Pause for Thought

The TTCSGB blog is going to be put on hold for a while, to await further developments in the Society's presence on the internet.

Cultivating Rose and Heather on a Voyage of Discovery

Wol Gilbraith, Chair of our Scottish Regional Committee, reports on an event linking two of the Society’s locations in a very special way:

First let’s tease some sense from the title of this blog entry. Rose and Heather Garden are not twin sisters from Canada, but are features of the landscape at our International Centre at Orangeville, in Ontario. And, as anyone from Tayside will tell you, Dundee, City of Discovery, and its close neighbour Broughty Ferry, are not the same thing – but they are taken together for the purposes of this entry.

The ship RSS Discovery, on display at Discovery Point in Dundee, was central to Captain Scott’s explorations in the regions of the South Pole over a hundred years ago. St Stephens Church Hall in Broughty Ferry was the venue for the exploration of an inner pole, the human spine, one weekend in August 2009.

Although weekly classes have been running in the Dundee area for over five years, it’s taken until now to hold an Intensive class there. And it was worth the wait. Over 70 people turned out on a fine summer’s day. One third were local, one third were from nearby Forfar, and one third were from Perth and elsewhere in the Scottish Region, principally Aberdeen, Linlithgow, and one brave soul from the Glasgow area.

The day started, as many of the best ones do, with eating together, this time a rather expansive pot-luck lunch. Then down to business.

over 70 members of all ages practising together

For many people, this was their first Intensive. Let’s not be deceived by the name; it needn’t be that Intensive, particularly if you’re new to the idea. But, to quote the European Region’s Instructor handbook: “Intensives are classes which last for more than two hours per session. They are intended for students who wish to work harder and develop their form. The purpose is to ‘smooth’ out the set so that students can acquire a solid foundation and increase flexibility and strength, with the emphasis on dan-yus, tor-yus and lots of sets”.

turning and stretching benefits young and old alike

For the longer-standing members, a three-hour class such as this provides a welcome focus to work that bit harder than is possible at a regular weekly class, and quite a bit harder than is normally possible with home practice. The other 70 people in the room give you strength, you see. And for the newer members, attending a first Intensive is a useful introduction to sustained practice, and a helpful stepping stone between a weekly class and a first workshop.

The tea break was most welcome, with a mouth-watering array of cakes to choose from. And in different corners of the room, no fewer than three raffles were running. All were raising funds for the Rose and Heather Garden, and this brings us back to the point.

One of the most enchanting aspects of the International Centre at Orangeville is its surroundings. The gardens and wooded areas are a source of delight to the senses and provide a place for people to rest their eyes and spirits in a beautiful and tranquil setting.

the dormant garden in February....

by May things are starting to get going....

The Scottish Region supported the design and planting of the rose and heather garden at the entrance to the Health Recovery Centre adjacent to the Quiet Cultivation Centre. Selecting appropriate plants which will thrive in the extreme climate there, from heavy winter snowfalls to baking summer heat, has been a challenge. Some advised that no roses or heathers would tolerate the soil and climate, but after a great deal of work preparing the soil and selecting plants, a range of stunning bushes provide blooms and heady perfume for many months of the year.

and in September, still looking glorious.

The maintenance and restocking of these gardens require continuing support from members of the Society in GB. At present this support is provided through donations at classes and events, mainly in Scotland.As anyone who has visited Orangeville will testify, the grounds are a source of joy and serenity at all times of the year, and it is nice to be able to provide an opportunity for people to "stop and smell the roses".

A Workshop 'Down Under'

One of the great things about being a member of the Society is that you can do Tai Chi in so many wonderful parts of the world. Here, Sue Denny, a member from Suffolk, reports on her recent visit to Australia.

As my trip to Australia to visit family was fast approaching, I received an email advising that there was to be an additional two-day workshop taking place on the last weekend of my holiday. Tony Kwong was coming over from Canada to lead us. I could not believe how excited I felt at this news, what an opportunity to learn more from another leading instructor.

I did have a twinge of doubt as to whether I would prefer to spend my last weekend with my family but Tai Chi won out on that score. And I sent off my ‘Rego Form’ securing my place ensuring that I would take advantage of the 20% discount for early booking – I am always one for a discount if available!

