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everydaytaichi lucy's students begin their tai chi journey learning how to use their whole body1/29/2016  Tai chi regulars: Martha, Stephen, Lillian, Dana, Amy June, Ruth, Calvin welcome Dean from California to practice together. Lucy is so very proud of her tai chi students who on their own went to Aina Koa park to practice their tai chi without their instructors. Thanks to Jean for these nice photos that describe it all: quiet and motivated students who definitely care about their health and well being. Here you can see that they keep to their standards of good form. Congratulations to ALL who made this successful first time event. We hope to see this continue and grow as an integral part of your tai chi journey. Special mahalo to Richard for spear heading this non instructional session by diligently providing the MP3 player for music and for keeping the pavilion clean by sweeping the floors. Richard has a great sense of community even at 80+ years old. Hats off to Richard!  Richard in pink, has no trouble taking charge. We now see Betty parting the horse's mane in this photo. everydaytaichi lucy's fun filled weekend to celebrate her 70th, Mia's 7th...a family reunion1/19/2016  Les, Annie, Caroline, and Stu, ken and lucy's 4 children surrounding their maternal grandmother, Alice Lau Lo. Lucy and Ken's family all gathered in Honolulu for a belated 70th birthday celebration for lucy and granddaughter, Mia's 7th birthday. Our photos and videos show what an amazing weekend we had, the first time when everybody could be here together. Our family spans 4 generations which include our 4 children pictured above. Each has 2 children, total of 8 grandchildren: 4 boys, 4 girls. They range in ages from 3 - 99 years old.  Here we ALL are, 19 member strong...from 3-99 years young!  Our 4 generations of women in our family, minus Sophia Lucille Chun, who was having too much fun with her cousins, running around!  Together, Mia and Popo, make a wish and blow out the candle!  Cousins Sophia and Ami are 3 and 4 years old, both December babies. Here they enjoy the many options on their mom's iPhone.  Stats about our 8 grandchildren: JJ talented, sweet leader of the pack. BB: creative, almost 6 footer sz 13 shoe like Unc Stu. AA: gifted diplomat ET: Popo's birthday twin. Mia: Dance Queen USA. Ami: quiet, sweet, knows what she wants. Andrew: age 5 but thinks like 10 year old. Sophia: silly and determined, year of dragon babe  At Sunday brunch, Lucy received a birthday card that she will treasure for many years to come. Her 4 children presented her with a list of the many things they feel is special about her. This list is as long as her she is old.  70 Things We Love About Mom
10 Essentials of Tai Chi Chuan
Orally transmitted by Yang Chengfu, recorded by Chen Weiming, translated by Jerry Karin 1. Empty, lively, pushing up and energetic 'Pushing up and energetic' means the posture of the head is upright and straight and the spirit is infused into its apex. You may not use strength. To do so makes the back of the neck stiff, whereupon the chi and blood cannot circulate freely. You must have an intention which is empty, lively (or free) and natural. Without an intention which is empty, lively, pushing up and energetic, you won't be able to raise your spirit. This four-character phrase is probably the most difficult one in all of taiji literature to translate. I have chosen to regard each of the four words as filling the function of a predicate or verb-phrase. Another fairly obvious approach would be to take the first two as adverbial and the last two as subject-predicate: "Empty and lively, the apex is energetic. Many other interpretations are possible. 2. Hold in the chest and pull up the back The phrase 'hold in the chest' means the chest is slightly reserved inward, which causes the qi to sink to the cinnabar field (dan1 tian2). The chest must not be puffed out. If you do so then the qi is blocked in the chest region, the upper body becomes heavy and lower body light, and it will become easy for the heels to float upward. 'Pulling up the back' makes the qi stick to the back. If you are able to hold in the chest then you will naturally be able to pull up the back. If you can pull up the back, then you will be able to emit a strength from the spine which others cannot oppose. 