TongRen - Canadian Taijiquan Federation · Finding my First Tai-Chi Class Jan Parker 11 ... TongRen...

1 Tongren – November 2012

TongRen November, 2012

Volume 19, Issue 4

TongRen is published by the

Canadian Taijiquan Federation

www.canadiantaijiquanfederation.com

Putting the TongRen in your Taiji since 1988

A look back at A Taste

of China, in the 90’s

and now.

In this issue:

We introduce you to the new Canada Non-For-Profit Corporation Act

28

4

A Taste of China

circa 1991… Look closely at

these pictures to win a CTF t-shirt!

Details inside – P7!

The Canadian Taijiquan Federation is now on Facebook! Please look for us there and “Like” us.

Reflections of a

Retiring Sifu

by Gloria Jenner

13


Table of Contents Articles 4 - 11

The New Canada Non-For-Profit Corporation Act Steve Holbert 4 Pour francophones et francophiles La rédaction 5

CTF t-shirts advertisement 6 Greek Man, Meet Chinese Man Jesse Lown 8

Fast and Slow James Saper 10 Finding my First Tai-Chi Class Jan Parker 11

Milestones 13 - 21 Reflections of a Retiring Sifu Gloria Jenner 13

In Memory of Grandmaster Feng (1928-2012) Matt Kabat 17 The Wave 22-24

Greetings from Kelowna! Hajime Naka 22 108 Prep for 8-Day Workshop in 52 Weeks Barbara Bryce 23

In Review 25-29

Taiji DVDs for Beginners, Many Bad and Few Good Ones… Michael Babin 25 The Waterloo Contemporary Internal Arts Studio’s Premiere Beth Weisberg 27

A Taste of China Dorian Gregory 28 Workshops and Events in Canada 30 Workshops and Events outside Canada 32 CTF Membership Form 35

The next issue of TongRen will be published in February 2013 Submission deadline: 1 January 2013

Editors: Jill Heath [email protected]; Patricia Beretta [email protected].

TongRen (T’ung-jen)

TongRen is the 13th hexagram of the I-Ching (Yijing) Meaning ‘Fellowship’ or ‘Sameness with people’.

“Sameness with people means other people and oneself are one. As for the qualities of the hexagram, above is heaven, strong, and below is fire, luminous: employing strength with illumination, making illumination effective by strength, being truthful within and adept without, developing oneself and others as well, it is therefore called sameness with people.”

The Taoist I Ching (trans. Thomas Cleary, Shambala Publications, 1986 ISBN 0-87773-352-X bk

7/15/09 4:20 PMIching-hexagram-13

Page 1 of 1file:///Users/rhubarb/Desktop/Iching-hexagram-13.webarchive

同人


TongRen provides a forum for the discussion, expression, and experience of Taijiquan and related subjects. Articles, reports on events, biographies, letters, book reviews, poems, illustrations, scholarly research, and philosophical musings are welcomed. Please email submissions for consideration for publication in TongRen to one of the editors.

TongRen is published quarterly: February, May, August, November. Submissions must be received by the first day of the preceding month to be included. The editor reserves the right to determine the content of each issue. Priority is given to content submitted by CTF members.

TongRen fournit un forum en vue de discuter, exprimer et vivre le Taijiquan et ses domaines connexes. Articles, reportages, activités, biographies, lettres, critiques de livres, poèmes, illustrations, textes savants et réflexions philosophiques sont les bienvenus. Veuillez soumettre tout matériel à fin de publication à l’une des rédactrices de TongRen.

TongRen est publié quatre fois par an, en février, mai, août et novembre. Toute soumission doit être reçue avant le premier du mois qui précède la date de publication. La rédaction se réserve le droit de décider du contenu de chaque numéro. Une priorité est accordée au contenu soumis par les membres de la FCT.

Membership

All members of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation (CTF) receive its quarterly journal, TongRen, and have access to previous issues online. Annual membership is $35 for individuals, $50 for families. Your support to the CTF is important to the Canadian Taiji community. Thank you!

To become a member (or renew), go to http://www.canadiantaijiquanfederation.ca and choose ‘Join the CTF’ (or donate) on the left menu bar for online registration and payment. To register by mail, see TongRen’s last page for our membership application and mail your completed form and cheque to:

Canadian Taijiquan Federation P.O. Box 32055, London ON N5V 5K4 Canada

Advertising Rates / Tarifs publicitaires

Size Dimension

One Time Insertion Parution unique

Four Issues (One Year) Quatre numéros (un an)

Business Card Carte d’affaires

$25$ $50$

Quarter Page Quart de page

$45$ $90$

Half Page Demi-page

$75$ $150$

Full Page Pleine page

$125$ $250$


“This transition is important in order to continue operating under the Income Tax

Act. Otherwise, the CTF would be dissolved, our registration revoked, and a

revocation tax would be applied equivalent to 100% of our assets.”

Articles

The New Canada Not-for-

Profit Corporations Act

By Steve Holbert

1

The new NFP Act is replacing Part II of the old Canada Corporations Act which has governed federal corporations, including Not-for-Profits like the Canadian Taijiquan Federation for the last 50 years.

This new act establishes new rules for us, which are held to be modern, flexible and more suited to the needs of the not-for-profit sector. It simplifies various processes and allows for amalgamation, not allowed under the old act.

It also creates “a more objective standard for directors in carrying out their duties and responsibilities,” so that those joining the board can be clearer on what that will entail.

What will be required over the next few months includes:

• replacing our letters of patent;

• supplementing letters of patent and by-laws with new charter documents;

2

• submitting articles of continuance;

• creating and filing new by-laws which must comply with the NFP Act.

It is these new charter documents that will define and set out the rules that will govern the CTF.

To this end, members of the Board of Directors are reviewing our documents and will be filing our new articles using the following steps:

1. review of the existing letters of patent and by-laws;

2. drafting articles of the corporation;

3. creating new by-laws which conform to the NFP Act;

4. seeking members’ approval (slated for the AGM, June 15, 2013);

5. filing of documents (hopefully, soon after the 2013 AGM).


About the author

Steven Holbert has been a T’ai Chi player for about twenty-six years. He started with Gloria Jenner at the

London Y, and worked with several teachers for a few years. In 1998 he returned to Gloria’s teaching at the

Phoenix T’ai Chi Centre. He also began to do some teaching with her guidance, and became a teacher with

the Centre in 2004. He is now certified as a teacher with the Phoenix T’ai Chi Centre and with the Canadian

Taijiquan Federation. Steve has been a member of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation for eight years and is

serving a second term as Treasurer. Steven is retired from full-time nursing. He maintains a small private

practice in capacity assessments, and he continues as an active member of various professional groups. He

and his wife have four children and three grandchildren that help keep them busy during their ‘free time’.

Pour francophones et francophiles:

La nouvelle rédaction de TongRen aimerait connaître votre avis et vos souhaits. Aimeriez-vous lire des articles en français? Voudriez-vous contribuer et nous fournir vos textes, ou nous donner de vos nouvelles, partager des images, etc.? Faudrait-il un résumé en anglais? Merci de communiquer avec nous à ce sujet, [email protected], ou [email protected]. Patricia et Jill peuvent éditer tout texte reçu en français .

Un premier sujet pourrait être une série d’articles sur la traduction des termes consacrés au Tai-Chi. Nous pourrions prendre les 13 énergies par exemple, ou les termes de pousse-mains (ou poussée de mains). Comment dit-on ‘plucking energy’, ou ‘receive, neutralize, entice, seize, and issue’? Qui voudrait se joindre à Patricia pour ce projet de terminologie en français?

- la rédaction -

3

This transition is important in order to continue operating under the Income Tax Act. Otherwise, the CTF would be dissolved, our registration revoked, and a revocation tax would be applied equivalent to 100% of our assets.

The deadline is October 2014. We will attempt to finish this work in time for our next AGM in June 2013, so that we can bring it to a vote.