The workshop was in Canberra and I traveled from Sydney by coach – a mere 3 hour journey, where I was met by my hosts with whom I was billeted. Such friendly, kind welcoming people with whom I immediately felt comfortable.

A total of 49 people attended the workshop, from Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane, and of course me from the UK. A few of the people I knew from previous workshops in Canberra but it is always a pleasure for me to be able to walk into a group of ‘strangers’, be accepted and feel as if I have known them all my life.

Of course a Tai Chi workshop would not be complete without food and members from Canberra provided us with a magnificent spread for morning and afternoon tea and the catering team came up trumps with a delicious hot lunch on both days. Saturday night was spent socializing over a meal in a local hotel.

Tony’s teaching was amazing and to watch him do a set (with TV cameras present) a real joy. Continuing Instructors in Training were taken to one side at one stage and given practice while the rest of us were able to watch and learn. To see them doing moves with such unity made it all look effortless and brought home to me the importance of keeping the timing and thus helping each other.

A wonderful workshop – but aren’t they all wonderful? I came away feeling relaxed, very open and with a sense of having been amongst my extended family. Thank you guys for all your organization and yes I will be back for more!

Mike Lavocah reports from one of the Society's newer locations:

Less than 18 months after starting our first class in Norwich, the members – on their own initiative! - gave their first public demonstration. The occasion was the Mousehold Fun Day, a fete celebrating Mousehold Heath, a large area of public land on the edge of the city.



The demonstration went off really well - you can see the smiling faces! We were first on, so not that many people saw the demo, but we were still able to chat to the public and give out a few leaflets. The demo came about on the initiative of one of our members, who was also helping to organise the Fun Day. Slowly but surely, we seem to be establishing ourselves well here in Norwich.

A Grand Day Out

It's not all workshops and good food....! The Society has many other activities, one of which is an important way in which we fulfil our aims and objectives - the public demonstrations that local members put on throughout the year. Here, Jos Halls sends us news of a typical such event:

On Sunday 19th July members of the Suffolk Branch were honoured to be invited to open the Town and Bridge Project ‘Healthy Lifestyle Have a Go’ event in Ipswich. This event was held at the newly opened Suffolk University Campus site, by the town’s rejuvenated waterfront. The day started with about 60 members demonstrating a double Tai Chi set outside the beautiful showcase building.

The wind doth blow...........

.......and we shall do Tai Chi!

Due to the less than ideal weather conditions – now let’s face it what would expect in England in the middle of summer? – we were not joined outside by many observers, who instead chose to observe us from the warmth and shelter inside the building (especially as it is fully glass fronted). To explain; despite the sun shining overhead there was a roaring gale, which was accelerated around the gentle curves of the building from the river. So the biggest challenge was keeping one’s balance and feet firmly on the ground! By not being too ambitious with the kicks and working together everyone managed to stay upright, bearing the brunt of the breeze face on as we turned into every single-whip.

Part of the brief from the organisers to the various groups concerned was to encourage visitors to ‘Have a Go’, so throughout the day a relay of instructors and members held interactive sessions at our indoor display stand. We were certainly kept busy all day with many people coming to join in. This was the third of a series of demonstrations held by the branch in recent weeks so we are hopeful that we will stimulate good interest locally - as the branch is running three 6 week taster courses over the summer break in readiness for the autumn term.

Taking part in demonstrations and promoting the Society is another facet of what we do. So we were very pleased to welcome some relatively new members who came out to join in for at least part of the day. Learning the set for the first time around in the relative safety of your local class is one thing, but for a few having only just completed the set for the first time only a few weeks ago meant taking an even ‘bigger step’, so well done. Also thank you to the numerous members who took part in a very enjoyable day.

members demonstrating how the Set can be adapted for sitting

The Branch has been fortunate over the last few years in establishing some good links with other local community groups including the local Borough Council. Such contacts are proving to be invaluable, as it gives us many more opportunities to allow others to experience the health benefits of our Tai Chi. We all had a lot of fun, shared many laughs and went home feeling rejuvenated but somewhat windswept.

Where instructors come from.....

