TAI CHI INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS ~ Margaret Olmsted (May 2019)

TAI CHI INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS

By Margaret Olmsted

This is information I email to all new students. It explains when my classes are and gives links to the form videos I made. It also includes information about the Tai Chi Foundation and our summer trainings and about tai chi. If you don’t have a website, this is a great way to share information about our School. Teachers can copy this and add their own class information and either email it to students or hand it out. Students are grateful to learn about what we offer and the feedback about the videos has been positive.

Classes with Margaret at the YMCA

Brand new: Tuesdays 8 am

More advanced: Thursdays at  8 am

Qigong: Saturdays at 9 am

Practice videos are available on Vimeo.

·       First 5 positions: https://vimeo.com/274981564 password is “motc”

·       First third of the form (14 positions): https://vimeo.com/274790049  password is “motc”

·       Whole Form: https://vimeo.com/299753005  password is “motc2”

·       Watching the videos is relaxing and reminds you of the material you are learning. Follow along or just watch.

·       The best times to do tai chi are when you first get up in the morning and before you go to bed at night. The second best time is any time you feel like it! Just do it!

·       Practice tai chi by being more focused and deliberate in everything you do. Walk with balance. Be upright. Relax.

Check out our School’s website: www.taichifoundation.org

·       Get on our mailing list!

·       Read articles on our blog page and learn useful health tips

·       Learn more about our international school

·       Learn about our summer residential trainings

In 2019 on Whidbey Island, WA, Northampton, Massachusetts, or in Sardinia, Italy

·       Learn about becoming a tai chi teacher

·       Study at home with our beautiful instructional videos. Visit our online store to order a tai chi form or qigong DVD.

Facebook:

·       Look for us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TaiChiFoundationInc/

·       Follow and Like us for up-to-the-minute news and interesting articles

Principles of Tai Chi

·       Relax

·       Tongue on the roof of the mouth

·       Eyes half open, half closed

·       Sink the mind into the Dantian

·       Breathe

·       Root: Connect to the earth through the soft soles of your feet; sit down into your legs

·       Straightness: Connect to the heavens; be upright on all levels

·       Weight evenly distributed around the entire surface of the soft sole of the foot

·       Balanced, empty steps

·       Relaxed, level hips that can fold and open

·       1000 lb. weight hanging off the tip of the coccyx

·       Arms respond to the movement of the body

·       Beauteous hand

·      The body moves as a unit; whole body awareness

·       Range of Motion: working within the limitations of one’s body and relaxing to achieve more

·      Relax

Margaret is a senior teacher and Legacy Holder of the Tai Chi Foundation. She has been studying and practicing tai chi for over 40 years and teaches all over the country. [email protected]

What is Tai Chi Chuan?

·       Tai chi chuan is an ancient exercise for health and relaxation.

·       Tai chi movements can calm the emotions, focus the mind, and strengthen the immune system.

·       Practiced at a slow and even speed, tai chi strengthens the legs, improves posture and increases balance.

·       The tai chi form is a series of movements in a specific sequence.

·       Qigong consists of movements and postures from the tai chi form that contain all the benefits of tai chi but are simpler to learn.

·       Tai chi can be practiced at any age.

·      In a very real sense, tai chi helps us to stay younger as we grow older, thus making an outstanding contribution to our overall health and well-being.