Please make sure to join us at the AGM to vote on any issues that are raised. If you have questions in the mean time, look us up on Facebook (search for Canadian Taijiquan

4

Federation) and pose the question there. If you’re not a member of Facebook, please consider joining. This way we can discuss things together! You may also contact us via snail mail at: Canadian Taijiquan Federation, P.O. Box 32055, London ON N5V 5K4 Canada. Or via the TongRen editors.

What does all this mean for you and how will it affect you? Stay tuned!


Canadian Taijiquan Federation T-Shirts

Featuring the return of the popular ‘fiery dragon’ design coiling around the CTF logo on the front of this black long-sleeved t-shirt. And now available in a short-sleeved maroon shirt for the warmer months!

Looking for a ‘team look’ in formal black? Something a little less formal for the warmer months?

We’ve got you covered!

Back print: Putting the TongRen in your Taiji since 1988. Makes a great conversation piece as you explain that TongRen

is both the name of the CTF newsletter and the Chinese term for ‘fellowship’ or ‘community’.

Available in S, M, L, XL adult sizes. Made from 6 oz. 100% cotton tubular jersey. Double-needle bottom hem. Shoulder-to-shoulder tape. Pre-shrunk to minimize shrinkage.

Other sizes can also be special ordered. Just ask!

Long-sleeve or short-sleeve t-shirt $30.00.

Please note that postal rates vary widely due to the size of Canada, so postage is not included in this price but will be added on prior to shipping your t-shirt to you. The CTF will happily sell t-shirts (and memberships) to folks outside of Canada; you may pay in either Canadian or US funds. Looking to save some money on postage? Buy one for a friend at the same time and combine shipping. Better yet, get a group of friends together and save even more. Looking to pay NO postage? Find Jill Heath in person, and you have a deal!

Contact Jill Heath to place your order: [email protected]

Online payment now available.


Win Yourself a CTF T-Shirt!

In the cover photos of this issue of TongRen, you will find some multi-talented folks. They are known for having been (or still are): a scholar; a publisher; a founder; a writer; a competitor; a teacher (not just Taiji or Qigong); a referee and / or a judge at tournament(s). Between them they represent a number of the major family styles in Taiji. Remember that they may wear more than one of those titles, and there may be more than one of something in the pictures (a competitor, for example).

Put a name to as many people in each picture that you can and some labels on them too. The person with the most correct answers wins themselves a free CTF t-shirt in the style of their choice. Looking for extra points or clutching at straws? Feel free to label them with their Taiji style as well.

Send your answers to the editors at TongRen either via email or snail mail. Answers and the winner’s name will be published in the next TongRen (Feb 2013, submissions deadline 01 Jan 2013), so don’t delay! You might just have won your first Christmas gift… to yourself!

Good luck!

7/15/09 4:20 PMIching-hexagram-13

Page 1 of 1file:///Users/rhubarb/Desktop/Iching-hexagram-13.webarchive

同人


2

For anyone who’s ever gone to an alternative medicine practitioner, there’s likely a chance you were diagnosed with something that made no sense to you.

Maybe you’ve been told that your heart chakra is out of whack, or that your lung meridian is obstructed, or maybe that there’s dampness in your spleen. I myself even informed a patient the other day they may have a bout of wind blowing around inside them. If you’ve been told something like this, something bizarre that you’d hear in an Alice in Wonderland adventure, do not panic! Most importantly, don’t take it so literally.

So why do medical practices have so many different, and often conflicting, ways of interpreting your body and your health? The above illustration explains it all. On the left, you have your typical ancient Greek man, standing proud and

1

Greek Man, Meet Chinese Man

By Jesse Lown

3

naked and displaying a rather nice set of abs (damn, I need to start that sit-up routine again).

On the right, you have a Daoist painting entitled the NeiJing, or internal landscape. This illustration was likely done during the mid-1800’s… and curiously, it also depicts a man. Ahhh! Interesting, no?

The obvious difference between these two depictions? The ancient Greeks analyzed the body literally. The ancient Chinese analyzed it metaphorically.

To give you a better idea of what I’m talking about, take a second look at the illustration on the right. Like I said, it symbolizes a man. He’s facing left. You can see his spine running up the right side represented by mountains. There’s a thin river within those mountain that could be his spinal cord.


About the author Jesse Lown’s professional professional career began in the late 90’s in alternative medicine, including over three years living and working in BeiJing China. In BeiJing he specialized in Acupuncture, TuiNa Manual Therapy, Mind-Body Exercise Systems and Classical Chinese Philosophy. He has been practicing QiGong and martial arts for nearly 20 years and is an official 20th generation TaiJi lineage holder (HunYuan (Chen)). He also finds time for art, like the illustration he created that accompanies this article.

Jesse is currently an owner and director at the Aim2Walk Neurological Rehabilitation Centre where he specializes treating spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, stroke and multiple sclerosis. He passionately devotes himself to the developing field of neuroplasticity and its effects on regeneration and recovery following neurological sequelae. Clinically he applies both traditional and modern neuromuscular forms of acupuncture and hands on therapy, and trains his clients in modified and customized mind-body exercise systems.

www.aim2walk.ca, www.neurochangers.com.

4

The old man sitting and meditating at the top where the river ends is LaoZi (also spelled LaoTzu, LaoTsu, LaoTse, etc.), the ancient Daoist philosopher, who represents wisdom, or in this case his frontal lobe. There’s a round red garden which is his heart, a forest that is his liver, and a bull that’s his… um, well I did say this was a man, right?

The picture depicts a body not literally, but metaphorically. The various objects and activities within the painting explain all sorts of internal relationships and physiological processes that take place. It’s not meant to be taken literally; it’s a symbolic representation. It’s through imagery like this that many traditional medical practices understood, and continue to this day to understand, physiology and pathology.

Does it now make more sense? Instead of muscles, you have mountains! Instead of blood, you have rivers! Instead of a virus, you have evil wind heat, and instead of a weak immune system, you have deficient Qi()1. It sounds a little strange, I know, but you need to consider that ancient medical practices were based predominantly on clinical observation and environmental comparison, not scientific and biological examination.

5

If you’re asking yourself why ancient medical theories don’t just switch over to contemporary practice theories, well the answer is simple. Not all clinical phenomenon can be explained with contemporary rational. So, rather than abandon treatment methods that have clinical value, it’s better to use them in their original context.

As time goes by, though, and people continue to search for explanations, we are filling in the gaps. At some point in the future I think there’s hope that all forms of medical theory will meet, and see the body in its true singular form.

So the next time you’re diagnosed with a disharmony between fire and water, you can rest assured that your alternative medicine practitioner isn’t high on (Traditional Chinese) herbal medication. They’re just seeing you in a different light! Metaphorically speaking, of course.

(1) see article Don’t Qi Blast the Messenger by Jesse Lown from the August, 2012 issue of TongRen.


Fast and Slow

By James Saper

In the internal martial arts, beginning students often want to learn quickly, but teachers want

to teach beginning student slowly. I think there are two important reasons for this.

Learning slowly means spending time on the basics. A good foundation protects a student

from injury and is required to reach higher levels of ability and understanding.

Secondly, learning slowly helps build patience. Without patience, very little can be achieved.

About the author

James Saper (pictured below) is a Chinese Medicine practitioner and internal martial arts stylist living in Guelph, Ontario. A student of Andrea Falk and Jack Yan, he practices Chen Taiji, Magui Bagua and Hebei Xingyi. His Chinese Medicine practice requires him to be perceptive and inquisitive, his internal arts practice keeps him humble. And he has a blog: thelantern.tumblr.com.