It's been a busy summer so far, lots to catch up on. First off, Edyta and Crispin Barker report on the instructor training workshop they led recently at our Western Region Centre in Newport.

The first Assistants Workshop to be held at the Western Region Centre this year was a great success in more ways than one. It was a truly regional event as far as the organising was concerned. As well as locals, members travelled from Kent, Sussex, and London to help with the organisation and cooking, and others came from as far afield as Ireland and Scotland to take part.

Getting down to work for some of the participants

Discussions around what it means to be an instructor for the Society and the importance of our Aims and Objectives were interspersed with the foundation exercises and practising the set throughout the weekend. The enthusiasm of the 14 participants made up for the small size of the group. Stories about Master Moy and his teachings were mixed in with dan-yus and snakes using the wall bars to allow the group a chance to balance the movement of the spine throughout the exercise. The group had lots of opportunities to study the differences between the Continuing and Beginning form. Talks and discussions about the other Taoist Arts were also included.

And of course, there is always the food - an essential part of any workshop

Our thanks goes to all those who helped to make it such an enjoyable weekend, but particularly to Sandra, Mark and Janice for their commitment in travelling up to help run the event.

The Big Breakfast

Many readers of the weblog will have come to realise that eating is a very important part of what we do in the Society. On 21 June a small team comprising Steve Price, Sam Masters, Graham Oakley, Nick Bustin, Alan Roebuck and Carol Danenbergs set about the task of cooking a hearty “Orangeville Breakfast” for approximately 60 people.

It's all about preparation......

The 'secret' recipe is poured.

The idea for the breakfast originated from a conversation with Sean Dennision during his visit to GB earlier this year. It was during this conversation that Sean discovered that Nick did very little cooking at home, but had helped to prepare breakfast at a recent workshop he had attended in Orangeville. Sean thought it would be an ideal opportunity for Nick, Steve and a few others to learn how to organise and cook a simple meal for a group of people and this is how the idea of the “Orangeville Breakfast” came about.

The cookings underway.....

How do you like your sausages?

Early on the Sunday morning the ovens were turned on and trays of sausages and bacon started to cook. Eggs were beaten either for scrambling or as a key ingredient in “Mr Steve’s Fluffy Pancakes”. After a few hairy moments and Nick discovering the “panic” move, we managed to get food out on to the tables, with folk tucking into a hearty breakfast.

tucking in


a hearty breakfast indeed!

The morning proved to be a great learning experience on how to work together and organise the kitchen. Everyone enjoyed themselves and we managed to raise some additional funds for the National Building Fund which was an added bonus, and 56 people stayed on to participate in an Intensive.

I knew that extra pair of hands would come in useful!

We'll be doing it again, so watch out for the posters.

Sun and Fun at the AGM

Last weekend saw over 200 members gather for an Instructors Workshop and the Society's AGM at our European Centre at Colchester. The weather is traditionally hot and sunny and for our AGM and that held true to form, and the proceedings did get quite warm with that many participants. Luckily the hall is well aired and the new marquee helped by providing additional space to eat and rest, sheltered from the hot sun. Sadly there are no photos of the marquee being put up, but suffice to say that a good many burly (and not-so-burly) volunteers were on hand to start the job Friday night and finish it Saturday morning before the start of the workshop.

Members making use of the new marquee

The workshop was packed but as usual everyone managed to get along very well, and many people commented on the happy, positive and friendly atmosphere during the weekend. Indeed, several participants leaving on Sunday afternoon said that it had been something 'very special'. Certainly it was the best attended AGM for many years, if not ever! Proceedings took a little under two hours, and members kept up a good level of attention listening to the summaries of reports presented, not least of which was the report from the Society's Auditor's on the financial state of the organisation - which is very sound.

Food is always an important part of any workshop...

The National Committee met on Saturday evening to discuss the Society's continuing search for clubhouses, something that was close to Master Moy's heart and consequently forms a focus for much of our fund raising and energy. Having a home of our own is certainly something that is greatly appreciated by all who visit the Centre, or any other of our homes, and this contributes hugely to the success of such events.

...and then there is always lots of hard work and practice!

Back For More.....

