
Tai Chi form.
The Crane Frolic
The Cxrane Frolic is a 6 movement sequence widely practised to
raise spirits and balance energy. It is recommended for summer practice to
strength and balance glandular energy and is especially beneficial for women’s
heath.
The Bear Frolic
The opposite of the Crane, the Bear frolic is a powerful winter
time sequence which strengthens immunity, body temperature control and provides
a feeling of deep groundedness.
The 8 Palms Sequence
The eight Palms is the first stepping sequence. It includes the
powerful affects of Tai Chi walking, together with the eight primary movements
of Tai Chi Chuan.
The 13 posture Trident Form
The 13 postures intermediate form contains all of the 7 stepping postures
of Tai Chi together with the 6 stationary postures in a complete form.
The 37 Posture Yang Form
Developed
by master Cheng man-ching; containing all the 37 postures of small circle Yang
style, this form actually has 64 complete movements. Requiring 8 to 12 minutes,
depending on one’s speed, it is our most advanced form and the most widely
practiced form in the world.
“Tai Chi, practiced correctly and regularly, will gain one the
pliability of a child, the health of a lumberjack and the piece of mind of a
sage.” Cheng Man-Chi’ng
Quotes From Masters
Favorite quotations from masters of martial arts, great leaders
and authors…
“By controlling our breath and learning to take it deep into the abdomen,
the store of pre-natal ch’I can be replenished and the aging process delayed.”
CHI by Paul Wildish
“Egotism is fear turned outward.” Lao Tzu
“If you find that you are going through hell-keep going.” Winston Churchill
“When a fool sees the Tao,
he laughs. Otherwise it would not be the Tao.” -Tai Chi parable
“One who thinks everything
should be easy inevitably finds everything difficult.” Lao Tzu
“Eliminating blame cultivates patience and the ability to forgive
ourselves or others when we or they fall short of perfection.”-
Dr. Robert Chuckrow
“Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” - Carl
Gustav Jung
“The white man builds very large fire and sits far away; the
Indian builds a small fire and sits close by.”- Cherokee parables
Being able to say; ‘I’ll try again’, is one of the deepest
expressions of faith in oneself.”- Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt
“The most difficult thing in the world is to know how to do a
thing and watch someone else doing it wrong without comment.” Theodore H. White
“There are two kinds of liars; those who want others to believe
them, and those who want to believe themselves.” Scott Turrow
“Embrace your pain, for there your soul will grow.” Carl Jung
“Anyone can teach a gifted student, the real test of a teacher’s
skill is how skilled his novice students are.” EC McGilvery
“The truth dazzles gradually, otherwise the world would go blind.”
Emily Dickinson
“Defining things limits them” – Dr. Robert Chuckrow
“The sharp point of the treasure sword was honed on the grinding
stone. The fragrance of the plum blossoms was conceived in bitter cold.” – Kuo
Lien-Ying
“When we focus inward, away from the distractions of daily life, and
concentrate on beneficial objects such as our breathing, body, movement, or
intent, then our mind naturally rebalances itself and we become more in tune
with ourselves.” -“Total Tai Chi” by Mathew Rochford
“He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my
contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal
cord would suffice.” - Albert Einstein
“All great truths begin as blasphemies.” - George Bernard Shaw
“Man can learn nothing except by going from the known to the
unknown.” - Claude Bernard
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same
level of thinking we were at when we created them.” - Albert Einstein
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mystical. It is
the source of all true art and science.” - Albert Einstein
“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has
endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their
use.”- Galileo Galilei
“The whole history of science has been the gradual realization
that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but that they reflect a
certain underlying order, which may or may not be divinely inspired. “- Stephen
W. Hawking
“In pursuing knowledge, one accumulates daily. In pursuing the
Tao, one loses daily.” – Lao Tzu
“Your aim is to change and change again…nature itself ensures that
conditions within you and around you are never the same.”