Finding My First Tai Chi Class

By Jan Parker

1

The first time I saw someone do tai chi, I was drunk. Stop me if you’ve heard this before! I’m cleaning out some stories this morning and this one crossed my mind. It was in the early 80’s, I spent my most of my days on the couch, watching TV and drinking. Most of the time, I paid no attention to what I watched, soap operas, game shows, even the religious shows that offered 800 numbers to call so someone would pray for you. I admit, I called them and would spend as long as they would let me, arguing. I did have a few favourite shows as well. Dallas and Falcon Crest were two evening shows I didn’t miss. Dallas was set in the rich state of Texas with the Ewing family; one big dysfunctional family, I loved it. Falcon Crest was another one. Same idea, but not as grand. I still watched it. Google tells me, Chao Li Chi played the role of Chao Li, the butler on Falcon Crest. On the show Chao Li had a practice and every once in a while they would show him on the back patio moving in a slow and graceful way. I didn’t know he was doing Tai Chi, I’d never heard of it before, but I was captivated. On one of the episodes, he took Lance, played by Lorenzo Lamas, the troubled young son of the family, out back and tossed him around. Looking back on it, it was the first time I saw a form of push hands. Incredible! It might have been the next day or maybe the next week, but Chao Li Chi showed up on a morning talk show. When I saw Chao Li Chi I stopped channel surfing and turned up the volume. He was talking about this form of exercise that was odd, yet beautiful. He described it as having movements that were round, continuous and slow. I missed the name of the exercise, but those three words stuck

2

with me: round, continuous and slow. For two years after I saw that show, I moved around our house slowly, and in my opinion, gracefully. I’d make circles with my arms, step lightly, and ask anyone who came over, if they knew what I was doing. No-one did. A year after I sobered up, Ken (my husband) and I moved to Oregon. The first week of living in Eugene, I saw a poster at a health food store, that said, “Learn Tai Chi” - it described having movements that were, “round, continuous and slow.” I signed up! My first Tai Chi class, taught by Jim Eisenman, changed my life.


3

When I came home from the class, I had trouble getting up the stairs to our house. Ken asked me what I learned. I raised my arms and lowered them. He asked why my legs hurt. I said I didn’t know!

About the author

Jan Parker has been a student of Taijiquan since 1985. She has studied and learned from masters from both North America and China and is a top student of Sam Masich. As a Taiji and Qigong expert, she specializes in teaching private lessons and study group seminars throughout North America, A member of the Pacific Association of Women in Martial Arts (PAWMA), the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF) and the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors (AWMAI) and has been an instructor at their annual training camps. In 2004, Jan was honoured as PAWMA’s Martial Artist of the Year. She is also a past Director of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation.

Today she is the Editorial Director and Co-Creator of the Android and iPhone app called Today’s Step: Recovery (http://www.todaysstep.com/). Jan has been sober since 1984 and developed a daily qigong program for clients seeking treatment at a drug and alcohol treatment centre on Bowen Island, BC.

Jan is passionate, supportive and encouraging about the changes that happen in one’s life when we begin to move in a conscious way. Reach her at www.janparkerarts.com; blog: www.janjimjam.com.


1

Everything in our lives happens for a reason. My life direction took a turn in 1979 when I first saw T’ai Chi demonstrated and explained to me. To me it looked like Yoga in motion, and I said to myself, that is for me. And the journey began, looking for a teacher, to opening my own Centre in 1988, and now to retiring.

How can I retire from teaching T’ai Chi Ch’uan, as it has been part of my life-style since 1979? Retiring as the owner and Sifu of Phoenix T’ai Chi Centre took some consideration. When I found the right person to carry on the centre I felt that I could let go (of) the business part. I have had a long history of teaching T’ai Chi Ch’uan since 1982, and opening and running a T’ai Chi Centre since March of 1988. It is hard to reflect on retiring (from) teaching as I will always share my knowledge of this great

Milestones

REFLECTIONS OF A RETIRING SIFU

By Gloria Jenner

“T’ai Chi is an art of contradictions.

It is an art that develops one’s ability to overcome others while removing the desire to do so.

It is an art that produces great power and strength, but is practiced by emphasizing no power and little strength.” (1)

(1) Gordon Muir studied Yang style from Master T.T. Liang in 1982. His current teacher is Master Chen Zhonghua. He lives in Victoria, B.C., Canada.


2

discipline with others, but to reflect on no longer running a Centre which was my creation, I will always feel it has been a part of me in the years ahead, as I reflect back.

When I needed to choose a name for my Centre, I wanted a name and symbol that represented what I saw happening in students I was teaching then. The name Phoenix represents transformation. ‘Celebration of Life through Movement’ represents the moves of T’ai Chi. And the older yin/yang symbol represents fluidity. When I put this together as a logo, I said, ‘yes, this will represent my Centre.’ To completely retire and close down the Centre, my concern was what would happen to long-time participants, and teachers. But I really feel I can let go now of this concern as a very responsible and caring Teacher has stepped up to the job: Steven Holbert. I am so thankful to Steve that my future concern of the Centre will not be a worry.

It was also suggested that I reflect on my experience in teaching…

Looking back, in 1987, a T’ai Chi teacher from a Toronto club asked me, ‘Do I not get bored with teaching beginners?’ I said no, for beginner students help you to become a good teacher. As they do not know, as yet, what questions to ask, you tend to read them and how they are enjoying the movements or are they finding them stressful. You do your best to make them comfortable in their bodies. As everyone moves differently and our energies flow differently

3

they teach you this lesson right from the start, and you learn you cannot make clones of them, and you learn differences in body types, not only in movement but in how people learn. You find yourself describing the move in a different way to help those who do not get it the first way you break it down.

What does this teach me? To be more verbally creative and come up with different visualization(s) of the moves, to accept everyone is not like me. It also teaches me to be more flexible in the way I teach. And to remember I am dealing with adults in T’ai Chi classes, therefore, in giving corrections, I try not to insult their intelligence.

And what I noticed was that when students started opening their bodies, they began to open their minds to new probabilities in life.

Again, I mention that all the almost 30 years I have been teaching T’ai Chi I have never got bored teaching

basics and emphasizing the health benefits. I have always been enthusiastic about the health benefits I acquired from being a lover of this marvelous exercise that incorporates so many of the Chinese healing techniques. It always amazes me the layers and layers hidden in this beautiful internal art. How did the creators of this moving meditation know how to put in their Chinese Healing Arts, of Yin & Yang, I Ching, the meridian systems and their knowledge of how animals move and nature’s seasons?


(2) Note from Gloria: According to the Chinese teachers that ended up at my Centre in the 1980’s and early 1990’s, they told me that only the 24 set was done and this was set up by the Communist Government. So I taught them the 108 and they taught me the 24 set. Later, Chinese teachers that showed up did know a 108 and a complete Sun Style set, but were older teachers. That was information given to me at that time. … I am quite sure in Hong Kong all forms were allowed, but these teachers came from mainland China.

5

ball—which is an ‘in’ breath in our style.

In the beginning class I have students just standing with their hands on their abdomen and feel the deep breathing going on in their bodies. So again I do not try to teach beginners the breathing with each move, as they have a lot going on with remembering, hands, feet, and direction, but make them aware the breathing becomes important.

Intermediate students bring the joy of teaching T’ai Chi in a more focused way, as now you can refine their moves and begin to see how their practice has enhanced their T’ai Chi. You begin to hear the benefits they have received from playing this slow-moving form. Stronger ankles, knee pains gone, better posture, stronger lower back, and the most benefit I hear is their great balance.

One exercise we do in all classes is toi yu—shifting weight back and forth on (the) feet and the slow turning of the waist and hip, and incorporating arm movements. I ask them to go inside their bodies when doing this exercise and feel the gentle massaging of the ankles and knees and hips. I often wondered why doctors sent people with knee problems to T’ai Chi as the moves constantly use knee joints (which would be

4

I have been fortunate over the years, to draw to our Centre, mainland Chinese Teachers of T’ai Chi and Qigong, and a Chinese Medical Doctor who taught us knowledge that had not been put in books in English as yet, and they teaching their styles, and they enjoyed learning our style. The 108 long Yang form was not being done in China at that time (2).

One of the most important things I learned teaching this slow-moving exercise was patience, something I never had before learning T’ai Chi.