Following on from the spectacular Grand Opening of our refurbished regional centre in Newport last year, many of us returned recently to celebrate its first anniversary. An international three day workshop was organised to mark the event, and this was crowned on the Saturday night by a formal Chinese banquet.

Plenty of dan yus - warming up? you bet!

The workshop was led by Frazer Smith from Canada, and two further guests from that branch of the Society, Andrew Hung (a director of the International Society) and Julie Poulin, flew in to take charge in the kitchen. We were also joined by another international director, Carmen Capilla from Spain, who is becoming a familiar visitor to our shores. Other branches represented included Denmark, Italy, Czech Republic, Spain and Costa Rica.

altogether now...Single Whip!

Frazer did a great job leading the 81 participants through 3 days of the workshop. The theme throughout was about working together, helping each other, and relaxing (a theme Frazer continued from his workshop in Ireland the week before). The hard work was interspersed by Frazer with insights into the process of dual cultivation, sharing his experience and knowledge in an encouraging and illuminating fashion. At one point, to illustrate some of the cultural background to what we do, he created a makeshift Taoist shrine using fruit, tables and images from the Centre, which many found fascinating, and around 40 members joined in a chanting session on the last day.

Andrew and Julie working in the kitchen

On the Saturday evening the culmination of many hours, days and weeks of planning was reached when guests and members sat down to a lavish Chinese Banquet. Andrew cooked with great spontaneity that belied the careful planning that went into cooking a nine course banquet for 120 people. Much care had been taken to ensure that everything was presented properly on the night, and the way that people worked together before, during and after the banquet demonstrated how these events can bring us closer together and strengthen the Society. It gave newer (as well as longer-serving) members a chance to see the Society from a wider perspective.

The Lion inspects the guests - yes, they'll do nicely!

The banquet was kicked off in spectacular fashion with a traditional Chinese Lion dance. This colourful and dynamic opening was a lively reminder of how well this started off the original celebrations last year. The Guest of Honour was Councillor Mark Whitcutt, Deputy Mayor of Newport, who gave a speech and stayed until the very end. As well as speeches, several members gave demonstrations of the various arts taught and practiced within the Society, to entertain the diners. A local Harpist was a wonderful addition to the event and showed how something not directly related to the Taoist arts or the TTCS can still be integrated with good effect into the evening. She provided a balance of culture to the evening.

demos - accompanied by Crispin's commentary

Now where's that food?

Despite such a long day of hard work (including all the clearing up) around 40 people were up practising till 1am when Andrew was teaching (and rumour has it some did not see their bed until 3.30am). This was an impressive demonstration of how keen people were to learn, and how hard they were prepared to work to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from an experienced international instructor who trained with Master Moy for many years.

OK, smile and say 'Chi'

Our sincere thanks to Andrew, Julie and Frazer for visiting and helping us with what turned out to be a memorable and hugely enjoyable celebration.

A post card from the Hebrides

Wilma Alexander reports on a trip to support some of our more isolated locations:

Following what is rapidly becoming a tradition in Scotland, a series of three intensives were arranged in early May for the Westernmost parts of the TTCS GB, on Skye and North Uist, and I was lucky enough to be able to travel to lead them. The long weekend started with a breezy but enjoyable ferry trip to Lochmaddy on North Uist in time to enjoy something of the island's natural beauty and islanders' hospitality.

The intensive was preceded by a pot luck supper at the very well-appointed village hall, most welcome for those members who had travelled from Barra to join us for the evening. As well as Jim and myself, three other H&I members had travelled across Scotland from the Inverness area to join us. In all 21 people attended the intensive, three from elsewhere in Highlands & Islands Branch, one from Portmahomack, the other extreme edge of the branch area. It may have been an advantage that the weather was slightly overcast and the event was in the evening - otherwise the view from the hall might have been too distracting!

Foundations in the hall: "I want everyone to leave here taller"!

Several new members were not only attending their first intensive but had not yet completed the set, but they cheerfully joined in as best they could and managed very well. After the break which involved far too much cake, we looked at how the foundation exercises work into the set, especially in wave hands. After a final set we drew the raffle which raised a very healthy sum.

Cake in the Break!