3. Relax the waist The waist is the commander of the whole body. Only after you are able to relax the waist will the two legs have strength and the lower body be stable. The alternation of empty and full all derive from the turning of the waist. Hence the saying: 'The wellspring of destiny lies in the tiny interstice of the waist.' Whenever there is a lack of strength in your form, you must look for it in in the waist and legs. In Chinese thought the waist tends to be regarded as the space between two vertebrae, rather than a circle girdling the middle of the body. 4. Separate empty and full In the art of Taijiquan, separating full and empty is the number one rule. If the whole body sits on the right leg, then the right leg is deemed 'full' and the left leg 'empty'. If the whole body sits on the left leg, then the left leg is deemed 'full' and the right leg 'empty'. Only after you are able to distinguish full and empty will turning movements be light, nimble and almost without effort; if you can't distinguish them then your steps will be heavy and sluggish, you won't be able to stand stably, and it will be easy for an opponent to control you. 5. Sink the shoulders and droop the elbows Sinking the shoulders means the shoulders relax open and hang downward. If you can't relax them downward, the shoulders pop up and then the chi follows and goes upward, causing the whole body to lack strength. Drooping the elbows means the elbows are relaxed downward. If the elbows are elevated then the shoulders are unable to sink. When you use this to push someone they won't go far. It's like the'cut off' energy of external martial arts. External martial arts such as Shaolin are thought to use energy from parts or sections of the body, as opposed to the 'whole-body' energy of taiji. 6. Use Intent Rather than Force The taiji classics say, "this is completely a matter of using intent rather than force". When you practice taijiquan, let the entire body relax and extend. Don't employ even the tiniest amount of coarse strength which would cause musculo-skeletal or circulatory blockage with the result that you restrain or inhibit yourself. Only then will you be able to lightly and nimbly change and transform, circling naturally. Some wonder: if I don't use force, how can I generate force? The net of acupuncture meridians and channels throughout the body are like the waterways on top of the earth. If the waterways are not blocked, the water circulates; if the meridians are not impeded the qi circulates. If you move the body about with stiff force, you swamp the meridians, qi and blood are impeded, movements are not nimble; all someone has to do is begin to guide you and your whole body is moved. If you use intent rather than force, wherever the intent goes, so goes the qi. In this way, because the qi and blood are flowing, circulating every day throughout the entire body, never stagnating - after a lot of practice, you will get true internal strength. That's what the taiji classics mean by "Only by being extremely soft are you able to achieve extreme hardness." Somebody who is really adept at taiji has arms which seem like silk wrapped around iron, immensely heavy. Someone who practices external martial arts, when he is using his force, seems very strong. But when not using force, he is very light and floating. By this we can see that his force is actually external, or superficial strength. The force used by external martial artists is especially easy to lead or deflect. 7. Synchronize Upper and Lower Body In the taiji classics 'Synchronize Upper and Lower Body is expressed as: "With its root in the foot, emitting from the leg, governed by the waist, manifesting in the hands and fingers - from feet to legs to waist - complete everything in one impulse". When hands move, the waist moves and legs move, and the gaze moves along with them. Only then can we say upper and lower body are synchronized. If one part doesn't move then it is not coordinated with the rest. Literally "one qi". This could also be rendered as "one breath" 8. Match Up Inner and Outer What we are practicing in taiji depends on the spirit, hence the saying: "The spirit is the general, the body his troops". If you can raise your spirit, your movements will naturally be light and nimble, the form nothing more than empty and full, open and closed. When we say 'open', we don't just mean open the arms or legs; the mental intent must open along with the limbs. When we say 'close', we don't just mean close the arms or legs; the mental intent must close along with the limbs. If you can combine inner and outer into a single impulse, then they become a seamless whole. Literally "one chi". This could also be rendered as "one breath" 9. (Practice) Continuously and Without Interruption Strength in external martial arts is a kind of aquired, brute force, so it has a beginning and an end, times when it continues and