July Tai Chi Classes

Your instructor Jamie Sills will lead you in Yang Style Tai Chi.

The Healing Power of Tai Chi

In China, Tai Chi is a common practice. Large groups of people can often be seen practicing together outdoors.  The Chinese believe that practicing Tai Chi can prolong life, delay aging, and increase flexibility and strength. It is believed to aid in the treatment of many ailments including high blood pressure, depression, arthritis and more and has been recommended by Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners for centuries.

There are five primary styles of Tai Chi that were developed beginning in the 16th century, and possibly earlier.  Many variations have branched off of those original styles in the centuries that followed.  The most popular style is the one that I practice and teach, Yang Style Tai Chi. It was first developed by Yang Lu Chan in the early 1800’s.  His grandson, Yang Chengfu (1883-1936) is perhaps the best-known teacher of his family’s style of Tai Chi.  The original Yang Style Tai Chi, called the long form, consists of 108 movements.  It is characterized by it’s large frame and slow, gentle, expansive movements.

Tai Chi was originally developed to be used as a martial art, for fighting or subduing an attacker. The martial aspect is still there, but the art is primarily used now for health and wellness. Learning Tai Chi takes time and patience. In the beginning, it can be frustrating to try and learn.  If you stick with it long enough, you will begin to notice a difference in your balance.  What you once thought was complicated becomes easy. It’s important to remember where you started, and look at how far you’ve come.  The truth is, if you decide to learn Tai Chi, you will always be a student.  This is a beautiful thing, because your skills and knowledge are constantly evolving, and it never gets boring!

Even after years of training, it will continue to challenge your mind.  This makes the art great for us as we age, by helping to keep our minds sharp.  Combined with the many physical and spiritual benefits of Tai Chi, it makes this art one of the best practices we can do at any age.

Some of the benefits of Tai Chi include:

• Improved balance

• Strengthened muscles and tendons

• Reduced stress and balanced emotions

• Reduced blood pressure

• Helps you learn how to use your body properly and more efficiently

• Has been shown to help increase or stabilize bone mineral density

• Can help increase or sustain memory and cognition as we age

• Once the basic movements and sequence are memorized, it becomes a moving meditation that also helps balance and harmonize your chi or internal energy

• Tai Chi requires no special equipment and can be done anywhere and by people of all ages

My personal martial arts journey began 15 years ago when I started training in Nihon Goshin Aikido, and then began training in Yang Tai Chi a couple of years later. Aikido is a Japanese art, while Tai Chi is a Chinese art that does not use belt systems to classify students or teachers. I trained in Aikido for 6 years, earned my first-degree black belt and then went on to teach Aikido and Tai Chi for several years afterward. Training in both of these arts taught me the value of perseverance.  There were many times I wanted to give up, but I’m so glad I didn’t.  As with any martial art, you never stop learning.  Although I teach now, I am still training in and discovering more and more about Tai Chi after 13+ years.

I meditate every morning and make it a point to practice Tai Chi at home as often as possible.  You become lost in the movements, the flow of the form, which momentarily takes you away from your ever expanding to do list, and the stress you are constantly accumulating.  Leaving you with the clear, still, quiet part of yourself that those worries can’t touch.

Once you learn Tai Chi, it belongs to you for the rest of your life.

Practicing Tai Chi is a calming, healing addition to your weekly routine.  We all need to stay physically active and we all need relief from the daily stresses of life. It’s also great to practice with a group of people.  I have found that my Tai Chi students are some of the most kind, compassionate people I’ve ever met.  They have a great sense of humor and are always ready to lend a hand.  We could all benefit from spending more time with people like that.

When we train together with a light heart, mutual respect for one another, focus and humility; it brings out the best in our human nature and the positive energy that surrounds us is palpable.

Please consider joining us, even if you join late!  If we have enough interest in the class, we would like to continue after the introductory course with a regular class that meets each week.

For more information, or to sign up, please contact Renee at Exhale Yoga in Eatonton!

Introduction to Yang Style Tai Chi at Exhale Yoga!

Classes will be held Mondays and Wednesdays beginning of each month 7-8pm

This will be a monthly class, 2 classes a week. $120 per month

Students can join late for a prorated fee.