Glen Pelham-Master, husband of
belly-dancing Katie Holland, offers a range of courses and classes in the
Palolem area, including t’ai chi, personal training, and a host of other
techniques; call for details and class locations.
Telephone
Telephone
Location
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During 1974, for the first time in
Chicago, Illinois, the Arica Forty-Day Trainingtm was
presented. Since then, there has been a continuous Arica community here
offering trainings of the Arica School. In 1983 we added the work of
Professor Ch'eng Man Ching and Tai Chi Chuan to our curriculum. In 1985, the
School of MetaTheatre began a sponsorship whose mission it is to bring the
Arica Work and Tai Chi to the Theatre community.
The longest standing of our homegrown teams was at first called The Human Process. In 1992 we converted The Human Process into a State of Illinois and U.S. Federal not-for-profit corporation. It is an interesting and important historical note that the Chicago Arica Community was pivotal in the establishment of the Tibetan Buddhist center Karma Thegsun Choeling, through our association with His Holiness the 16th Galwa Karmapa and his American emissary, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche. As a team, we had the auspicious experience of assisting the Karma Kagyu order when the Karmapa came to Illinois, where he died at the American International Hospital. In April 2005, the Piccolo Theatre at the Main Street Metra Station became our main teaching center for both Arica and Tai Chi programs. The Human Process does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, color, sex, or age. |
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Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese
martial art that promotes well-being by circulating the chi of the body
through a series of slow, relaxing movements. The Human Process teaches the
Yang-style short form as developed by Cheng Man Ch'ing. A round takes 7-10
minutes to perform and requires no special equipment or clothing.
Practicing Tai Chi helps replenish energy reserves, improves balance, loosens tight muscles and brings more flexibility to joints and ligaments. It is a cardiovascular and weight-bearing exercise. Tai Chi leaves one feeling more relaxed, calm, and in a pleasant mood. |
Some FAQs on Tai Chi
:-
How do I learn Tai Chi Chuan?
Tai Chi is practiced as a “form:” a well-defined
sequence of movements that flow from one to the next. The Tai Chi form is
learned by practicing the movements in class and doing it at home. If you study
in weekly classes, it takes about eight months to learn the form. In class, the
movements are demonstrated by the instructors and practiced by all. Hands-on
adjustments help the students to feel the best alignment for the movements and
postures of the form. No special equipment or uniform is required, though flat,
cotton-soled shoes are highly recommended.
How do I find a class near me?
The T’ai Chi Foundation (TCF) has teaching
locations around the U.S. and in Europe. For help finding TCF instructors near
you, check our list of locations.
Why is the TCF form good for me?
The TCF teaches the Yang Style short form of Tai
Chi, as developed and taught by Professor Cheng Man-Ch’ing and our founder,
Patrick Watson, who was a senior student of Professor Cheng. This form is easy
to learn, accessible to students at a whole range of levels of physical skill
and ability, and enjoyable. Our form is based on principles (softness,
relaxation, straightness, centeredness) that are the source of Tai Chi’s health
benefits.
How long does it take to learn the Tai Chi form?
It usually takes about 30 to 36 classes to learn
the basic movements, and depends on the schedule of each teaching location. The
benefits of doing Tai Chi, though, may be felt immediately: even with just the
first movements of the form we are beginning to embody the principles of Tai
Chi Chuan! The TCF curriculum, however, does not end with the basic movements;
you can continue to study Tai Chi at deeper and more subtle levels, becoming
even more in touch with its principles.
What are the health benefits of Tai Chi?
Regular practice of Tai Chi brings benefits in
body, mind, and spirit. As physical exercise, Tai Chi strengthens the legs and
improves balance; posture and flexibility in the joints is improved, and the
slow shifting of weight from foot to foot helps the circulation of blood
through the body. The quality of relaxation in Tai Chi and the sequence of
postures help to regulate the flow of our internal energy, our ch’i, through
the whole body, nourishing the health of the internal organs.
Most obvious, we learn to relax, letting go of the
extra efforts not needed to stand and move easily.
As we learn to relax physically, we also learn to
relax our thoughts and emotions, from the stress of family, relations, and
work. Stress-relief is a common Tai Chi benefit that brings many people to this
art.
The focus of our awareness at the center of the
body helps us to use Tai Chi as a moving meditation, a way to be centered and
grounded throughout our day.
What if I have health problems or disabilities?
Properly taught and practiced, Tai Chi can be
safely and productively performed by anyone who can stand and walk. The
movements and postures of the Tai Chi form are meant to be done at the capacity
of each person, adapted to their current condition.
Who are the instructors and what are the costs?
The Tai Chi Foundation is a teaching school; it has
taught public classes and trained instructors of Tai Chi since 1976. Our
instructors have all been through rigorous training in both the movements of
the art and the teaching method of TCF. They are continuing to train and
develop their own ability at Tai Chi, and to improve their teaching skills. All
TCF instructors teach under the auspices and supervision of the Foundation.
Tuition rates are set by each teaching location.
What is the difference between the TCF form of
teaching and other methods of teaching tai chi?
The TCF uses team-teaching throughout our classes.
This has several advantages: it means that students have at least two teachers
to watch/listen to during class. It means that our teachers work together to
improve the learning experience. It helps to keep the focus of the class
experience on the clarity of passing the art to the students, rather than being
an ego trip for any individual teacher. Also, the TCF curriculum focuses on the
principles of Tai Chi from the very beginning. The sequence of courses, and the
sequence of material within a course, are designed to make it possible for
anyone studying with us to proceed at their own pace to whatever level of practice
fits their needs and desires.
Is there more after the Beginning Level course?
Tai Chi Chuan can be a lifetime art! The TCF
curriculum is a carefully-designed sequence that is designed to help the
serious student develop their Tai Chi to a deep level, and possibly into a path
of teaching.
The first level, Beginning Level, teaches us the
form: we learn how to go through the entire sequence of movements, where the
hands go, where the feet go, and the principles (softness, straightness,
relaxation) that motivate these movements.
The next level, Fundamentals, refines our awareness
of these movements and starts to bring our awareness inside: how do we feel our
feet on the ground supporting us in the best way, how do the joints open and
close, how can we improve our relaxation through the body.
After this level, we begin to learn Push Hands, a
partner-exercise that expands our awareness beyond our sense of ourselves to
include another — how are they standing and moving, how is their
relaxation/tension, how can we be relaxed and rooted while we deal with force
coming towards us.
Coursework at advanced levels helps us to
internalize more and more our awareness of Tai Chi as exercise, meditation, and
non-aggressive self defense. Tai Chi sword and fencing is also taught.
Other TCF coursework brings Tai Chi benefits
outside of the study of the form itself: courses like The Eight Ways of Tai
Chi, and Roots and Branches Qi Gong ™ may be taken by those who have not yet
learned the form, and are at the same time an invaluable aid to the serious
student of Tai Chi.
How do I become an Apprentice teacher?
After studying for several years (how long depends
on how you work your way through the curriculum), you may become interested in
learning to teach Tai Chi. Speak with your teachers about it; they may propose
you for membership in our Apprentice teacher program. This teacher training
program is intensive, and is designed as a long-term process of training and a
commitment to participation in the TCF.
How can Tai Chi videos or books help?
Nothing replaces learning Tai Chi in person, body
to body. Videos or books can serve as reminders of what we are working on from
class, and can also provide fascinating and inspiring additional background to
the history, philosophy, and principles of Tai Chi Chuan.
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