Jou Tsung Hwa
“Any ardent human quest teaches us about ourselves.” Mark Chen
“The lymph fluid does not have a pump (like the heart) to move it
around the body. It relies upon physical movement instead. The expansive non
tensile movements of Tai Chi are ideal in this respect.” Robert Parry
“The restoration of man to the harmony and integrity of his
psychological and mental self will transform the universe.”
Wen-Shan Huang
“The only knack, as committed students learned, was to work
through the frustration whenever it arose.”
Return To Stillness by Trevor Carolan
“One way of making a breakthrough is to think deeply about things
other people take for granted.” Jou Tsung Hwa
“Tai Chi has been employing Skinnerian methods of behavior
modification for thousands of years.” Lawrence Galante
Meditation isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become
something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.” Pema Chodron
“The greatest of all arts is the art of life, and the best of all
music is the harmony of the spirit.”
Max Muller
“Stress is actually a survival mechanism and a manifestation of
unresolved conflict in the mind-body.”
John Loupos
“When any of the strong emotions lasts too long, the mind is
unable to properly regulate them, destroying the energy of the organs, which
then results in disease or illness.”
Shou-Yu Liang
“…the mind must be encouraged to give up its obsession with
endless mental chatter. Paying attention to the breath is one method of slowing
down and eventually stopping mental restlessness.” Erle Montaigue
“The Health care industry in the United States is second in size
only to the defense industry; an estimated 750 billion dollars annually. The
first thing one might conclude is from these figures is that people in the USA
must be incredibly healthy. They are not. They are nowhere near as healthy as
the Chinese, and comparatively, the Chinese have nothing at all.”; from The Complete Book of Tai Chi: by Wong
Kiew Kit
“Invisible wisps of thought and emotion alter the fundamental
chemistry of every cell.” Deepak Chopra
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new
landscapes, but in having new eyes."
Marcel Proust
“To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the
opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” Sun Tzu
“The goal of a rich and satisfying life is the great leveler. The
movement [ of Tai Chi ] have endured for for thousands of years because they
contribute to and support a goal that binds us all as one.” From Stay Young
With Tai Chi by Ellae Underwood
“Only by training [in Tai Chi] and strengthening our point of
contact with the ground; he taught, could we truly relax our upper body for
optimum responsiveness in self defense. The only knack; as committed students
came to learn, was to work through frustration whenever it arose.” Trevor
Carolan
“Functional training may be gained through the solo exercise by
imagining an opponent vying with you as you go through postures. Your mind
operates to create this imaginary opponent. If you disregard this vital aspect,
your postures will lose meaning and trueness, and the exercise will become
merely a mechanical charade.” Cheng Man-Ching
“The ultimate aim of Tai Chi is to do without method-the response
to an attack is a reflex done without cognition.”
Cheng Man-Ching
“No one can tell you what makes your body live. Scientists have an
explanation for how your lungs breathe air, and how your heart pumps blood
around your body to nourish its cells, but they cannot say why life began in
your body and what makes it continue. For two and a half thousand years, the
Chinese have called this subtle life force qi (or chi).” From “TAI CHI for the
Body, Mind & Spirit” by Eric Chaline
It [Tai Chi] becomes most potent when the intention of your
subconscious mind parallels exactly the intention of the conscious mind.” John
Loupos
“Practicing Tai Chi is an opportunity to step out of the addiction
to getting the most done in the least amount of time. “ Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt
“Twisting, turning and spiraling should be present either in an
overt or hidden way within Tai Chi techniques.”
Bruce Franzis
“Like a kinked garden hose, a body that isn’t aligned, relaxed,
breathing and visualizing can’t let its energy flow smoothly and efficiently.”
