Newsletter #115 - March 2011
- Tai Chi Instructors and Traumatic Stress, Chris Hattle
- 13 Years of Annual Workshops, Pat Webber
- Three Most Important Points to Teach Tai Chi Effectively, Maree Chadwick
- Harmonizing with your Students, Caroline Demoise
- Remembering Dave, Dr Paul Lam
- Dream, Hope and Believe, Daniela Ostezan
- John’s Story, John Melito
- Featured Profile – Dan Jones, Shelia Rae
- Humour, Laughter and Radiant Health, Bob McBrien
- 13 Years of Annual Workshops, Pat Webber
- Three Most Important Points to Teach Tai Chi Effectively, Maree Chadwick
- Harmonizing with your Students, Caroline Demoise
- Remembering Dave, Dr Paul Lam
- Dream, Hope and Believe, Daniela Ostezan
- John’s Story, John Melito
- Featured Profile – Dan Jones, Shelia Rae
- Humour, Laughter and Radiant Health, Bob McBrien
Click on the title above to read the articles, this link to read all previous newsletters and here to subscribe.
A stop press addition to this month’s newsletter. New Zealand just experienced a national disaster last week in its
second biggest city, Christchurch. Please send your positive energy and any support you can for the people who lost their loved ones and their homes. Chris Hattle, one of our Master Trainers in New Zealand, is also a physiotherapist with a special interest in post traumatic disorder. She has worked with Hazel Thompson, a Senior Trainer to produce a guide for tai chi teachers. It is not only useful for our colleagues in New Zealand but also for anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, there are many places where peace and harmony are a rare commodity. We can learn to help from these effective methods.
second biggest city, Christchurch. Please send your positive energy and any support you can for the people who lost their loved ones and their homes. Chris Hattle, one of our Master Trainers in New Zealand, is also a physiotherapist with a special interest in post traumatic disorder. She has worked with Hazel Thompson, a Senior Trainer to produce a guide for tai chi teachers. It is not only useful for our colleagues in New Zealand but also for anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, there are many places where peace and harmony are a rare commodity. We can learn to help from these effective methods.Last month, we showed you videos and articles of the Excellence of Community Partnership Award given to the
former Greater Southern Area Health Service; and the 25 Years Better Health Tai Chi Chuan Anniversary celebration. This month, we are continuing the community spirit with Pat Webber’s talk on 13 years of annual tai chi workshops. Next month, we will show you how a simple idea resulted in 2000 people turning up for a tai chi display in Singapore last year.
The theme of effective teaching is too extensive for one newsletter. This month we have Caroline Demoise’s and Maree Chadwick’s perspectives, more to follow in future newsletters. Our Master Trainer profile is Dan Jones – a fine example of an effective teacher.
I had the privilege to met Dave at the Exploring the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis workshops held in Oregon a few years ago. He interacted enthusiastically with others and was a great support of the Tai Chi for Health program. Dave was always helpful and made me feel very welcome. Please join me and many of Dave's friends in helping to celebrate his life by reading a collection of articles entitled "Remembering Dave". Please send your positive energy to his wife Jenny and family.
If you missed the annual one week January workshop but wish to come to the June workshop in Terre
Haute, please enrol as soon as possible as it is 65% filled. Please click here for more information and to enrol.
Thank you for your feedback on how useful the real time lessons format for the Tai Chi for Arthritis DVDs, released in 2008, are. I have been working with my colleagues to use the same format for our new program, Tai Chi for Energy. We are also in the process of updating several of our popular titles. Please watch this space for the release date.
In this newsletter:
- Chris Hattle writes that people who have experienced stress may well develop post traumatic stress syndrome. Stress and post traumatic stress are managed by a teamwork of doctors and appropriate agencies. As a tai chi teacher you can be a vital part of the teamwork and referral system.
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Pat Webber reflects on her 13 annual one week Sydney workshop experiences, from its humble beginnings to a successful annual event.
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Prepared as a workshop talk, Maree Chadwick expresses the three most important points in teaching tai chi effectively, both from the viewpoint of students and experience of a Master Trainer.
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The art of teaching is complex and Caroline Demoise shares her thoughts on ways to harmonize with students and how to be an effective teacher.
