August Practice Notes—Practice

How do you practice best?
It's important to figure out methods that work for you. Are you a morning person? Maybe more emphasis on morning practice would be better. Are you the kind of person to focus on one task to completion? Perhaps setting up practice themes for a span of time would suit you. Or is your mind typically scattered? Try starting your practice with focusing on your breathing. Do you need deadlines to motivate you? Set up goals by the day, month, or by the year. Gauge yourself by an external marking point such as an annual workshop.
You can also keep a practice log, if that helps. Marking off practice on a calendar, keeping a t'ai chi notebook, or, as one person suggests, a spreadsheet. All of these can help you focus in on the work to be done.
But remember, enjoy your practice. It's a fascinating exploration of mind and body and action.

July News and Events

This month, we welcome for his 10th annual workshop, Weiming Yuan, a senior student of Mr. Liu Hsi-heng of Taiwan. Mr. Liu is one of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing's senior students. The workshop will be held July 19-21 at Macalester College in St Paul, Minnesota. Weiming teaches a down-to-earth approach to t'ai chi that is thoroughly grounded in t'ai chi principles and solid body mechanics. This workshop is open to students of Great River and affiliated groups. Contact Great River for information.

The National Qigong Association annual national conference "Dancing In Stillness" will be held in Chaska, Minnesota this August 17-20. This is a chance to explore qigong and t'ai chi-related topics with some of the world's leading experts, including Chunyi Lin, .A sampling of some workshops: Zhongxian Wu - Chinese Shamanic Tiger Qigong, Cari Shurman - Bringing Tai Chi and Qigong to the Schools, David Haines - 20 Minute Body/Mind Routine: Tai Chi and Qigong for Busy People, Jianye Jiang - Qigong for Diabetes and High Blood Pressure, Lawrence Galante - Basic Principles of Push Hands. See their site for registration information.

June Practice Notes

Summer is short in Minnesota, so why not combine your t'ai chi practice with enjoying the outdoors? Find your favorite park spot--the Rose Garden by Lake Harriet, your back yard, the basketball court at your neighborhood park, or join with Great River students for Sunday morning practice at Como Park. Call us for directions.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Welcome

Great River T'ai Chi Ch'uan is one of the oldest t'ai chi ch'uan (taijiquan) groups in the Upper Midwest of the United States. Founded in 1979, Great River is led by Barbara Davis and Cheryl Powers, both of whom have trained in Taiwan and the United States with senior students of the late Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing. Barbara is editor of Taijiquan Journal and author of The Taijiquan Classics: An Annotated Translation and translator of Chen Weiming's Taiji Sword. Cheryl is on the editorial board of Taijiquan Journal and has taught widely. For information on classes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, call 612--822-5760.