From “TAI CHI for DUMMIES” by Therese Ikonoian
“Let your mind be like a hawk-hunting for a rabbit, let your
movement be like a bow-preparing to fire an arrow; when moving-move like a
river…” Tai Chi Classics
“All Tai Chi exercises are fundamentally holistic, benefiting the
whole body as well as the mind.” - from “The Complete Book of Tai Chi “ ;by
Stewart McFarlane
“…Concentrating on natural breathing frees the mind from
mechanical, everyday, fixated thinking. This mental shift is a first step
towards entering a meditative state.” Robert Chuckrow
“I have seen many students sabotage their own progress with the
words: I can’t. All thoughts and verbal expressions affect the subconscious
mind, which slavishly accepts what is repeatedly said or thought” - Robert Chuckrow
“However much Tai Chi observers might identify or equate Tai Chi
with moving slowly; slowness is really just a means to an end. …This produces a
rejuvenating effect rather than a dulling of the mind and body as one might
expect with such a deep level of relaxation.”
John Loupos
“…the goal, is formlessness.” – Jou Tsung Hwa
“Tai Chi cannot settle
into a dull habit, something they go through absentmindedly, by rote. It
becomes an imperative, a kind of necessity, to approach the exercise on very
occasion it is done as though going through for the first time… This is partly
the reason of why the exercise, no matter how often it is performed, must feel
quite spontaneous, as though always being newly explored.” -Wadsworth Likely
“…The speed of a deer, the calmness of a crane, the patience of an
ox, the courage of a tiger-all features that a martial artist can expect to
attain.” From THE COMPLETE BOOK OF TAI
CHI CHUAN by Wong Kiew Kit
“Most students who quit Tai Chi after a short time do so not because
Tai Chi is difficult to learn but because their expectations are not satisfied
quickly enough. They leave because they do not want to face disappointment. Not
wanting to feel the pain of disappointment is often what holds us back…” Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt
“A toned body that is strong as an ox, as supple as a tiger, and
as quick as a striking snake requires a type of strength that is much more
complex than just power lifting. To acquire this type of strength requires
gaining skills of strength, agility, grace, relaxation, readiness, effective
breathing and confident movement. Tai Chi’s simple movements provide all that
is needed to retain these qualities for yourself.” From Stay Young With Tai
Chi; by Ellae Elinwood
“The first principle is to always use calm against action (calm
against excitable). The second calls for using soft against hard (relaxed
against tense). The third principle is slow against fast (precise against
rushed). And the fourth, single against a group (one technique can defeat many).”
Doc Fai Wong
“Through research in the exciting new field of Craniosacral
Osteopathy, a very subtle rhythm has been located. Called the “cranial rhythmic
impulse”, …this rhythm, generally 12 to 14 beats per minute, is precisely that
at which the Tai Chi form is enacted. One cycle of Yin and Yang around every
four or five seconds. Tai Chi seems to work at a level wholly in tune with our
body’s most basic rhythmic impulses…” Robert Parry
“Regular practice of Tai Chi helps you to focus your mind without
forming rigid attachment to a single point of view. This is known as Tai Chi
mind: perceiving the unifying elements of a situation rather than those that
divide, and remembering that there is always an element within you of that
which you oppose. This perspective on life encourages harmony and a sense of
connection.” From Tai Chi Mind and Body by Tricia Yu
“Where the intent goes, the Chi follows.” Waysun Liao
“Forcing Chi can cause disruption of involuntary processes,
resulting in sickness.” Robert Chuckrow
“In Tai Chi there is no final result. Rather, there is a gradual
accumulation of benefits…” Dr. Robert Chuckrow
“Ten minutes of Tai Chi is better than ten minutes of sleep.”
Cheng Man-Ch’ing
“The most prominent mistake made by many is to misinterpret the
word ‘soft’…it also means suppleness; represented by the suppleness of metallic
springs. Small wonder, some people regard Tai Chi as an exercise merely for
health.” Lee Ying-Arng
“It is a system of reeducation and can only happen slowly, since
there are years of moving wrongly to contend with.”