The following morning we woke to find deer grazing peacefully right outside our window, we had an early start for the ferry back to Skye (and delicious breakfast on board!). That afternoon even more members from across the Region joined us for a pot-luck lunch in Portree. Twenty eight people attended an afternoon intensive. It was great to see that members from four of the five Scottish branches were able to attend, and it made for a nice mix to share experiences during lunch and the tea break.

The review class in Portree has two members who have significant health problems which means they usually work seated, and it was especially pleasing to have another, more experienced member who usually works seated travel to join us for the weekend. Although they all had different health conditions, it was very companionable to have three seated people within the set and they all enjoyed working together. And of course the rest of us got a good lesson in how hard people can work when they are directly aware of the health benefits, it spurred us all on to work harder.

On Sunday over 30 people attended a morning intensive in Broadford, including many additional members from the other end of H&I branch, as the intensive was followed by a branch committee meeting. Again a raffle was generously supported by all and indeed all three events raised that it extra for Society development projects by having well-supported raffles of all sorts of generously donated goodies.

Brush Knees at Broadford

The opportunity to travel to such "far-flung" parts of the Society is a great privilege and brings home very strongly a feeling for how we are united by these wonderful arts. It's always a pleasure to meet and talk to new people and again be impressed by the way in which the health benefits of practising these arts can have such profound effects.

These intensives followed on from the previous weekend's International Anniversary event in Newport, at the Western Region Centre, an international event on a much larger scale which included a spectacular and lavish Anniversary Banquet. But the spirit, and the hospitality encompassing people helping each other and sharing food prepared with care, are the same throughout the Society. In the hall, talking to people over cake or doing the dan yus, it was clear that the windswept island of North Uist and the damp warmth of South Wales have much in common.

Cause for Celebration

We do like our anniversaries and celebrations in the Society - any excuse for a get together, some tai chi, some good food, good company etc.

Last Saturday was a good example. The South East Essex branch celebrated 20 years since the first class in that area, and an all-day event was organised at the Hullbridge Community Centre. Throughout the day, local members were joined by those from further afield (including Suffolk, Cambridge, and South Wales!). An East Anglia Regional Committee meeting was an interesting start, and things got into full swing with an intensive, most ably run by Edyta Barker, and attended by 143 members. By all accounts it was a bit cosy in the hall with that number!

Later, long-time member Crispin Barker, who is a qualified Physiotherapist, gave a fascinating and informative talk on Tai Chi and the body, with much humour, and using some novel visual aids (one involved attaching polo mints to a large inflatable ball - don't ask! something to do with receptors and effectors!!). Over 150 members listened with rapt attention as Crispin took us on an exploration through the wonders of the body on a microscopic scale.

Following that around 100 members stayed on to share a meal together and listen to some of the founding members of the branch reminisce about some of the trials and tribulations of those early days. Nowadays the branch has grown to over 430 members with over 30 classes throughout the region. The day finished with 40 members practicing some Taoist chanting, a fittingly serene end to a well-organised and enjoyable day.

Spain comes to Perth

Over 200 members gathered in Perth at the weekend for a workshop in the spring sunshine. The event was aimed at instructors and seniors and focused on the benefits of Tai Chi for older people, especially the use of the foundation exercises as a means of improving and maintaining our health.

The workshop was hosted by the Strathtay branch, who did a marvellous job of looking after the many visitors who flooded into the city from all over the country for the two day event held at the Bells Sports Centre, with many members offering their spare beds and floors to accommodate the participants. Other members prepared refreshments, including a fine selection of home-made cakes and biscuits that all helped to keep everyone going, as they worked hard into Saturday evening and through to the end late on Sunday afternoon.

The workshop was led by Carmen Capilla, who flew in from Spain especially. Carmen is a Director of the international society with over 20 years experience teaching, many of them spent studying under Master Moy. Carmen proved to be an inspirational leader, helping the participants to understand and experience the deeper workings of the exercises and moves of the set, as well as providing many insights into the unique form of training that Master Moy developed, and the role of the Society in safeguarding his legacy for future generations.

It was a fantastic opportunity for the participants, both old and young, to learn from such an experienced instructor, and they worked long and hard, supported by their enthusiasm and Carmen's clear teaching and infectious sense of humour. We even managed to get outside on Sunday afternoon to enjoy some sun and take a few pictures.