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Senior Trainer Jenny Sheldon’s husband Dave died in an unexpected accident mid-December. We remember this caring and giving individual with a compilation of memories about Dave by his friends, tai chi students and tai chi colleagues of both Jenny and Dave.
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Daniela Ostezan reflects on her personal journey, how tai chi brought a new dimension to the words balance, flexibility and well-being.
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John Melito tells us how he is beginning to make changes which affect his health and well being.
This Month's Special:
Buy the "24 Forms" DVD and receive 50% OFF the "Yang Style 40 Forms" DVD.
Save USD $19.98 or AUD $19.98. Limit to one order per person.
Click here for more information or to place your order.
Upcoming workshops: by Dr Paul Lam
April 16 - April 17, Florence, Italy
Tai Chi for Diabetes Instructor Training
May 14 - May 15, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tai Chi for Diabetes Instructor Training
May 14 - May 15, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tai Chi for Arthritis Instructor Training
May 14 - May 15, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tai Chi for Osteoporosis Instructor Training
May 14 - May 15, Sydney, NSW, Australia
Tai Chi for Arthritis Part II and Update
May 29- May 30, Singapore
Exploring the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis
June 4 - June 5, Singapore
Tai Chi for Energy Instructor Training
June 11 - June 12, Terre Haute, IN, United States
Tai Chi for Fall Prevention & Seated Tai Chi for Arthritis
June 13 - June 18, Terre Haute, IN, United States
One Week Tai Chi Workshop
Many other workshops conducted by my authorised master trainers are listed in Workshop Calendar.
Yours in Tai Chi,
Paul Lam, MD
/taichiforhealthinstitute.org/
/taichiforhealthinstitute.org/
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Tai Chi Instructors and Traumatic Stress: Make Friends With Your Limits
Chris Hattle, Master Trainer, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Chris Hattle, Master Trainer, Palmerston North, New Zealand
We write to you from a country which has literally been shaken to its core. Within the Tai Chi for Health Institute:
Hazel is a Senior Trainer, in Christchurch, the city on which the whole world is focused as it deals with the aftermath of the devastating February 22nd earthquake; Chris is a Master Trainer based in Palmerston North, New Zealand, some distance from the disaster area.Since the first earthquake in Christchurch in September 2010, we have become aware that people from Christchurch and the Canterbury region are moving away from the area into other areas of New Zealand. These people, like other Cantabrians, are trying to cope with disrupted sleep patterns and haunting memories of disaster and trauma.
People from the Canterbury area have high likelihood of seeking activities which bring them calm and serenity. They may well seek the experience of tai chi, throughout New Zealand or in the many other countries to which they may return or immigrate. We present these thoughts with Cantabrians in mind, also the many people in Australia who have experienced disaster through recent years. We also have in mind people who have similar challenges due to disasters individual to themselves.
There is need to consider the potential for these participants to begin to relax a little during tai chi sessions and
react to recent trauma. In many years to come they may reveal they have significant post traumatic shock syndrome.As a tai chi teacher it is vital to know your limits and to be familiar with the referral procedure to professional support systems within the community. No-one can anticipate what may bring the memory of trauma to the fore.
Catalysts can include different sounds, a word/ phrase, a smell or a sight. The catalysts are very individual to the person living with post traumatic stress. Timing of reactions is unpredictable. The outward degree of reactions can be very different, from withdrawal to outburst.
• Know what to be aware of
• Listen
• Be quietly supportive with assurance that reaction is normal
• Be clear about your own boundaries as a tai chi instructor
• Be positive and confident about being able to assist by referring to appropriate experts
• Enable agreement for you to refer to their General Practitioner or an appropriate agency. These avenues for referral can vary from place to place so know what is available in your area.
• Know that it is their GP who has their full medical knowledge and will be the advisor for the “whole person”
• Enable them to recognize the calm of tai chi as being positive, and so continue their tai chi with emphasis on focus.
• Listen
• Be quietly supportive with assurance that reaction is normal
• Be clear about your own boundaries as a tai chi instructor
• Be positive and confident about being able to assist by referring to appropriate experts
• Enable agreement for you to refer to their General Practitioner or an appropriate agency. These avenues for referral can vary from place to place so know what is available in your area.