Paul Crompton
“…using your imagination, feel that you are as pliable as water,
totally flexible, yielding to the shape of the container. When [you] the water
is poured into a lake, you become the lake.” Waysun Liao
“…Many Tai Chi students today have gone to the extreme, thinking
that hard external training and application are alien to Tai Chi. An
appreciation of the Yin-Yang principle helps to overcome this superficial
view…” Wong Kiew Kit
“Tai Chi movement may be likened to the movement of a long river.”
Dr. Robert Chuckrow
“It should be understood that Tai Chi is a highly individual art,
and no two masters; even at the same school, will perform it in exactly the
same way.” Lu Hui Ching
“The slow motion approach of Tai Chi doesn’t just allow, but
rather compels, an enhanced state of self awareness. Tai Chi students learn to
cultivate two important concomitant states; those of attention and intention,
combining them into an inseparable one.”
John Loupos
“Tai Chi, practiced correctly and regularly, will gain one the
pliability of a child, the health of a lumberjack and the piece of mind of a
sage.” Cheng Man-Chi’ng
“…its superb effectiveness [as a martial art] is a result of the
fact that it teaches the practitioner to use her body and mind normally,
correctly, and with purpose.” Mark Chen
“Tai Chi is an exercise in discernment. Expertise consists of
being able to differentiate between subtly different situations and
conditions.” Dr. Jay Dunbar
“We must distinguish between Yin and Yang in the mind, and this is
the most important aspect of our training.” Erle Montaigue
“Tai Chi Chuan reconnects the mind to the body, the consciousness
to the subconscious and the individual to his environment.” Bob Klein
“…Tai Chi people speak though maintaining a ‘cool heart even in
the direst circumstances.” Return to Stillness by Trevor Carolan
“The mind must be trained to develop a state of ‘non-attachment’
whereby it is possible to allow the body to work naturally and in a relaxed
manner, despite being placed in an extremely stressful situation.” Applied Tai
Chi Chuan by Nigel Sutton
The most compelling and elegant explanation of Chi I have ever
read was offered by Koichi Tohei in his book: “Ki in Daily Life”:
“Our lives are a part of the universal Ki (Chi) enclosed in the
flesh of our bodies. Our lives are like the amount of water we might take from
the great sea and hold in our hands. We call this “I”. Yes, it is the same as
calling the water our water because we hold it in our hands. On the other hand,
from the standpoint of water, it is a part of the great sea. Although if we
open our hands the water will fall back into the sea, even as it remains in our
hands it is in conflux with the outer great sea.”
“The Health care industry in the United States is second in size
only to the defense industry; an estimated 750 billion dollars annually. The
first thing one might conclude is from these figures is that people in the USA
must be incredibly healthy. They are not. They are nowhere near as healthy as
the Chinese, and comparatively, the Chinese have nothing at all.” - from The Complete Book of Tai Chi: by Wong
Kiew Kit
“Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission. “
-Eleanor Roosevelt-
“It is a bloody shame for a man to die, well known to almost
everybody-bur unknown to himself.” Francis Bacon
The books highlighted in yellow have my highest recommendation
