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.