Tai Chi

I’m posting this episode on my annual summer retreat/vacation/recharge, where I assess my practice and teaching from the past year and plan courses for the coming year. This year, in the midst of big changes at Brookline Tai Chi, I’ve been wondering a lot about the way qigong practice informs your encounters with change in other areas of your life. Of course, I always like to think that there’s a strong connection, but this year everyone at Brookline Tai Chi is truly testing whether the art of smooth change in the classroom manifests itself in real life as well. ...

We live in a culture where doing more, having more, and working harder are valued above pretty much everything else. This is a dangerous attitude, a linear approach to life that denies the need for rest and renewal. Of course, if you constantly push yourself, you know it will lead to burnout. If you operate as if you have an infinite capacity to do and never rest, sooner or later you will get the message in some form that it is time to slow down. ...

We are in the process of finalizing the details of a Tai Chi Cloud Hands workshop with Robert Tangora this fall in Boston, from October 26-28. As preparation for the workshop, I will be teaching a fall course at Brookline Tai Chi, covering the basic mechanics of Cloud Hands, as well as the prep exercises from Robert’s newly published book. I’m really looking forward to taking everyone at Brookline Tai Chi through these exercises and at the same time, working with members of the Inner Form coaching program to improve their Cloud Hands practice. ...

If you've seen Robert's video on the exercises from the Internal Structure of Cloud Hands, you may be wondering how to incorporate them into your current practice. If you're flipping back and forth between the book and the video, you probably have a lot of questions. You know that I think this is one of the most important Tai Chi books I've ever read, but if you're trying to decode it yourself, you still might be scratching your head.... ...

In this episode of Qigong Radio, I thought I was going to get a report about the Dragon and Tiger instructor training. Yes, the six instructors who joined me for the episode talked about the training. If you missed Maui, you’ll get a sense of what it was like. But they also shared some true qigong gems with us, that I think you’ll be able to apply to all of your energy practices. ...

One of the toughest parts of learning movement exercises from a book is knowing what goes in between each still photo. That’s why I’m very excited that Robert Tangora has put out an overview video of all the exercises that he teaches in the Internal Structure of Cloud Hands. You can use this video as a companion guide to the book. I think this book is such an excellent resource, that I’m urging every serious Tai Chi and qigong practitioner that I know to find a way to work it into theirs. ...

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If you've never done tai chi before, you're likely mystified by the slow, calculated movements and what they can do for your body. But physiological tai chi research, along with many other studies, has repeatedly revealed the many ways in which this practice can benefit your mind and body. No matter what your fitness goals are, how old you are or what your level of physical conditioning is, incorporating tai chi into your health plan can help you in these ways: ...

From the outside, standing qigong can look calm, peaceful and meditative. On the inside, if you don’t ask yourself these 3 essential questions, standing can be grueling. Your muscles ache, you tremble and sweat, and in burning discomfort you strain to see how much longer you must endure. It doesn’t have to be torture, though, if you adopt the right mindset as you practice. ...

We just started summer classes at Brookline Tai Chi this week, which means new students are coming in for the first time and experienced students are coming back after a break. That means there are lots of good questions floating around about getting started, making progress, and the frustrations you encounter along the way. In this episode of Qigong Radio, I hope to address some of those concerns. ...