times when it is cut off, such that when the old force is used up and new force hasn't yet arisen, there is a moment when it is extremely easy for the person to be constrained by an opponent. In taiji, we use intent rather than force, and from beginning to end, smoothly and ceaselessly, complete a cycle and return to the beginning, circulating endlessly. That is what the taiji classics mean by "Like the Yangtse or Yellow River, endlessly flowing." And again: "Moving strength is like unreeling silk threads". These both refer to unifying into a single impulse. Literally "one qi". This could also be rendered as "one breath" 10. Seek Quiescence within Movement External martial artists prize leaping and stopping as skill, and they do this till breath (qi) and strength are exhausted, so that after practicing they are all out of breath. In taiji we use quiescence to overcome movement, and even in movement, still have quiescence. So when you practice the form, the slower the better! When you do it slowly your breath becomes deep and long, the chi sinks to the cinnabar field (danqtian) and naturally there is no deleterious constriction or enlargement of the blood vessels. If the student tries carefully he may be able to comprehend the meaning behind these words. Believe it or Not? Tai Chi can be done any place, any time...always very peaceful and enjoyable!1/10/2016 The Top 10 Health Benefits of Tai Chi
By Health Fitness Revolution - March 25, 2015 Originally developed for self-defense, tai chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that has evolved into a graceful form of exercise that today is known for stress reduction and aiding with a variety of other health conditions. It is a noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching. Each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion. Often referred to as meditation in motion, tai chi involves a series of moves performed in a slow, focused manner accompanied by deep breathing- by doing so, it promotes serenity through gentle, flowing movements. Here are Health Fitness Revolution‘s Top 10 Health Benefits of Tai Chi:
World Champion Martial Artist, owner of the Edgewater Kung Fu Academy and Certified Professional Coach
3 Ways Tai Chi Trains the Brain Your brain on meditation: calm, clear and confident. Your brain on Tai Chi: calm, clear, and confident. As a practitioner of both meditation and Tai Chi, I can attest to the shared outcomes of each practice. But, I've seen students wrestle with the challenge of finding time to do both. While it's optimal to sit in meditation, it's often not necessary -- especially if you practice Tai Chi. The common denominator may be that both Tai Chi and mindfulness meditation focus your attention on the breath. That single focus may help your brain make lasting changes that impact the way you see (and cope) with things. Research has found that both Tai Chi and meditation have a powerful effect on the mind, cultivating a stillness that serves to increase focus, reduce stress, and boost cognitive skills. What I've found (in myself, and in my students): Tai Chi makes your brain bigger, literally. Researchers at the University of South Florida and Fudan University in China found Tai Chi increases brain volume in seniors who practiced Tai Chi three times a week for 40 weeks. The study's results are pretty impressive, since gray matter usually shrinks with age. A study at the University of Massachusetts Center for Mindfulness found similar results in even less time. Their researchers saw increases in gray matter in the hippocampus (the brain region associated with learning and memory) after an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program. Tai chi keeps you on your toes, figuratively. Just as physical exercise keeps a body fit, the mental concentration required for Tai Chi exercises the brain. The martial art form trains your brain to help you retain more information, stay focused on the task at hand, and make quicker decisions (not snap decisions). A small study from Massachusetts General Hospital found people who meditated 40 minutes a day had thicker cortical walls compared to people who didn't meditate. Thickness of cortical walls is linked with slower rate of cognitive decline, and conversely, quicker decision-making, sharper focus and improved memory. Research has also shown that meditation, motor learning, and single-focused attention have all been associated with changes in the cortical regions of the brain. Tai Chi's dynamic approach draws from all those skills. Tai Chi helps you shake off stress, effortlessly. Cool as a cucumber? Another awesome benefit