Over the centuries Masters have developed a number of different ways to manipulate our body's natural energies. Paul Cavel, founder of Tao Arts in London, has studied most of them throughout his long career. Editor of the monthly Tao journal Inner Quest and Energy Arts Senior Instructor Cavel integrates the I Ching, Lao Tzu's Water Meditation and the Five Element Theory to bring his teaching to a whole new level. He also teaches qigong, Tai Chi, yoga, tui na energy healing and bagua.
Paul teaches health, fitness and stress management programs based on his bagua training. The program was designed to relax and strengthen the student's core energy that would create a healthy mind/body cohesion, allowing students to fulfill their potential. Bagua is widely practiced by those who are interested in the I Ching, or Book of Changes and it is a pure energy art. Practitioners believe that bagua is the embodiment of the Eight Universal Principles of Change.
One of the best starting forms bagua is the Single Palm Change, a five step form that is the foundation of all of the other palm changes in bagua. Single Palm Change has several purposes:
- Upgrading and increasing all of the benefits of Circle Walking
- Strengthen and improve the twisting and spiraling actions of all of the soft tissues in the body
- Teaches us to contract on a much deeper level
- Produces a light energy throughout the body
Learning this change is essential to progressing in the art of bagua. Once you have learned it well you can progress into forms like Eight Mother Palms, which teaches you all eight palms. Most instructors however suggest to students that they stay with Single Palm Change for a decent period. A three cannot be strong without good roots and Single Palm Change gives students those roots.
Bagua can be used as the foundation for many different movement arts. Because it is a healing art and teaches so much about energy and how to use it this is the perfect beginning for new students.
