M O V I N G S T I L L N E S S

Portland Taiji Workshop, July 20-21, 2019

2019-06-26

2019-06-26

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL FOUNDATIONS OF TAIJIQUAN

Taijiquan (Tai Chi) as a complex healing and martial art is best practiced with an understanding of its internal and external foundations. In this workshop, we build the internal foundation with breathing and movement exercises (Qigong) and the external foundation with standing and moving exercises aimed at improving body alignment, footwork, and whole-body integration. We use the internal foundation to establish the connection between mind and qi, and the external foundation to set up a sound structure to facilitate the qi flow. We then use a short section of Chen Taijiquan Laojia Yilu (Old Frame First Routine) to practice incorporating the internal and external foundations into the form.

This workshop is suitable both as an introduction for complete beginners of Qigong and Taijiquan (regardless of style and school), and as an enhancement course for intermediate Taijiquan students who wish to infuse more substance and quality into their form.

Instructor:
Yan Li is a Master Instructor certified through American Chen Taiji Society, USA and Qingzhou Taiji Institute, China. She’s a faculty member at Nine Star University for Health Sciences and a Tai Chi instructor for Stanford University’s Health Improvement Program. She received her training from Master Tony Wong, 20th-generation direct lineage disciple of Chen Family Taijiquan, and Grandmasters Chen Qingzhou and Chen Xiaowang, among other influential teachers. She has been teaching Chen Style Taijiquan for the last ten years and continues to deepen and broaden her learning and practice in Taijiquan and Qigong.

Dates & Times:
Saturday, July 20 : 10am – 6pm
Sunday, July 21 : 9am – 5pm
(Each day includes a lunch break; time TBA.)

Location:
The Buddhist Henjyoji Temple, 2634 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97202

Fees:
$180 for both days; $100 for one day. Cash/check/PayPal accepted.
(Participants who have not taken classes with Yan are not advised to take Sunday only.)
** If you’d like to attend but are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact Yan directly: yli.taiji@gmail.com. **

Registration:
For a guaranteed space at the workshop, register here by July 14.

Contact:
Yan Li <yli.taiji@gmail.com>; Mary Lang <maemae663@gmail.com>.

Workshop Series: Chen Taiji Fundamentals, May – June 2019

2019-05-07

2019-05-07

[Update] Feedback from workshop participants:

“Each class made clear to me what I was doing wrong so it really helped with my taijichuan practice. I am happy with the pacing, the content and the length, for me the workshop series was very well thought out.”

“The workshop is very helpful for me to correct my postures. I am also very impressed to practice taiji with balloons. It is highly recommended for all levels of people to attend this workshop.”

“Would definitely recommend this workshop series. At first thought, a three hour practice was intimidating but Instructor was very attentive to individual needs and alloted for breaks. … Instructor was very creative and had a good sense of humor which was evident in her balloon exercise. I got it and am now mindful of keeping my body more open.”

This 4-session series is a detail-oriented, slow-cooking (re-)introduction to four areas of “gong”, or foundations, in Taijiquan studies and practice. Each session introduces/reviews a few key exercises that are seemingly simple and yet difficult to grasp without putting in time and attention. These exercises include breathing techniques, standing poses, stepping/walking drills, and silk-reeling exercises that are frequently used by Taijiquan practitioners as training tools. The focus of this series, however, is not to broaden your repertoire of training tools, but to use a few of them effectively to set your practice on the right course.

This series is both an introduction for beginners and a review/refinement course for Chen Taiji students with prior experience. Most of the exercises are from various Chen Taiji lineages, but applicable to other taijiquan or internal styles. If you want to cultivate relaxation and integrated movement in your body, this is the right course for you.

May 11 – Fundamentals I: 身法 Body Alignment
May 18 – Fundamentals II: 步法 Footwork
June 8 – Fundamentals III: 手法 Hand Techniques
June 15 – Fundamentals IV: 开合 Open and Close

All sessions on Saturday, 4:00 – 7:00 pm.

While each session builds on the previous one(s), the series can be taken as a whole or by individual topic(s).

Fees:
$45 / session or $150 / series
(ACTS friends: $30 / session or $100 / series)

Location:
Nine Star University of Health Sciences Wellness Center *
441 De Guigne Dr., Sunnyvale, CA 94085
(* End of parking lot on the south side of the building.)

Registration:
Please email Yan at yli.taiji@gmail.com with intent to attend, and arrive 15 minutes before class to register and pay (cash/check/paypal accepted). First time participants are required to sign a waiver form.