• Know that it is their GP who has their full medical knowledge and will be the advisor for the “whole person”
• Enable them to recognize the calm of tai chi as being positive, and so continue their tai chi with emphasis on focus.
People with post traumatic stress can be afraid of facing the trauma by seeking medical help. Just as we teach
with a stepwise progressive teaching method, our conversation with them may need a stepwise progressive communication to enable the participant to agree to your assistance by referring them to the appropriate medical professionals.Tai chi instructors will benefit their practice by having written policies and procedures on managing situations where traumatic stress is a likelihood.
• File the contact details for General Practitioners in the communities in which you work, along with lists of the agencies who also work in the field of traumatic stress.
• Seek continuing education on the signs and symptoms of post traumatic stress
• Meet with a tai chi instructor peer group and/or communicate your concerns to the Master Trainers or Senior trainers in your area. This can be also be arranged in the form of formal supervision, on a regular basis
We write these things with the people of Canterbury in mind. The skills of managing situations in tai chi sessions have relevance throughout the world. They are skills which we, as tai chi instructors can grow into and develop more. They are important skills to ensure assistance is delivered by those best equipped to manage post trauma presentations.
This link has excellent information for anyone facing difficult times.
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This was a talk Pat gave at the recent Sydney one week workshop in January.
Nearly 14 years ago, at an instructors’ meeting at BHTCC, Dr Lam proposed running a week long tai chi workshop somewhere in Sydney the following January. The proposal was met with a mixture of enthusiasm, apprehension and some doubt as to our ability to pull it off. One person had no doubt about the ability of the BHTCC instructors to run the classes, no apprehension (that he showed) and boundless enthusiasm. Of course that was Dr Lam.
somewhere in Sydney the following January. The proposal was met with a mixture of enthusiasm, apprehension and some doubt as to our ability to pull it off. One person had no doubt about the ability of the BHTCC instructors to run the classes, no apprehension (that he showed) and boundless enthusiasm. Of course that was Dr Lam.So – Paul, Anna, Julie King and Robyn Nicholls undertook the monumental task of organizing the first workshop at the Catholic University at Strathfield, a suburb of Sydney. There was no live-in accommodation, the teaching rooms were small, lunch was limited to a sandwich from the university cafeteria – no nice little cafes nearby - and a visit to the city necessitated a 20 minute train trip. Nevertheless, the workshop was a great success and so the January workshop tradition began.
Several years later we moved to St Vincent’s College here at Potts Point where there is accommodation and easy access to Sydney’s attractions. We had a few years at Newington College at Stanmore during refurbishment to these premises.The number of participants grew from 40 in 1997 to 120 these past few years.
As Paul travelled around Australia and the rest of the world teaching his newly developed Tai Chi for Arthritis program, so interest in the Sydney workshop grew. Each year it is wonderful to see how many tai chi enthusiasts travelled from afar to participate. Most of the instructors at the Sydney workshop are instructors from BHTCC, but we are fortunate to have assistance from visiting instructors from other schools in Australia as well as overseas.
Great interest and support has been given to TCA by practitioners in the USA and the American Arthritis Foundation, so that it was decided to hold an annual workshop in the USA. The first one was held in 2003. The set up there is a little different. The location of the workshop changes from year to year and the instructors (as well as the students) travel from all parts of the US to attend.
The main purpose in attending the workshop for most of us is the development of our own performance and understanding of tai chi chuan. This knowledge and passion for the art is then passed on when we get home. This is equally true for the instructors as well as the class participants. It has been very wisely said that the person who learns the most in a classroom is the teacher. I don’t think any of the instructors here would disagree with that. However, the workshops now have other aspects to them.
Instructors from many cities in Australia and many overseas countries attend the workshops to upgrade their skills and to renew their accreditation as instructors of the health programs. Health professionals attend to deepen their own knowledge of tai chi and many who are involved in research using tai chi take the opportunity to network.
Instructors from many cities in Australia and many overseas countries attend the workshops to upgrade their skills and to renew their accreditation as instructors of the health programs. Health professionals attend to deepen their own knowledge of tai chi and many who are involved in research using tai chi take the opportunity to network.
