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The Scream by Edvard Munch With Yule just around the corner things are starting to get a little hectic, so if you find yourself having a bit of a moment and feel that you have lost control of your surroundings this simple grounding technique may help reset and rebalance your equilibrium.   Look ar

Love this! Last night I came across some footage from Chen Village showing old, new and small frame styles. It dates by my estimation to 1976, the tape has degraded somewhat with time and so is a little blurry & grainy, but for those of us who have trained in the style it’s a wonderful piece of magi

Beware the Jabberwock, my son!       The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! ~ Lewis Carroll ‘The Tiger Woman Of Shadow Valley’ by Harold W McCauley A while back I was asked why we don’t use the tiger claw hand in Tai Chi. Well the simple answer is we do! Largely we hold our hands in what Cheng M

“Will you walk into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly, “’Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy; The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I have many curious things to shew when you are there.” “Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain, For who goes up y

On the seekers path, the wise and crazed are one. In the way of love, kin and strangers are one. ~ Rumi   A while ago Natalie mentioned to me that a friend of hers who is also a Tai Chi teacher (an excellent one by all accounts, old school – not one of the fly by night “I learned Tai Chi over a we

Absinth in the evening "Dear night–lights, protect my sleeping babes. Burn clear and steadfast tonight.” Mrs Darling Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie   Well the sun has now set, so the spirits are free to roam – right into my cordon glasses! To celebrate Halloween I’ve decided to temporarily turn Natalie’

If you’ve never tried your hand at real Tai Chi Chuan before or had to stop due to the pandemic now is your chance. We’re starting the New Year with new beginnings and so will be restarting the Tai Chi Form from scratch within the next few lessons. All the old Chi Kung (breath/energy work) favourite

Chang Style Tai Chi was created by 'The Flying Butterfly' Chang Dong Sheng (1908-1986). He trained from childhood in everything from Wrestling to Kung Fu, Hsingi to Bagua. Eventually being trained by the sword master General Li Chien of Yang Style Tai Chi. He altered Yang Style to create his own ver

For the past week we've been exploring a more formalised version of Swimming Dragon with the addition of Soaring Dragon Feeds On Chi and its associated Dantien Meditation. Just to help you along here's some photos of the conjoined mudra which is used for the beneficial circulation of chi. It's essen

We're having a great holiday and have even found time to catch up with Izzy, who's currently on a little R&R with an injured lower back, so it was time to break out the moxa for some yang style healing - not an inconvenience as Natalie's hip and my knees needed a top up. I haven't covered moxibustio

Fighting Footwear With That 1950's Flair 'Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels.' Bob Thaves Damn!...and I thought Bond was cool having steel toes in his handmade shoes. These are definitely something Modesty Blaise would have worn. Shoes with that extra 'kic

After all that lust I taste your simple touch. Our nights were all in hers, dark green the park she danced in naked with The Dark Man. She did not take off her clothes but she was naked as a dance is naked being nothing but movement, no way to keep her still, dark green, lights of a drum, br

Well done ladies👏 at the Billinge class. Your fan form is coming along nicely. Graceful but deadly in the summer sun ☀️ Natalie Photos are available for Members to download in the Billinge gallery. Facebook post 14.08.24

Good times! While the summer holidays do dwindle class sizes it does mean plenty of space for Tai Chi Playtime. This week we’ve been exploring Chi Kung using feathers to enhance total body movement (activating the kua big-time) and extend Chi beyond the hands. Extending Chi is usually a weapons base

The Red Dragon of Heaven descends from the light of the sky. The Yellow Horse of Earth comes forth from the darkness of the Underworld. Uniting in ecstasy, clashing in war, from their play arises all life and death. ~ Richard Herne The Relationship Between Yin And Yang I’ll try to keep this simpl

“The shorter it is – the more dangerous. The more ordinary looking – the deadlier it is.” ~ Chinese saying regarding weapons. Camouflaged weapons 🥢🪭 With the Billinge, Ashton and Newton-le-Willows classes forging ahead (and surprising even me!) with the chopstick and fan forms I find myself suit

Abstract movement within Tai Chi Recently all classes (bar Moss Bank - next year kids!) have been exploring the concept of abstract movement within Tai Chi Chuan using the simple straight lines of an informal salute as a foundational base to create smoother and faster organic circular curves by a

"All that is gold does not glitter Not all those who wander are lost The old that is strong does not wither Deep roots are naught touched by the frost." Tolkien Well done Moss Bank class! Exploring rooting and walking, the very foundations of Tai Chi Chuan. You all have Yi energy in spades and sho

As we've been enhancing our Tai Chi with a little Baguazhang recently I thought I'd repost Xian performing his Tea Cup Serving Exercises. I still think this is one of the best demo's to pick up on the basic mechanics of the movement. As they say in Bagua "Everything comes from the teacup." Blessings

Gosh everything's all coming together at the moment. Rainford class is leaping ahead from the short form, the all new Moss Bank class who opened yesterday for a starter of ten did themselves proud for their first time out (well done all), and Newton-le-Willows class just made it all the way through

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF OUR STUDENTS Well done everyone, its been a great year now we're more or less back to normal. Here's looking forward to an even better 2023. Looking forward to seeing you all in the new year, you beautiful people. Stay safe, stay warm and be happy Mathew & Natalie xxx

With the last class of the year completed this morning we're officially on holiday and so would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a Great New Year (even a Happy Hogswatch – Hi Dawn and Lizzie, and yes! We managed to secure a pork pie for tonight). As you all know we

Over the weekend Natalie and I received a batch of free pumpkins from a friend. So taking the advice of Captain John Painter (a couple of posts back) I blended up two pans of roasted veg soup for winter nourishment. According to Natalie's Chinese herbal cookbook pumpkin is sweet in flavour and w