Some Tai Chi Instructors say the breathing pattern is not important. I feel it is very important.

Coming from practicing Yoga before discovering Tai Chi, I share the breathing technique with students. I do not expect them to memorize it. But just to be aware of how the in and out breath goes so well with the rhythm of the yin and yang movements, especially with Yang style. There are some moves that get slurred into the next one without using a transition move and here is where the breathing helps the student to be aware of each movement and not to forget the transition movement, i.e. holding the


6

painful to them) and when I began to pay attention to what was happening in my knees when doing this toi yu exercise, I noticed that instead of the knees going in a linear fashion, the knee is doing small circles when you do the exercise correctly. No wonder the knee joint gets stronger.

With intermediate students you start reading to them the T’ai Chi Classics and other articles and books to give deeper insight into the practice. Push Hands or Two-Person T’ai Chi is a great help to develop sensitivity in their moves and realizing the martial aspects.

Advance(d) students give you the challenge of teaching them other sets once they are comfortable with the first set. Other sets are now easier for

7

them to learn, as they have one set under their belts and recognize various moves in other sets. It also gives you the benefit of keeping your various sets up-to-date with practice. It is like having your cup full and now you can let it flow out and share this knowledge. You begin to notice the advanced students have developed some of their own way of doing moves. The student has discovered their own rhythm.

Teaching classes also in the community I have noticed various groups learn fairly well while others do not even have a sense of their own bodies. Give this second group simpler moves so they feel they are accomplishing something. Talking about simpler moves, over the years teaching MS and Parkinson students I often create a small set with no turns, so they won’t lose their balance and get scared of doing any exercise.

The question sometimes comes up should you use background music. My first teaching job in 1982, I was asked to use music in this community class. What I discovered in using music compared to classes where I did not use music, was the students being taught with slow music picked up the idea quicker of one movement flowing into another—this was not a stop-and-start exercise.

Even after this many years of playing T’ai Chi Ch’uan, it always blows my mind when I discover another layer of this exercise, saying to myself, ‘That is why the ‘Father’ of T’ai Chi created the move this way.’

So, my almost 32-year T’ai Chi journey has been a fantastic experience and I am so glad that in the beginning I kept being gently pushed in its direction. Doors just kept opening up. Knowing so many people in the healing community at that time, it was so easy to share this new concept with them

Over the years, I have touched so many lives and heard their stories. What a wonderful way to learn about life: sharing and listening. We are on this Earth plane to learn, and how do we learn? Through relationships.

And can you tell me what other exercise subtly strengthens one’s ankles and lower back, helps you to feel what is happening inside you, and develops a sensing of Chi? Amazing. And I agree with Laurence Galante who calls it the “Supreme Ultimate”.


8

So what more can I share with you about retiring?

Giving up responsibility is one thing, but I intend to continue playing this supreme internal art as it will be so important in keeping me healthy, with good balance, serenity, and the joy of knowing I am practicing an ongoing art that keeps giving back to me all its benefits.

About the author Gloria Jenner has been teaching T'ai Chi since 1982. Gloria and her staff teach Yang Style T'ai Chi, T'ai Chi Sword and Qigong.

Gloria has studied under many T'ai Chi and Qigong teachers and masters including: Ken Baldwin, Master Moy, Chang Cheung, Sifu Paul McCaghey, Ai Min, Master Mantak Chia, TCM Dr. P. Liang, Qigong Master Guo Yi, Benhuang Gong and Yingchiang Song. Gloria has also completed workshops with Dr. John Painter, Sam Masich, Master Jim Carrothers and Master Yan Wu.

Gloria's teaching focuses on the health improvement and stress reduction aspects of T'ai Chi and Qigong.

At its annual Open House on June 4, 2005, the Canadian Taijiquan Federation recognized Gloria's long-term service by honouring her with Elder membership status. (See picture of presentation on page 15; Roseann MacKaye is the presenter; CTF BoD seated in the background). Gloria is also a past Director and Treasurer of the CTF.

In Memory of Grandmaster Feng (1928-2012)

By Matt Kabat

This article was originally published in vol. 6, issue 2 (July 2012 edition) of the Center for Taiji & Qigong Studies quarterly newsletter, and we thank them for their permission to republish it here and to share their experience with the legendary Feng Zhi-Qiang. You may register to receive their free newsletter from Dr. Yang Yang's center at his website: http://centerfortaiji.com/contact/signup.html .


1

"So, I know that every teacher has things that they do especially well. What is it about Master Feng that you think makes him very special?" With almost no hesitation, Yang Laoshi answered brightly, "Oh, his spirituality." This was not the answer that I expected. There was a long pause while I made some attempt to digest this answer and reconcile it with what I knew of Master Feng.

I had been studying with Yang Laoshi for about 4 years and was anticipating Master Feng’s visit and workshop in 2001 and had a rare opportunity to talk to Yang Laoshi privately about his teacher and their relationship. What I knew about Master Feng revolved around the stories of his martial prowess and his openness and dedication as a teacher. For a moment I began to think that Yang Laoshi had perhaps misunderstood my question, but quickly I realized I just didn’t understand the answer. I didn’t even know what else to ask to help clarify his answer. It appeared that I would need to wait to meet Master Feng myself before receiving some clarification.

To me at that time Master Feng’s reputation centered around his legendary exploits as a fierce martial artist and as a unique teacher. I knew he possessed intimate knowledge of two great lineages, the Chen Taiji of Master Chen Fake and the Xinyi and Qigong of Master Hu Yaozhen. He was one of the highest level students of both legendary teachers, and one of the few tough enough to endure Master Chen Fake’s direct training in push hands. Because of his dedication and his martial arts prowess, his two teachers often called upon him to answer challenges to the martial arts society that they had co-founded, the Capital Wushu Research Society. Likewise he was also

2

called on by the Chinese government to accept challenges to the traveling national Wushu demonstration team which at the time included Jet Li and other martial artists that later became more famous. His successful execution of his duties defending against all challengers made him famous as a practical martial artist in China.

His fame and dedication as a teacher, for me, was exemplified in the story of how he used his intimate knowledge of the curriculum and his experience as a practical martial artist to aid in the preservation and continuity of the Chen lineage after the tragic early death of Chen Fake’s son, Chen Zhaokui, making several trips back to the Chen village to share his understanding with the practitioners there. Because of this Master Feng is sometimes referred to as a "bridge across generations."

I had heard his fame and reputation as a practitioner at the highest level of martial arts illustrated through the story of how my teacher Yang Laoshi was first introduced to Master Feng in Shanghai in the early 80’s. The government had just changed its policy towards traditional martial arts, and as an effort to foster its reemergence after the Cultural Revolution, a gathering was held of the top traditional martial artists in China in Shanghai where Yang Laoshi was going to school. Master Feng arrived without bringing one of his own students with which to demonstrate his skill, and in a show of style and bravado said to the others gathered, “It’s okay, I’ll practice with whomever you choose.” So after some deliberation, the crowd chose a specialist in a type of Qigong referred to as ‘Iron Shirt’, emphasizing strength and invulnerability. The gentleman selected had earlier performed an impressive demonstration which had included being driven over by a truck with no apparent ill results. Surely, the crowd determined, if the truck didn’t hurt him, he would be tough enough for Master Feng.


3

Master Feng, however, handled him easily, to the astonishment and delight of the crowd. To cement the lesson of his martial prowess, the next day, Master Feng asked the gentleman to take off his shirt and display the magnificent collection of bruises that now were arrayed on his ‘Iron Shirt’ which the gentleman good-naturedly agreed to do. In the spirit of openness, Master Feng continued to practice with anyone else who volunteered to brave his teachings.

So my expectation at meeting him at the upcoming workshop in Champaign, Illinois, was based on this idea of meeting a great fighter and dignified Master, not an accomplished spiritual teacher.