Some of you may have heard of the Tai Chi for Health Institute, which is an organization aimed at the further development of the Tai Chi for Health programs. The members are Master Trainers and Senior Trainers from around the world. They, too, are able to network at the annual workshops.
I think the really abiding memory most of us take away from the workshops is of the wonderful people we meet. Isn’t it remarkable that any of us sitting here can immediately strike up a conversation with anybody else here purely on the strength of our common interest in tai chi, and from there deeper friendships and understanding of other cultures develops? The support that every person here gives to every other person is truly touching. We only ever hear words of encouragement. The demonstrations on the last day are inspirational. It never ceases to amaze all the instructors that people have accomplished so much in a short time.
I wish you all a happy and fulfilling week.
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Three Most Important Points to Teach Tai Chi Effectively
Maree Chadwick, Occupational therapist, Senior Trainer, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Maree Chadwick, Occupational therapist, Senior Trainer, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
This was prepared as a talk in the recent Sydney one week workshop in January.
Tai chi to me is like a precious pearl – highly prized and sought after. That’s why we’re here today instead of cruising beautiful Sydney harbour and sightseeing. Slowly visualise a pearl - has a firm structure but a simple, pleasing form. When seen up close it gives off a subtle and beautiful radiance, appealing to eyes and spirit. In order to share the pearl, let’s examine the 3 important aspects of effective teaching. In Paul Lam’s textbook, he specifies these 3 attributes to be: attitude, tai chi skill and teaching skills. I’m sure this sounds familiar to many of you here today.
cruising beautiful Sydney harbour and sightseeing. Slowly visualise a pearl - has a firm structure but a simple, pleasing form. When seen up close it gives off a subtle and beautiful radiance, appealing to eyes and spirit. In order to share the pearl, let’s examine the 3 important aspects of effective teaching. In Paul Lam’s textbook, he specifies these 3 attributes to be: attitude, tai chi skill and teaching skills. I’m sure this sounds familiar to many of you here today. In preparation for this talk, I consulted with my students – some of whom have been learning tai chi for several years. My students felt that firstly, the teacher’s personality or attitude is the key. This includes their ability to read and interact with varied personalities amongst their students, to empathise and get to know students individually in order to appreciate their goals, difficulties and achievements. When to encourage them and when to hold back. They rated highly a teacher’s ability to promote a warm, welcoming and friendly atmosphere for the group. This helps students to feel accepted and look forward to their class – they become more confident to share their tai chi journey with others. My students contrasted this scenario with classes run more formally, routinely, focusing totally on the form, lacking the true involvement between teacher and student which promotes students learning together. Encouraging students to learn at their own speed, patiently tolerating their difficulties is greatly appreciated.
A second important point is that a teacher must have knowledge and skills to share with their students – a passion for and obvious enjoyment of tai chi is essential if we’re to inspire our students. Having extra in-depth information to share as classes progress helps students to really absorb the form. We owe it to our students to continually hone our skills, keeping our teaching fresh and complete. Studying the techniques of other teachers and masters, by attending classes and workshops ourselves we maintain and extend our skills and knowledge. Directing students to appropriate resources is also useful. The accurate assessment of our student’s progress is vital, enabling us to modify and adapt techniques to suit their pace and skill level. The stepwise progressive teaching method is an excellent tool for this purpose, as is the appropriate adaptation of our class structure for optimal results.
Thirdly, communication is fundamental. Use of varied modalities of learning allows students to follow and develop in their own preferred way. Using a pace which enables students to feel and understand their own body alignment as they work through the form, facilitates safety as well as basic skill. Encouraging students to sense and feel for the flow of their qi, as their understanding of the form grows, is enlightening.
In conclusion, three key important points in teaching tai chi effectively are:
• Use your personality wisely;
• Keep developing your own tai chi skills & update your knowledge regularly; and
• Remember communication is fundamental to integrate these ideas, akin to the way in which tai chi
• Keep developing your own tai chi skills & update your knowledge regularly; and
• Remember communication is fundamental to integrate these ideas, akin to the way in which tai chi
integrates mind body and spirit.