Carmen reminded the participants (around half of whom were instructors) that Master Moy was especially keen to help seniors, and that they need to work hard in order to preserve their health. So often in the modern world, older people are told to 'take it easy' and not do so much, whilst Master Moy was busy telling them to do more and work harder - use it or lose it! His form of taijiquan was specifically developed to improve health, and is particularly suitable for older people. Focusing on the foundation exercises helps seniors to maximise the benefit without the worry of remembering long sequences of moves, or losing their balance.

Many people were surprised that such deceptively simple-looking exercises could be so powerful and penetrating - which explained why they are not taught straight away in beginner classes, but left to more experienced instructors to work with students once they have learnt the basic moves of the set.


Members went home tired but happy, and around 30 people who were not rushing home on Sunday night took time to enjoy a lovely meal together in a Chinese restaurant in the city. All-in-all, a very successful and enjoyable, and above all, memorable, weekend.

Escape to the Sun

A group of 20 GB members joined around 130 others from all over Europe (and North America) at the International Instructor Workshop in Malaga last week. Two such workshops are held each year in Europe, in spring (usually Spain) and autumn (usually the Netherlands). This year saw representatives from (in addition to Spain and GB), Ireland, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Italy, Norway, France, Belgium, Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Canada, and the USA.

The venue was, as in previous years, a lovely old seminary on a hill above the city, with beautiful terraced gardens full of flowering plants and shrubs. The accommodation is in small, plain, but comfortable bedrooms (as befits a building usually used for training priests), and the practice hall was cool and airy - though with the numbers involved it did get rather cosy at times. With it being even more crowded at the weekend, we simply moved outside to take advantage of the lovely warm spring sunshine, and practised in the shade under the trees.

The workshop was led by Karen Laughlin and Sean Dennison from the TTCSUSA - Karen being the President of the International Society. Karen and Sean both started training with Master Moy in 1976, and together were able to call on an amazing 66 years of training and experience of the Taoist arts to help the participants, who worked hard and long through the five days of the event, usually continuing after dinner until 10pm.

The Spanish branch of the ITTCS did a magnificent job of organisation, including over 80 people being picked up from the airport throughout the day before the workshop started, and everyone felt well looked after, like staying with family - which of course is what we were doing! The friendly and positive atmosphere never faltered, and the hard work was punctuated with informative and humorous stories, with Karen and Sean offering many insights into how Master Moy trained instructors, not just to teach the tai chi, but also to run the organisation which was his life's work, and how the Taoist virtues that Master Moy lived by are part of the culture and traditions of the Society.















On the Friday afternoon, the participants took time out to go into town and perform a mass demonstration of Taoist Tai Chi* internal art of taijiquan, in the square outside the Corte Ingles, a large department store. With everyone wearing the black Spanish Year of the Ox t-shirt, it was an impressive sight.

All-in-all, the warmth and friendship experienced by everyone contributed to another memorable event which we will be able to look back on and tell many stories about. The setting was lovely, and conducive to hard practice, and the quality of instruction was hugely impressive, leaving the participants to wend their way home with much to digest, reflect on and practise over the coming months - and plan their next workshop!

Saying Hello to the Ox - Part 2

A celebratory dinner was also held at our Western Region Centre, in Newport. The day began with a trip to the butchers to pick up 7kg of chicken breasts, the vegetables having been bought the day before. In the morning the meat and veg was prepared and some Year of the Ox table decorations were laminated. A couple of members had already set the tables up the night before so the main hall was all ready to go.

After a bit of last minute decision making the final menu was, Lemon Chicken, two Mixed Vegetable dishes, Deep Fried Tofu with seasame oil and chilli flakes with satay sauce.

The inclement weather kept some away, but 65 people attended, coming from Caerphilly, Bridgend, Cardiff, Salisbury, Newport and Bristol. Demonstrations of Tai Chi, Lok Hup, Sword and Sabre preceded the meal and were enthusiastically appreciated by those attending. A raffle was held and raised £70 towards the building fund and the meal itself broke even with £90 to spare. Many stayed after the meal to help clear up and to bring to an end a very satisfying day.