It was clear though, from the moment Master Feng entered the room of the workshop, that his presence carried a depth of power and complexity that my imagination had failed to conceive. It seemed as if the very air itself changed when he walked into the room. The sense of energy that he exuded was heavy and palpable even across the room. And yet, his demeanor was nonchalant, friendly, even casual and approachable. This was clearly not the fierce authoritarian martial artist I had expected. In years he was over 70, yet structurally and energetically appeared to be easily 20 years younger and gave off a sense of humour and vitality few others of any age possess.

Even further was my surprise at the qualities of physical interaction when practicing with Master Feng. I was fortunate enough to get to practice an exercise of "Pāi dǎ" (拍打), a sort of game where you practice bumping your partner and testing their position and energetic capacity or strength. My expectation

4

again was to be physically overwhelmed by him despite his advanced age. However, his touch was soft, even gentle, with a smoothness and easiness that was disarming, not overwhelming. At the same time, no matter how hard I tried, I could not gain an advantage. Because he spoke no English, and I spoke no Mandarin, we could not communicate verbally. However, I had the clear sense that he was communicating two things. One: “Don’t be afraid, you can really try, you won’t hurt me.” And two: "Relax, pay attention and try to understand what I’m doing here. Learn something."

One of the other things that surprised me about the workshop, was that we were not taught many martial techniques or any long sequence of movements. There was very little emphasis on choreography or technical application. What was emphasized even when we were learning new movements was the importance of changing our demeanor and learning ways to relax and attend to a sense of our own inner vitality. Relax, sink, expand were the perpetual lessons. This repeated emphasis throughout the workshop both put me into an altered state and began to give me insight into why Yang Laoshi had chosen the Chinese character for ‘Nurture’ as the logo for the workshop and Master Feng’s visit.

In the end, what I gained in insight from the workshop far surpassed any gain of technical information concerning the taiji curriculum. And yet, what is remarkable in retrospect is that those experiences continue to be accessible and continue to unfold and teach me as a central focus of my practice. In this way I begin to understand the traditional saying about taiji: The true art is very deep.

My preconceived notions and erroneous expectations of Master Feng took another devastating blow in the celebrations that


5

closed the workshop. Master Feng arrived for the dinner wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a Mardi Gras mask and beads, dancing to music from New Orleans and throwing beads to his admiring fans. Clearly his sense of humor and his joy for life had overwhelmed any sense of formality and distance we had wanted to project onto him. This dude knew how to have a good time! He led us all into an atmosphere of fun and frivolity for the rest of the night. His sense of delight and joy of life was infectious to everyone.

By the time of Master Feng’s final farewell dinner—a much smaller and more intimate grouping—I was not sure what to expect. Sitting at Master Feng’s table I was listening intently to the character of everyone’s subtle interactions so that I would not miss anything important or fun. Much of the conversation was in Chinese and so beyond my grasp, but I was listening for an understanding through context. And something strange and interesting was happening. Very clearly I felt Master Feng’s attention was engaged with everyone at the table, and I had the sense that he was coherently and non-verbally saying to me, "Be like this. Just do this. This is what you need to improve." What I felt like he was modeling for me was a sense of, "Open your heart, be expansive, and relax."

It was then that I began to understand that this was what Yang Laoshi had meant in our earlier conversation when he had answered me so quickly about the spiritual quality of Master Feng.

6

I began to sense that this message from Master Feng was an initiation of sorts into a deeper level of practice that he was offering to me, and continually offering to everyone in his presence. Such a practice predominantly follows the example Master Feng set rather than the physical or martial specifics of his exploits. His instruction to us conveys a responsibility to embody his example…. to study, to practice, to teach. He was offering a map to follow an exemplary path of inner development in order to nurture vitality and growth.

As one translation of verse 27 of the Tao Te Ching says:

The great teacher is ready to use all situations and doesn’t waste any opportunity.

This is called embodying the light.

What is a great teacher, but an example for us all.

Our work is to embody his good example. Without understanding this, all other

understandings are irrelevant. Every other intellectual pursuit is

inconsequential. This is the essential lesson.

About the author Matt Kabat teaches in Asheville, NC, and is a student of Master Yang Yang. Master Yang Yang lived and studied with Grandmaster Feng and became a formal disciple of Grandmaster Feng in 1987.


The Wave, News and Updates from our Members

1

Greetings from Kelowna!

By Hajime (Harold) Naka

Greetings from Kelowna, the land of the endless summer. I hope you all had a Qi-full summer.

In July I was at Naramata, a certified slow village, situated just north of Penticton on Okanagan Lake, to lead a week-long Qigong-Taiji Retreat for Naramata Centre (a United Church Learning center). Although Naramata Centre is a Christian-faith community, I always throw in some Daoist philosophy into the mix.

Naramata Centre can accommodate and feed over 300 people, and offers around 14 different workshops each week during July and August. I had 17 participants in my program plus another dozen or so folks in the early morning Qigong for people taking other workshops. This was my 26th summer of leading classes and hope to be asked back for many more years.

I returned to Kelowna to teach classes until I headed out to the Kootenays to co-lead the 35th Kootenay Lake Tai Chi camp at Johnson’s Landing Retreat Center.

You may have seen the slide which was

2

shown on T.V. where four people were buried. The Retreat Center is located just on the other side and I was concerned about getting there, but when I phoned Richard (owner of the Retreat), he assured me that the road was cleared and repaired and better than before.

Due to the economic situation and the news of the slide, there were only nine participants plus three instructors. The number of participants may have been smaller but the enthusiasm was high.

I co-led the classes with Bryan Knack (who lives in Vancouver, Washington) and Arnold Porter from Victoria, B.C. Bryan and I taught the 24 and cane forms, while Arnold led part of the morning Qigong and led the evening sessions, teaching massage.

After saying farewell, and setting a date for next summer’s camp (Aug. 10-16, 2013), I drove to the other side of the lake to meet my wife and daughter for another week of camping on the beautiful Kootenay Lake.

I am now back to teaching and glad to see all the smiling faces again in classes.

I read with interest, ‘Don’t Qi-blast the Messenger,’ by Jesse Lown. I can understand Jesse’s dilemma with the word Qi. I personally do not have any problem using the Qi word as long as I don’t have to


3

explain what it is.

I just met a couple this week who are taking a course online about awakening the Kundalini and they were asking about Qi, what is it and what does it feel like. I am going to show Jesse’s article to them, so I am not going to Qi-blast the messenger, but offer my thanks.

4

I also very much enjoyed reading ‘Tai Chi and Music Improvisation,’ by Patricia Beretta – I would love to be in that creative space.

Qi-fully yours,

Hajime (Harold) Naka

About the author

Hajime (Harold) Naka is an Urban Daoist rebel, zen reject, movement artist, word dancer (poet), radical

visionary, unenlightened philosopher, seriously playful martial artist and a C.T.F.-certified Senior Instructor.

Although Hajime has 10,000 hours of practice under his Dantien, he is still Qi-challenged and OFF-centered in

the Dao. Hajime teaches in Kelowna, B.C.

108 Prep for 8-Day Workshop in 52 Weeks

By Barbara Bryce

1

It started with Linda saying, ‘Sam’s doing a Super-intensive Tai Chi workshop in May 2012 focusing on the traditional Yang family 108; guess we should start working on that.’

‘Our class is just starting to get Dr. Shen’s 108 equivalent (‘the 154’); what, we’re going to start something new?’

‘Don’t worry,’ says Linda, ‘I’ve done it before and we have this, the official boot leg DVD, can’t see the moves in a few parts but mostly you can see what’s going on.’

(I order the DVD off the website, it comes five weeks later, I watch it three times, then a penny gets stuck in my disk drive of my lap top and scratches the disk to shreds. Not sure this is such a good idea).

Laptop is repaired but the DVD is still a mess, I find another DVD while cleaning up my

2

workshop. Oh yes, I remember now, Sam gave it to me as we were leaving a Campbellville workshop awhile back. I didn’t think too much about it at the time, but I’m glad to see it now. Thanks, Sam!