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When you begin teaching, how you were taught is often your default pattern. Over time you develop your own style. In reflecting on teaching excellence, I feel it is important to consider how you would like to be taught along with what will be effective for each group of students you encounter. When you harmonize with a group it requires mentally doing push hands with their energy. Creative teaching involves respecting each class, delivering content appropriate to their skill level, in a style they can receive and creating a fun learning environment where they respect you.
I have experienced great teaching styles and endured miserable experiences in my 25 year tai chi journey. Never point your finger at a body part that is out of alignment and yell “no, no, no” if you want to be effective. It gets their attention, but also destroys class morale. The amygdale in everyone’s brain will sound the alarm, the chemicals of fear will circulate in their bodies and now you have a very tense class. Intimidation is a terrible way to teach or learn and not a precursor to cultivating the deeper tai chi concepts of “song”, a relaxed, open body and “jing” a peaceful, silent mind. If you want to be an effective teacher and endear yourself to the class, please don’t embarrass a student by dramatically criticizing the inappropriateness (in your opinion) of their clothing. If you have clothing requirements for your class, distribute this information prior to the first class.
These two real life experiences prompted me to activate my “Invisibility Cloak” during class for psychological protection. Apparently my intention was successful as there were no negative comments directed at me and not because I was perfect. The negative aspect of being an invisible student was that I didn’t get any personalized suggestions on improving my form.
In reflecting on teaching excellence, I feel it is important to consider how you would like to be taught along with what will be effective for each group of students you encounter. When you harmonize with a group it requires mentally doing push hands with their energy. Creative teaching involves respecting each class, delivering content appropriate to their skill level, in a style they can receive and creating a fun learning environment where they respect you. I have experienced great teaching styles and endured miserable experiences in my 25 year tai chi journey. Never point your finger at a body part that is out of alignment and yell “no, no, no” if you want to be effective. It gets their attention, but also destroys class morale. The amygdale in everyone’s brain will sound the alarm, the chemicals of fear will circulate in their bodies and now you have a very tense class. Intimidation is a terrible way to teach or learn and not a precursor to cultivating the deeper tai chi concepts of “song”, a relaxed, open body and “jing” a peaceful, silent mind. If you want to be an effective teacher and endear yourself to the class, please don’t embarrass a student by dramatically criticizing the inappropriateness (in your opinion) of their clothing. If you have clothing requirements for your class, distribute this information prior to the first class.
These two real life experiences prompted me to activate my “Invisibility Cloak” during class for psychological protection. Apparently my intention was successful as there were no negative comments directed at me and not because I was perfect. The negative aspect of being an invisible student was that I didn’t get any personalized suggestions on improving my form.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are teachers who naturally bring the best out in every student who is touched by their magnetic presence. These gifted practitioners are confident with the skill level they have currently achieved, accept and like themselves, are comfortable teaching and focus their attention on the the students to give them exactly the right information to further each person’s growth. When you enjoy a student and have confidence in them without putting pressure on them to achieve at a certain pace, you are nurturing the soil for this student to grow.
It is very effective to match your teaching style with the personality expressions of each class. Now this takes skill and experience in accommodating behaviours intrinsic to a student’s comfort zone. Notice, I did not say getting the students to accommodate the teacher’s comfort zone. Here is where you do push hands energetically with student’s behaviour. Some students need to ask a lot of annoying questions. Be patient. Others need to impress you with their knowledge by sharing it with you during class. Accept it. Sometimes a student just needs to let off steam. When students feel free to be themselves in class, they learn better. This may mean dissolving into loud raucous behaviour immediately after beautifully flowing through the form with focus and attention to detail; having incorporated to the best of their ability everything you attempted to share with them.
So, which is more important: (a) that you have strict control of your class or (b) that they learn in a manner comfortable for them?
In pondering this question, I realize that in the past, my intention was to create a very Zen like learning environment in my classes. Sometimes this worked; sometimes it was at odds with the natural inclinations of my students. Now my intention is to energetically interact with each class to produce the best learning result. And it really is a bit like push hands. I want the best for each class. I want them to receive what they need to learn in a teaching style that is in their comfort zone yet allows me to share what I uniquely have to teach. How these intentions blend together is different in every class I teach.
