Thursday, May 31, 2007

Orr Books Closing

Long-time supporter and supplier of t'ai chi, Buddhism, yoga, fengshui, I Ching and other great books, Orr Books in Minneapolis is closing this June. Orr Books has held on for decades through these changing times for booksellers, always keeping us supplied with ideas and friendliness, and a sense of a community.
There will be an Open House, Sunday, June 17th, from 1–4 pm at the store, 3043 Hennepin Av. S. in Minneapolis. Bring your stories to share!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

T'ai Chi, Tai Chi, T'ai-chi, or Taiji?

How to spell out 太極拳 in English is always a puzzle. The common spelling is "t'ai chi ch'uan" (with allowances for spelling errors, it becomes tai chi chuan, or even taichichuan). "Taijiquan" is the spelling that is now used in the Mainland Chinese system (pinyin). All of these are pronounced the same: "tie-gee-chwan."
"T'ai chi" means "supreme ultimate" referring to the dynamic of yin and yang. "Ch'uan" (quan) means "boxing."

The name "Great River T'ai Chi Ch'uan" is drawn from the phrase in the T'ai Chi Ch'uan Classics "Be still like a mountain, move like a great river." In the original context, the phrase most likely referred to the Yellow River in China. In our case, it refers to the great Mississippi River, which traverses the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, where we are located, as it wends its way southward on its long journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Why Study T'ai Chi?

Why study t'ai chi? The bottom line is that it makes you feel good. You learn to stand, move, and breathe in ways that make sense. The side benefits: improved health, balance, relaxation, efficiency of movement, and a calmer mind, all of which are also the foundation for any sport, including the self-defense techniques on which t'ai chi is built.

Join us at Great River this summer for an introduction to the wonders of t'ai chi. Classes start the first week of June. If you've done t'ai chi before but have been away from it for a while, this is the perfect way to get re-acquainted with it.

Contact us at 612-822--5760 for further information, or take a look at the Great River T'ai Chi website.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

May Practice Challenge

Join our May Practice Challenge--

Practice the solo form (or repeat whatever amount you know that is equivalent to 5-10 minutes of practice) at least once in the morning and once in the evening, and keep track on a calendar--mark T for doing the whole amount, t for part, and 0 for none.
At the end of the month, tally up your results. Those who have completed 90% with a T will receive a certificate of merit.