QiGong
CHI; Paul Wildish
Chi Gung; L.V. Carnie
Earth Qigong for Women; Chunna Zhang
Knocking At the Gate of Life; Official manual of China
Taiji Qigong; Chris Jarmey
The Way of Qigong; Kenneth S. Cohen
The Chi Revolution; Bruce Fantzis
The Complete Guide to Qhi-Kung; Daniel Reid
THE HEALING ART OF QIGONG; Hong Jiu
The Healing Promise of Qi ; Roger Jahnke
The Roots of Chinese Qigong, by Dr Yang, Jwing-Ming
QIGONG FOR TOTAL WELLNESS; Dr. Baolin Wu
AcuPressure
Acupressure’s Potent Points; Michael Reed Gach
Acupressure for Emotional Healing; Michael Reed Gach Phd and Beth
Ann Henning Dipl ABT
Do It Yourself SHIATSU; Wataru Ohashi
Reflexology and Acupressure; Janet Wright
The Book of Shiatsu, Paul Lundberg
SHAITSU; Suzanne Franzen
SHIATSU; Tokujiro Namikoshi
TAI CHI and related arts
Applied Tai Chi Chuan; by Nigel Sutton
Big Book of Tai Chi; by Bruce Frantzis
Body Mechanics Of Tai Chi Chuan; by William C.C. Chen
Chi: The Power Within; by Geoff and Phyliss Pike
Chinese Boxing: Masters and Methods; by Robert Smith
Complete Book of Tai Chi; by Stewart McFarlane
Complete Tai Chi; by Robert Huang
Dao of TajiQuan; by Jou Tsung Hwa
Essence and Applications of TajiQuan; by Yang Cheng Fu (Translated by Louis Swain)
Exploring Tai Chi; by John Loupos
Fundamentals of Tai Chi Ch'uan; by Wen-Shan Huang
Handbook of Tai Chi Chuan Exercises; by Zhang Fuxing
Healing Art of Tai Chi; by Martin Lee
Inside Tai Chi; by John Loupos
Ki in Daily Life; by Koichi Tohei
Mastering Yang Style TajiQuan; Fu Zhongwen (Translated by Louis Swain)
Movements of Magic; by Bob Klein
New Style Tai Chi Ch'uan; by Dr. Wei Yue Sun
Old Frame Chen Family TaijiQuan; by Mark Chen
Power Taji; by Erle Montaigue
Stay Young With Tai Chi by Ellae Elinwood
Study of TajiQuan; by Sun Lutang (translated by Tim Cartmell)
Tai Chi According to The I Ching; by Stuart Alve Olson
Tai Chi As A Path To Wisdom; by Linda Myoki Lehrhaupt
Tai Chi Book; By Robert Chuckrow Ph.D.
Tai Chi: Tranquiliyty In Motion; Christian F. Hanche
Tai Chi Chuan Martial Applications; by Dr. Yang Jwing Ming
Tai Chi Chuan, the Supreme Ultimate Exercise; Cheng Man-Ch'ing and
Robert W. Smith
Tai Chi Chuan: 24 & 48 Postures; by Shou-Yu Liang
Tai Chi Chuan: Roots and Branches; by Nigel Sutton
Tai Chi Chuan; by Cheng Man-Ch'ing
Tai Chi Chuan; by Douglas Lee
Tai Chi Classics; by Waysun Liao
Tai Chi Chuan-Becoming One With the Tao; Petra & Toya
Kobayashi
Tai Chi Connections; by John Loupos
Tai Chi for Beginners; by Claire Hooton
Tai Chi Dymanics; Robert Chuckrow Phd.
Tai Chi for Health; by Edward Maisel
Tai Chi for Health; by Lee Ying-Arng
Tai Chi for Staying Young; by Lam Kam-Chuen
Tai Chi for the Mind, Body and Spirit; by Eric Chaline
Tai Chi Walking; Robert Chuckrow Phd
Tai Chi Handbook; by Herman Kauz
Tai Chi Mind and Body; by Tricia Yu
Tai Chi Touchstones: Yang Family Secret Transmission; translated
by Douglas Wile
Tai Chi Workbook; Paul Crompton
Tai Chi: A Practical Introduction; by Paul Crompton
Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate; by Lawrence Galente
Tao and Tai Chi Kung; by Robert C. Sohn
Teach Yourself Tai Chi; by Robert Parry
The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan; by Wong Kiew Kit
Theory and Practice of Taji Qigong; by Chris Jarmey
Thirteen Treatises On Tai Chi Chuan; by Cheng Man-Ch'ing
Total Tai Chi; by Mathew Rochford
Walking Meditation; Paul Crompton
The Walking Tiger
Tai Chi Club