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Senior Trainer Jenny Sheldon’s husband Dave died in an unexpected accident mid-December. Returning late from work a few hours’ drive from home, he pulled off the main road to spend the night in his van. As he slept, a tree fell on his van and he did not survive.
work a few hours’ drive from home, he pulled off the main road to spend the night in his van. As he slept, a tree fell on his van and he did not survive.There are people who you simply cannot forget and Dave Sheldon is one of them. His smiling, forever helpful, caring expression will always be in my mind. I have visited Oregon twice to conduct workshops and Dave was an incredible supporter of his wife Jenny. He went out of his way to help others. During the first workshop in 2007, I was filming the documentary “A Road to Health and Harmony”. Dave being a musician and producer was incredibly helpful and knowledgeable, arranging interviews, filming, taking photographs etc. You can still see in the documentary some of his invaluable work, like the shots of the lake, the wharf on a misty morning. At night he and Jenny would entertain us with his music. It was a sudden and huge loss to Jenny, her three children and the town of Bend, Oregon.
Dave was very involved in causes he cared about and served on the boards of many local organizations. He was a very caring and giving individual who devoted a lot of time to his marketing career, the Bend community, the band he played in and to Jenny and their family. Recently, a local radio station dedicated an entire program to the music and accomplishments of Dave Sheldon.
Several of Dave's friends, tai chi students and tai chi colleagues of both Jenny and Dave, have written heart warming tributes, please click here to view.
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Most of us learn about multiple sclerosis (MS) from TV, articles or people that we have known. We have compassion and wish the best for them. It is different when the doctor looks into your eyes and gives you the news. Your entire world turns upside down. All the wisdom is gone, and the life crawls to a stand still- you have MS. My husband took me to my first class of TCA at a senior centre. It was a challenge. I could not remember much, and by the same token I felt good afterwards. A year later I was still going, once a week, to the class.
compassion and wish the best for them. It is different when the doctor looks into your eyes and gives you the news. Your entire world turns upside down. All the wisdom is gone, and the life crawls to a stand still- you have MS. My husband took me to my first class of TCA at a senior centre. It was a challenge. I could not remember much, and by the same token I felt good afterwards. A year later I was still going, once a week, to the class. Landing in the hospital, due to a MS attack, unable to move and stressed out was an adventure in itself. After a decade of taking MS meds, my body started to reject all forms of medication available at the time. During these years, MS played with me from “episodes” to “attacks” to other physical inabilities. Coming home from the hospital, I started watching Dr. Lam’s TCA DVD, listening to the instructions and visualizing the movements. I imagined being part of Dr. Lam’s group performing TC in the park. That was one of my daily inspirations. Physically, I could not do the movements, but I could dream, during the long days of summer, resting on the couch, when hours seem to be years. The mind is a wonderful tool, when engaged it will take you far and beyond any physical boundaries.
Dreaming, with the eyes closed I could feel the freedom of the movement…
Exhaustion defined my daily tai chi practice for a long time. I tried to push away from me the disease. What if I could not succeed? Once I learned the movement, something else was needed, what? No matter how ridiculous was the difference between the reality and my perception of it, tai chi was there for me. It went from the joy of remembering some sequence, to the frustration of a stiff body, to the calm in Dr. Lam’s voice each time I’ve had to turn on the DVD. Somehow my internal practice became external, and along the way brought the desire to try again. My husband gave me as a present Dr. Lam’s Tai Chi Music CD. The sound of music added a new dimension to my practice. Several times I doubted that I will ever learn the form. There were times when I tried too hard; it was no fun or excitement, only the rush to learn all the movements in order to do the form. Once I figured out that it is OK to take the time to enjoy my growth, I started to slow down, and not for physical restraints. Doing the TCA form was awesome! After a while, I was amused by the idea that I was like a turtle that started the race and will finish the race, meanwhile whenever it was necessary will take the time to recharge.
Back at the senior centre, my teacher at the time encouraged me to go to a workshop taught by sifu Dan Jones, Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis. Excited to learn more and reluctant about how I will fare in the company of experienced tai chi instructors, I went. Two days of intense teaching, with guided corrections under the keen eye of sifu Dan, explanations about internal force and how it is applied to the form, were great. When I left the workshop I had a wealth of information. My wandering ended and the plateau was over. After that, the time went by really fast, from reading materials, preparing to get certified as a tai chi teacher, to improving my form; it reconfigured my daily life and my hope for better health.