First couple of weeks: ‘Wow, this is different. Don’t know how I’m going to remember all this.’

Later: ‘Okay, this first part is starting to feel good and the pattern is familiar, but it’s like… more simple and defined.’

Later still: ‘Well, still can’t move like the DVD but I can see how the sequence in the Dr. Shen Form is based on the Yang form.’ And all the repetition in the Shen form makes it feel more like chi gong than a Tai Chi form.

Lucky for us most of the class seems to enjoy learning this new form. It’s simpler and easy


3

to follow. But there is one…, ‘I don’t like, too slow and too boring.’

Oh well, can’t please everyone, I guess.

Fast-forward: ‘It’s March, I think we’re getting this, we’re going to make it. There is just this middle section of the last part I still don’t get but we’ve got a bit of time to work it out.’

One more week to go: ‘We did it! We got through the whole thing (just barely mind you and there are some shaky spots).’

Day 2 of the 8-day workshop: ‘Holy Mother of Pete! It feels like every little piece of this 108 has 108 new pieces we have to re-learn!’

In 8 days we‘ve been given enough to work on to last us 108 years! What are we going to tell to the class when we see them next week?

About the author

Barbara Jean Bryce is a stained glass artist (shown above and below), and a Tai

Chi enthusiast. When she’s not working with glass she helps with Linda Kearn’s Tai

Chi For Health classes in Guelph ON, www.cold-mountain-internal-

arts.com/home/community-partners

And although her formal design education is in Landscape Architecture (University

of Guelph), once a year she designs set, props and costumes for Sue Smith’s

Season Singers Theatrical Children’s’ Choir. She is head of props and paint at

Guelph Little Theatre and has won two awards for her set painting and design.

Barbara lives in Guelph with husband Ricardo Ramirez. The kids have flown but they still have an orange dog and an orange cat.


Taiji DVDs for Beginners: Many Bad and Few Good Ones…

By Michael Babin

1

I was recently reading reviews on Amazon of an instructional dvd that I have. Like many of its ilk, it was advertised as an instructional product for a Yang-style solo form that I have practiced off and on for about 25 years. The instructor and creator of that particular product is still alive and teaching and is a great inspiration for all of us with a mind to explore an interesting variation of traditional Yang-style taiji. On the other hand, you wouldn't necessarily have any inclination of his personal ability and skill just by reading at random in the numerous reviews of that dvd on Amazon.

I wasn't surprised that those reviewers who identified themselves as experienced practitioners were generally happy with what they got: some must have experienced Sifu X personally and others through his many students who now teach his approach in various parts of the USA and Europe. I also wasn't surprised that just as many were unhappy with the product and wrote things like, "I would have returned

2

it if I hadn't opened it," "too confusing for beginners with too much focus on the feet and not enough on arm positioning," as well as, "not an instructional tape as advertised, just too much repetition of postures and groups of postures."

The sad thing for beginners remains that there really are very few good instructional dvds for beginners and not too many more for more intermediate players. I have watched and studied the products of dozens of instructors over the decades and it's sadly true that videos and dvds are often sold way past their ‘shelf-life’ in the sense that a 15- or 20-year-old instructional product which has simply been put into a dvd format may not resemble in detail what the instructor is now doing with the same material, if he or she still teaches it at all.

It can also be a horrible shock for beginners used to a western academic approach to realize that traditional teaching of basic forms and methods was often done en masse with everyone trying

In Review Past Events, Books, DVDs, etc.


3

their best to copy teacher as he led the way in a group format. Questions and detailed explanations, if they happened at all, were reserved for the benefit of senior students.

It is true that modern taiji classes have often evolved in North America to reflect a more pedantic and western approach to teaching; but many of the older generation of taiji and kung fu teachers produced—and continue to produce—cassettes and dvds that are basically just endless repetitions of small chunks of whatever method or form is being taught. Detailed explanations are missing as are martial applications which could, in some cases, at least clarify why you are moving in a particular way in the form being taught.

Another common issue is ‘mistakes’ being left in the material covered... sometimes this is because of editing error; sometimes the production company can't afford to re-shoot mistakes even if they are identified; and so mistakes are left in on purpose and selling them anyway is rationalized as ‘a few little mistakes don't matter as long as the bulk of the material is sound.’

This happens more often than unsuspecting buyers might assume. In this way, purposefully left-in ‘mistakes’ could be a useful way of identifying those who have learned exclusively from electronic formats—particularly when that individual is claiming to have learned properly through long-term personal instruction at a later date for commercial reasons.

To be fair, it is also true that for those with some skill and experience, studying dvds can bring insights and maybe even some level of competence at a solo or two-person form. Unfortunately, at least in my experience, many buyers seem to confuse owning and

About the author

Michael Babin has been practicing the Chinese martial arts and particularly taijiquan since 1975 and teaching since 1985. He's mostly retired since 2010 and focusing on swordplay in his martial dotage, but after some 30 years of also writing on these subjects [five books and 120+ articles] still finds time to ramble a little on his martial blog: www.mbtaiji.net.

4

watching a library of such products once or twice with having done the real work necessary to acquire anything of value from their use. Such products are almost always more suitable for providing a reference material for home-study to those who are studying the same material with a live instructor.

As to recommendations for instructional material suitable for beginners... I have always liked Sam Masich's Five-Section material and his dvds are some of the best that I have experienced in terms of depth and clarity of instruction in terms of the Yang-style taijiquan. Paul Lam of Australia has produced a variety of instructional dvds in modified Sun taiji as well as qigong for health that benefit from his experience as a medical practitioner. Those who want a very clear approach to the traditional Sun-style 97 posture solo form for health should consider Tim Cartmell's recent four-volume set. I am not affiliated with any of these gentlemen though I value the workshop instruction that I have had over the years from both Sam and Tim.

In the end, you can take my advice for what it is worth—an opinion from an experienced practitioner who has seen many bad and a few good instructional dvds and cassettes.


The Waterloo Contemporary Internal Arts Studio’s Premiere

By Beth Weisberg

1

Anyone who’s watched or taken part in any kind of improvisation knows that it is full of surprises. Whether it’s music, comedy, or even cooking, improv is full of unpredictable twists and turns that surprise the artist as much as the audience.

On October 17th, when the aged timbers of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church reverberated several times during the premiere of the Waterloo Contemporary Internal Arts Studio (WCIAS), the audience responded with shakes of their own. “Why did he stomp like that?” reacted one woman to the Chen style assertions.

The audience, to paraphrase WCIAS’ musical director and jazz pianist Jason White, had likely never seen anything like this performance before. Ordered ranks of practitioners this was not. After a few short demonstrations of empty hand forms, qi gong, fan, and sword, the performers launched into a slow-motion swirl of movement that one could be forgiven for thinking was choreographed. At first view, it reminded me of the staff’s balletic performance at my favourite dim sum restaurant, a palatial but packed space that necessitates an instinctual awareness of

2

every inch of one’s surroundings. The WCIAS performers - Alpha Montemayor, Deirdre Nally, Jan Bentley-Fogolin, Lisbeth Haddad, Patricia Beretta, Peter Reist, and Cold Mountain Internal Arts (CMIA) Sifu Steve Higgins – had to face similar physical challenges: the confines of the performing space; the unpredictability of where anyone else might step at any given moment.

On consideration, though, such a harried analogy doesn’t work as well as the time-honoured vision of a stream. The music and the performers (all also current CMIA members) supporting each other, at once creating the current and moving with it, at one moment verging on methodical and in the next moment a flash of light, a curling in, a spray of sound and motion. A stork cools

CMIA Sifu Steve Higgins (left) and WCIA Musical Director Jason White (right)


A Taste of China

By Dorian Gregory

3

its wings, someone moves through the reeds at the shore’s edge. Plucked piano strings, snapping fans: a landscape of sight, sound, and qi emerges and grows within the sanctuary. The motion stills, and just like that it’s over. For this time.

Wait for the WCIAS to emerge again from their cocoon – and try to catch

their next performance. Highly recommended.

