The Tai chi we are teaching/practising?
Yang style taiji (Tai chi). Derived form Cheng Man Ching.

The training we do?
The main vehicle for our practice is the Form - this beautiful, slow flowing sequence of movements is what most people recognise as Taiji - this is where we create the depth of our Taiji practice. Initially concentrating on Master Huang's 5 Loosening exercises and Cheng Man-Ch'ing's 37 movement Taiji Form, we lay the foundation for those who wish to further their study.

At its simplest level, the Form is a choreographed routine that flows from one posture to the next, co-ordinating mind and body, gently aligning the skeletal structure, stretching and mobilising the body, calming the mind and deepening the concentration.

As we deepen our practice the form becomes internally 'wavelike', rising and falling in a ceaseless rhythm - like the swell of the ocean on a calm day.

What differentiates Master Huang's Taiji from most others, is the emphasis on the internal changes between postures, rather than the postures themselves.

Through the clear direction of the mind's intention (Yi), the body is drawn inexorably towards a point of stillness. Where the intention withdraws, where the awareness expands, where the forces from the ground are free to travel through the body and beyond?..

Tai chi has 3 main immediate benefits:
1) a gentle system of exercise that stretches and strengthens the body, and calms the superficial mind through slow co-ordinated smooth flowing movements.

2) A system for increasing mind / body connection and deepening awareness. It offers freedom to review habitual responses and provides the potential for self-discovery and deep inner change.

3) A subtle martial art, in which yielding and neutralising are the overlapping central principles. Requirements People of all ages and degrees of health are able to practise Taiji. Tai chi practise requires an attitude of genuine enquiry, patience and perseverance, an openness to practise according to the teaching and a willingness to constantly examine and refine your inner conscience. Once begun, Taiji should be thought of as a lifetime practice.

I am presently based in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England, UK, teaching Taiji (tai chi + chi kung): A.Odusanya - I am a qualified instructor with Tai chi Union of Great Britain Website: TCUGB Instructors list

Contact details: email address: Click on this to find out any information. I could start a Taiji (tai chi / chi kung) class in your area.

Click here for new classes starting in January 2010