Throughout the process I learned a lot about myself, the need to be patient, that MS is not about to define who I am anymore. I believe that tai chi made me aware what balance is all about. My mind was working when my body was not, grief, frustration and imbalance, was my daily reality for years. I realized why it was up to me to fight for restoring harmony between physical and mental abilities. Instead of dwelling on what I could not do, it was time to try to take some steps to the direction of what I could do and that gave me a feeling of accomplishment. My attitude changed, no longer based on what was lost, it was the vision of crossing the finish line.
Did I mention that sifu Dan Jones said that if I will get my certification and start teaching a class he will teach me more? Getting certified and learning more in depth tai chi was the beginning. The reality of holding a class and the responsibility of teaching was different. The worry of MS unexpected appearance and leaving my students unattended was there. Somehow it worked out. The first classes were at my church that graciously opened their door to my new endeavour. Twelve seniors registered before the class, twenty-four showed up. That’s how it all started for me, in the House of God.
When life may surprise you with the unexpected you always can close your eyes and even see yourself following Dr. Lam’s lead into Waiving in the Clouds, and no matter what, you will always have tai chi on your side. Sometimes, through aversion, we discover our future passion.
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Look at what’s happening to me!
In about one year’s time, I’ve been able to lose a considerable amount of weight (60 pounds as of January 26, 2011)
“Was tai chi the only thing I did to lose weight?” “How did it work?” “How did I accomplish losing 60 pounds?”
These are some of the questions I get asked. Here’s how I answer them:
For me, practicing tai chi in the method Dr. Lam teaches, has built (and is still building) a strong foundation of stress reduction, relaxation, and mental clarity/focus.
Practicing Dr. Lam’s TCA and applying his principles has made me not only aware of my stress-eating habits, but now I control ‘it’. ‘It’ doesn’t control me! With the mental clarity I develop from practicing tai chi, I was able to begin to reduce stress and develop a healthier diet and healthier eating habits.
For me, stress was a major factor to my habit of over eating. Soon, the ‘habit’ took over, and I began to eat, even if NOT stressed. With daily tai chi practice, I can now control the over-eating habit in a calm and relaxed way and NOT let the habit control me. I’m so excited, that I’m beginning to promote, implement and teach and give demonstrations of TCA & Dr. Lam’s Step-Wise teaching method with more & more organizations (i.e. hospitals, community centres, churches and senior groups, etc.).After all, if you found something that could improve your health & overall wellness, why wouldn’t you shout it from the rooftops and share it with others?
Thank you Dr. Lam!
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By Shelia Rae, Master Trainer, Memphis, TN, USA
Dan Jones has been a Master Trainer for Dr Lam’s Tai Chi for Health Programs since 2001. He has certified many instructors in TCA and TCD, but his talents go beyond the instructor certification programs. Those that are lucky enough to have experienced one of his trainings or attended Dr Lam’s one-week workshops in the US, where he teaches ‘Depth of Chen 36’, know of his teaching talents and innovative approach to understanding the art of tai chi.
instructors in TCA and TCD, but his talents go beyond the instructor certification programs. Those that are lucky enough to have experienced one of his trainings or attended Dr Lam’s one-week workshops in the US, where he teaches ‘Depth of Chen 36’, know of his teaching talents and innovative approach to understanding the art of tai chi.For Dan, his love for the martial arts started in Junior High School where he began with classes in Japanese Karate. From 1972-1980 he studied and excelled in Tae Kwon Do, Wing Chun Kung Fu, and Shorin Ryu Karate.
In 1978 Dan graduated from the Michigan State Police Academy, beginning a long career in law enforcement which included undercover work and hostage negotiations, just to mention a few of his assignments in this stressful occupation. Although studying external martial arts had supplemented his work as a Police Officer, Dan felt it had made him too yang (too aggressive).