About the author

Beth Weisberg’s interest in helping people with their integration into daily life in different cultures developed into a career in facilitation and cross-cultural education. A series of health challenges introduced her to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and led her to the study of Tai Chi and Qi Gong. She came to realize that TCM, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong all go back to one root, and recognized that this foundation can deepen the level of help she is able to bring to people. The study of tea (Beth wrote about this in the August 2012 TongRen), used for millennia to assist and support meditative work and general health, draws Beth in the way it complements her other studies.

Left to right: Patricia, Steve, Peter, Jan, Deirdre, Lisbeth, Alpha

1

I attended my first ‘Taste of China’ in 1999. I had not yet begun my Taiji journey (http://taichidorian.com/about/about-dorian/)in earnest, but I attended for a couple of reasons. The event was held in the small rural town in Virginia where I was born, and Janice and I were visiting my Mom, 15 miles away in Strasburg. Janice had been studying Taiji for a few years and was very interested. Since I was a martial artist who

2

figured one day that I would learn taiji, why not spend some time at the conference and make the family visit easier, too? Turns out, that would be the last time I saw my Mom before she died.

Photos and stills from movies from Yves Beretta and Paul Thorpe


About the author

A passionate and gifted Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and Qigong (Chi Kung) instructor, Dorian Gregory, MA, CPA, has taught in North America and in Europe, and specializes in the Yang Style Full Traditional Taijiquan Curriculum. Her teachers are Sam Masich and Jan Parker. She is a lifelong martial artist with advanced black belts in both karate and modern arnis, and she is a certified public accountant. Dorian works part-time as an auditor with a small local firm, and teaches Taiji classes, seminars and private lessons. Finding harmony in the seemingly disparate aspects of life is at the heart of her practice. Dorian’s web site is http://taichidorian.com.

3

I remember Janice learned a fan form, I think from Madame Wang JuRong and Master Helen Wu. I took a push hands workshop with Chris Luth and Elaine Waters. But what I remember most was the Saturday night Friendship Demonstration at the local high school—especially William C.C. Chen and the physical flexibility of his son, Max, pushing hands and bending backwards, and the way Nick Gracenin astonished me with his chain whip form (really? tai chi? wow?). The funny thing to me today, is that I don’t remember seeing Sam Masich at all (though I know now that he was not only in the demo, but the emcee too!).

This Year’s Theme: Transformation

Fast-forward 13 years, and more than a few taiji lessons later, and wow… what an amazing weekend I just had at the Grand Finale event. After 30 years, Pat Rice is retiring the event. Read more about this year’s event on Sam’s home page (www.sammasich.com). In this final year, many of the great masters attended, and the turnout of participants was more than twice what was expected. My teacher, Sam Masich, and two of Sam’s teachers, Master Liang Shou-yu, and Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming, were there.

Also, Masters Wei-lun Huang, Helen Wu, Nick Gracenin, Jose Johnson, Kathleen Cusick, Jay

4

Dunbar, Yang Yang Ph.D., were there. I enjoyed many great workshops—beginning the weekend with Taiji for Transformation with Jose Johnson, on to Wuji and Daoist Qigong with Master Liang, and Martial Grand Circulation and Taiji for Health with Dr. Yang, and the Five Animal Frolics with Kathleen Cusick, and of course, workshops with Sam Masich—his newfangled PengLuJiAn method—for partner and solo practice.

But the best parts for me were the demonstrations and discussions both nights. I learned so much about the breadth of internal arts and I loved hearing the personal stories of these dedicated and top-level masters of these arts. The other really wonderful part of the weekend was seeing so many of my taiji friends and making new ones. And of course, I definitely have a recollection of seeing Sam this time!

I only wish I could attend again next year… alas, I must say Happy Retirement!

‘Til the next move,

enjoy your practice,

Dorian

That’s me with Dr. Yang, and Sam.


Workshops & Events

In Canada

1

Workshops with Adriaan Blaauw & Jill Heath Contact: ! Adriaan Blaauw [email protected] or Jill Heath [email protected]

Fundamentals of Two-Person Work: Empty Hand and Sword ! Saturday – Sunday !24-25 Nov 2012 05-06 Jan 2013 !23-24 Feb 2013 !20-21 Apr 2013 !15-16 Jun 2013 !Centre de Tai Chi Gilles Vaillant, 109 rue Wright, Gatineau, QC

_______________________________________________

Riverbank Push Hands Days with Diane Kehoe & John Eastman Contact: (604) 946-4983 or (604) 868-2396 [email protected]

Sunday 18 November, 2012 Sunday 9 December, 2012 !1-6 p.m. – no charge ! 4126 River Road West, Delta, BC

2

Treasures of China, Featuring the Dazu Rock Carvings

Contact: The Museum (Kitchener) (519) 749 9387, [email protected], www.themuseum.ca

Exhibit of spiritual sculptures from the hillsides of Dazu County, Chongqing, dating from the Tang Dynasty ! 48 unique sculptures depicting Buddhist, Confucian and Taoist beliefs. The Museum, 10 King Street West, Kitchener, Ontario Carvings exhibit from 21 Sept. 2012 to 17 March 2013

Tai Chi classes and workshops at the Museum with Patricia Beretta during this exhibit ! Contact: (519) 496 8973, [email protected] www.LeShiatsu.com

Tai Chi and Qigong: Relaxation in Action Four introductory classes !Saturday morning 11 a.m.-12 p.m., January 12, 19, 26 and February 2, 2013 !$40+ HST for the 4 classes, Registration with The Museum

Tai Chi and Qigong: Treasures for Health Workshop !Saturday January 19th 2013 !1-3 p.m. – no charge with museum or exhibit ticket


3

Power of Balance Workshops and Retreats www.powerofbalance.com

Treasures of Wudang Mountain Qigong Retreat with Donna Oliver and Sheila Furness 416-465 6122 [email protected] or [email protected] Friday, November 16-18, 2012 !Harmony Dawn Retreat, Rice Lake in Northumbland County, Ontario !$335 + HST

_______________________________________________

Temple Knights www.templeknights.com

Women’s Wellness Weekend With Valerie Houston-Peel

Contact: 705 767-1177 !, [email protected]

Saturday, November 24th, 2012, 9-11:30am Temple Knights Martial Arts Academy & Retreat Centre, Muskoka, near Bracebridge, Ontario.

_______________________________________________

Workshops with Sam Masich

www.sammasich.com

The 88: Yang Style Taiji Sanshou 88 Sparring Form May 17 – 20, 2013 !Campbellville, Ontario !Contact: Mary Hansell, (905) 854-0314, [email protected]

'LONG FORM SUPER INTENSIVE' Yang-style Taijiquan 108 & '37 Essential Forms' ! Saturday May 25th to Sunday June 2nd, 2013 10am-5:30pm Vancouver, BC

4

!Contact: Michael Blackburn, (778) 228-3500 , [email protected]

Taiji Spear mornings Taijiquan Each morning 8:30-9:30am before the Long Form Super Intensive above ! Vancouver, BC !Contact: Michael Blackburn, (778) 228-3500 , [email protected]

_______________________________________________

Workshops with Andrea Falk Contact: James Saper, (519) 760 6718 [email protected]

Bagua Seminar: Cultivating Deep Skill February 2-3, 2013 (Saturday afternoon 2-4pm and all day Sunday 11am-4pm) !Guelph, Onntario Registration: $135; Saturday only: $90; Sunday half day only: $60

Xingyi Seminar: Aligning Form and Intent February 3, 2013 Guelph, Ontario ! Registration: $60; with spear workshop: $100

Chinese Spear: King of the Long Weapons February 3, 2013 Guelph, Ontario Registration: $60

_______________________________________________

Holiday Season Celebrations in Ontario Phoenix T’ai Chi Centre’s Christmas Party Wednesday December 5th, 2012, 7-10pm ! with Gloria Jenner as special guest of honour Unitarian Fellowship of London !, 557 Clarke Road, London ON !(519) 439 8875, !www.phoenixtaichi.ca

Cold Mountain Internal Arts Chinese New Year Celebration !Saturday February 16th, 2013, !1-5:30pm: free seminars and demonstrations, followed by a potluck Calvin Presbyterian Church, 248 Westmount Rd., E., Kitchener, Ontario [email protected] , 519-886-8364 http://www.cold-mountain-internal-arts.com

32 Tongren – August 2012

1

World Tai Chi & QiGong Day http://www.worldtaichiday.org On the last Saturday of April each year at 10 am, tens of thousands in hundreds of cities, in over 70 nations come together ... to breathe together ... to provide the world a healing image of our planet and our people Saturday April 27, 2013 Look for events close to you!