He began studying the internal martial arts, Tai Chi and Kung Fu to balance himself. His first experience in tai chi was a chance meeting with Master David Sung, an elderly Chinese man who practiced tai chi daily in a parking lot in East Lansing. Master Sung invited Dan to join him in an attempt to teach Dan his style of Tai Chi. Although Master Sung could speak no English, Dan was able to follow his graceful tai chi movements, and from that humble beginning in the parking lot, Dan continued and still continues to study the art of tai chi. He has trained with many Tai Chi and internal Kung Fu Masters, and became a Sifu (teacher) in Won Chuen Temple Boxing in 1987.
To date, he has been a practitioner of tai chi and internal kung fu for over 30 years, and a tai chi instructor for 27 years. He is still in law enforcement, currently employed by the Michigan State Senate as a Police Officer and Assistant Sergeant at Arms providing security for State Senators. When he is not in the capitol building, which by the way, because the structure is preserved as a historical building, has no metal detectors, Dan teaches tai chi. Dan’s love of sharing and teaching tai chi, is a gift to all students. Both beginners and advanced can “get it” under his tutelage. He is adapt at teaching forms (tai chi fan, cane, sword, chen, yang, sun styles), but his emphasis is on internal cultivation. He has spent many hours, days and years cultivating the internal components of tai chi within him, and now has devised ways to explain what he feels. Through verbal explanations and movement exercises he enables others to benefit from his own dedication to tai chi.
Last year he conducted an evening seminar at the June workshop on silk reeling which was attended by those new to tai chi and by experienced players and teachers as well. With such diversity, it was amazing to watch the novice engaged in the exercises Dan had devised, and the experienced marvel at his ability to put into words a long time mysterious force behind tai chi that many had experienced, but never had the words to transmit to others.
And there lies his true talent: helping everyone at any level to grow in the art he loves so much. You don’t even have to attend a class with Dan to realize his enthusiasm for teaching and sharing his tai chi knowledge. Eating a simple meal with Dan includes deep conversation on tai chi principles; a casual encounter with Dan can open a door and change your practice and enhance your own journey. His enthusiasm is contagious and his philosophy eye-opening.
He is my mentor, my friend and my tai chi brother, but most of all he’s a beautiful human being dedicated to helping others. His ability to communicate the ‘secrets’ of tai chi practice is amazing.
He is my mentor, my friend and my tai chi brother, but most of all he’s a beautiful human being dedicated to helping others. His ability to communicate the ‘secrets’ of tai chi practice is amazing.
Seek him out, he’ll be happy to talk with you!
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We can learn to seek out humor each day by appreciating how famous people used their sense of humor. We can expect to read a funny quote by known humorists, but a witty saying from a U.S. president's wife or mother, or a philosopher reminds us of the value of humor and laughter in everyone's life.
philosopher reminds us of the value of humor and laughter in everyone's life.• Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people only once a year
- Victor Borge
• Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
• By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll become happy; if you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
- Socrates
- Socrates
• I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury.
- Groucho Marx
- Groucho Marx
• I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back.
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
- Zsa Zsa Gabor
• Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
- Alex Levine
- Alex Levine
• I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
- W. C. Fields
- W. C. Fields
• Sometimes, when I look at my children, I say to myself, 'Lillian, you should have remained a virgin.'
- Lillian Carter (mother of President Jimmy Carter)
- Lillian Carter (mother of President Jimmy Carter)
• I had a rose named after me and I was very flattered. But I was not pleased to read the description in the catalogue: - 'No good in a bed, but fine against a wall.'
- Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of FDR)
- Eleanor Roosevelt (wife of FDR)
Readers having other humorous quotes can send them to
drbobtaichi@juno.com
drbobtaichi@juno.com
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END OF NEWSLETTER
Warning: Dr. Lam does not necessarily endorse the opinion of other authors. Before practicing any program featured in this newsletter, please check with your physician or therapist. The authors and anyone involved in the production of this newsletter will not be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any injury which may arise as a result of following the instructions given in this newsletter.
END OF NEWSLETTER
Warning: Dr. Lam does not necessarily endorse the opinion of other authors. Before practicing any program featured in this newsletter, please check with your physician or therapist. The authors and anyone involved in the production of this newsletter will not be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any injury which may arise as a result of following the instructions given in this newsletter.