Workshops with Sam Masich Contact: Sam Masich 0170-553-8096 www.sammasich.com

Qigong: Equilibrando el corazón y Taijiquan: 5 secciones principios básicos May 10-12, 2013 Mexico City 4th Annual Berlin Push Hands Camp August 16-19, 2013 Berlin, Germany 2nd Annual Berlin Summer Taiji Weapons Intensive—13 Power Taiji Sabre August 22-25, 2013 Berlin, Germany 13 Power Taijiqiang: Taiji Spear Camp! October 12-20, 2013 Location TBA, Sunderland, Massachusetts, USA Contact: Dorian Gregory, [email protected]

Workshops & Events

Outside Canada

2

Workshops with Dr. Yang Jwing-Ming YMAA CA Retreat Center Miranda (area), California Contact: (707) 502-8739, ymaa.com/seminars Traditional Yang-Style Taijiquan, or Taiji Sword July -12, 2013 Taiji Pushing Hands and Martial Applications (Level 1-4) July 12-19, 2013 Qigong-1 (Qigong Theory and Spine Qigong) July 19-26, 2013 Qigong-2 (Medical Qigong: Eight Pieces of Brocade, Four Seasons Qigong, and The Five Animal Sports) July 26- August 2, 2013 Qigong-8 (Grand Circulation, Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong) August 2-9, 2013

Embrace The Moon Workshops - Seattle WA Contact: Kim Ivy (206) 789-0993 [email protected] www.embracethemoon.com


3

Laojia, Xinjia, Silk Reeling with Grandmaster Chen Xiao Xing March 5-10, 2013 Qigong, Laojia & Intrinsic Energies with David Gaffney & Davidine Sim April TBA, 2013

Seminars with the Deyin Taijiquan Institute (UK) www.deyin-taiji.com Health Qigong UK seminars tour November 8-18, 2012 Annual visit by the Chinese Health Qigong Delegation from China organised by the British Health Qigong Association, please visit www.healthqigong.org.uk for detail of workshops and seminars. Contact: [email protected], +44 7779582940 Sun Style Tai Chi Weekend Special December 1-2, 2012 Hosted by Tary Yip Wolverhampton, UK

4


Canadian Taijiquan Federation / Fédération Canadienne de TaijiquanA registered Non-Profit Corporation / Un organisme à but non-lucratif dument enregistré

1. To encourage development in the practice of Taijiquan and preserve its characteristics as an expression of Chinese culture and philosophy.

2. To stimulate public awareness of and participation in Taijiquan.

3. To inclusively link practitioners of Taijiquan from various styles and traditions without precedence – whether as individuals or gathered in groups, clubs and organizations across Canada – as they join the Federation family.

4. To network nationally and internationally with other Taijiquan practitioners, groups, clubs and organizations with the aim of broadening and strengthening the Canadian Taijiquan experience.

1. Encourager la pratique du taijiquan et préserver son caractère culturel et philosophique chinois.

2. Stimuler la connaissance et la participation du grand public en matière de taijiquan.

3. Relier tous les praticiens de taijiquan, peu importe les styles et les traditions, qu’ils soient seuls ou affiliés, partout au Canada.

4. Élargir et renforcer l’expérience canadienne du taijiquan en créant un réseau national et international pour les individus, les groupes, les clubs, et les autres organisations.

Annual CTF membership includes:

• A subscription to the CTF’s quarterly journal TongRen

• One complementary official CTF crest for each new membership

Benefits of CTF membership:

• Access to Taijiquan Teacher Training workshops sponsored by the CTF and facilitated by experienced Taijiiquan teachers

• Access to the CTF Taijiquan Teacher Certification program

• Email notices of CTF-related news and upcoming events

• Access to the ‘members-only’ section of the CTF website which includes expanded event postings and links, an archive of back issues of TongRen, photographs, blogs and forums

• Postings to the public-access pages of the CTF website for your club/school, workshops/seminars and other Taiji-related events

• Opportunities to connect, meet, share and further your Taijiquan-related knowledge and experience with other practitioners

• Opportunities to get involved and make a difference in the Taijiquan community by sitting on the CTF Board of Directors and its various committees (volunteer)

• Discounted enrollment is often extended to CTF members for workshops and activities organized by CTF members

• Purchase of official CTF T-Shirts and crests

Une membriété annuelle vous offre:

• Un abonnement à TongRen, la revue trimestrielle de la FCT, que vous recevrez par la poste

• Un écusson gratuit de la FCT si vous êtes un nouveau membre

Avantages supplémentaires:

• Accès aux ateliers de formation des instructeurs, ateliers parrainés par la FCT et donnés par des enseignants chevronnés

• Accès au programme de la FCT de certification des enseignants de taijiquan

• Avis électroniques des nouvelles et des événements à venir de la FCT

• Accès à la section pour les membres du site web de la FCT qui présente une liste étoffée des événements et des liens, les anciens numéros de TongRen, des photos, des blogs et des forums

• Pages publiques pour annoncer votre organisme, vos ateliers et tout autre événement lié au taiji

• Des occasions de contacts, de rencontres et de partages avec des praticiens du taiji pour accroître vos connaissances et votre expérience

• Des occasions de vous engager comme bénévoles et d'influencer la communauté du taiji en joignant le Conseil d'administration de la FCT et ses multiples comités

• Des inscriptions à tarif réduit à des ateliers et activités organisés par nos membres

• Possibilité d'acheter les t-shirts et les écussons de la FCT

Membership / Membriété

Mission

28


!

! Name/Nom: __________________________________________________________________________

! Address/Adresse: _____________________________________________________________________

! ! ! _____________________________________________________________________!

! Country/Pays: ___________________________ Postal Code/Code postal: ___________________

! Telephone/Téléphone:

! Home/Domicile: _____________________________ Work/Travail: __________________________

! Email/Courriel: ________________________ Website/Site web: _____________________________

! Student of/Étudiant de: ________________________________________________________________ ! Club/Organization/Organisme: _________________________________________________________

! Instructor for/Enseignant pour: _________________________________________________________ ! Club/Organization/Organisme: _________________________________________________________

! Forms Studied/Formes étudiées: ________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

Individual membership $35 (Canadian or US) / Family membership $50 (Canadian or US)Membriété personnelle 35$ (canadiens ou américains) / Membriété familiale 50$ (canadiens ou américains)

Please copy and mail completed membership form along with your cheque or money order to:Veuillez envoyer le formulaire dûment rempli et accompagné d’un chèque ou d’un mandat à la:

! ! ! ! !

! ! ! ! ! Canadian Taijiquan Federation! ! ! ! ! P.O. Box 32055! ! ! ! ! London, Ontario! ! ! ! ! Canada N5V 5K4

You can also register or renew your membership online. Vous pouvez aussi devenir membre ou renouveler votre membriété en ligne.


Canadian Taijiquan Federation Membership Application Form

Formulaire d’ Inscription à la Fédération Canadienne de Taijiquan


TongRen - Canadian Taijiquan Federation · Finding my First Tai-Chi Class Jan Parker 11 ... TongRen...

Documents

Transcript of TongRen - Canadian Taijiquan Federation · Finding my First Tai-Chi Class Jan Parker 11 ... TongRen...