of the moving mediation, Tai Chi. A regular meditation practice, as well as learning anything new, improves neuroplasticity, which is the process by which our experiences help reorganize neural pathways in the brain. In simpler terms, the brain is rewiring itself in response to your experiences. These connections help shore up emotional stability so you can cope with stressors in a more controlled fashion. What's more, research from the University of Wisconsin has shown that people who meditate have high levels of gamma wave activity and are able to avoid getting stuck in ruminating thought patterns. So instead of saying, I would've, could've, or should've, you'll shake it off and redirect your focus to keep moving forward. Another great benefit of Tai Chi is that it's accessible to people of all ages and fitness abilities. It's the focus on the subtle movements that exercise the brain and boost cognitive abilities. First, it's learning the precise movements of the ancient martial art form that will give your brain a boost. Then, it's the continued focus linking the breath and the movements. Try it for yourself. Whether it's a physical limitation, or a wandering mind, don't get stuck on perfectionism. Just get started. I tell my students all the time: Don't let what you can't do effect what you will do. In the beginning, strive for consistency and habit, practicing at the same time each day or committing to a weekly or bi-weekly class. You'll feel better -- more focused, less stressed -- almost immediately, and the effects will only continue with a consistent practice. everydaytaichi lucy's NEW 2016 Spring Tai Chi Classes at Kilauea District Park, Honolulu, Hawaii1/8/2016  everdaytaichi classes at Kilauea Park
everydaytaichi by lucy&ken chun SPRING 2016 Classes: January 25-March 3 Level 1 Monday 5:30PM Level 2 Tuesday 9AM Level 1 Thursday 9AM Level 3 Thursday 10AM Registration for Spring Session at Kilauea Park is in January, see below. Spring classes begin the week of January 25 All Classes will be held for a 10 week session. All holidays and vacation dates will be made up. If you would like to join us at any time, email me at: everydaytaichi@gmail.com For those of you who would like to practice tai chi throughout the year please learn how this is possible, by clicking here. Registration for Spring 2016 program: Monday Jan. 11 at 6-8 pm Tuesday & Wednesday Jan. 12 & 13 at 2-5pm Level 1 (Yang 10 form) Monday 5:30 PM Class, Jan.25-April 11 Level 2 (Yang 24 form) Tuesday 9AM Class Jan. 26-March 2 Level 1 ( Yang 10 form) Thursday 9AM Class Jan. 28-March 3 Level 3 ( Yang 16 form) Thursday 10AM Class Jan. 28-March 3 Beginning Jan. 26 Tuesday, there will no longer be any Tuesday NON-Instructional Instead, Mondays 9AM there will be a student led non-instructional session at Aina Koa Park. Click here for map to locate the parks we do tai chi. We will use this time slot for Level 2: Yang 24 form in the smaller room. Friday 9:15-10AM Non-Instructional session is ongoing throughout the year, ALL can participate. There are no fees. Classes held at Kilauea Park from 9-10AM. For those who would like to learn Yang 24 you may continue in your current class whether it be Yang 10 or Yang 16 and register for more than 1 class. Registration for Summer Program 2016: Saturday, April 23, 9-12 noon Monday & Tuesday, April 25 & 26, 2-5pm Summer session in June, tba Save the date: Apeil 30, 2016, the last Saturday in April everydaytaichi lucy's students will celebrate Kahala Mall's 3rd Annual World Tai Chi Day at center stage from 9:30-10:30 AM. NEW Travel Dates for 2016 Japan Alps Trip May 16-24. We will be able to register before we leave for Japan and we will be back in time for our summer session.  Happy New Year to you all! We hope 2016 will be filled with good health and well being as we continue on our tai chi journey.
This evening we are fortunate to have 3 programs which will be broadcasted on Olelo 54. They will be aired during prime time starting at 6pm-9:30pm. 1. everydaytaichi lucy from 6-7pm (replays Tues, Jan 5 8AM) 2. tai chi aloha from 7:30-8:30pm (replays on Sundays: Jan 3, 1-10 10AM) 3. play tai chi from 8:30-9:30 ( replays: Sundays Jan. 3, 10, 17, 24 9AM) This year we have been awarded 3 one hour weekly programs on OLELO 54. We are better able to fulfill our mission to reach out to as many people from all walks of life who are interested in bettering their health both in mind and body. Also, Kilauea Park spring session registration is coming soon. Click here for details. New classes begin the week of January 25, Monday. Our new format of 3 different levels will be offered. Also, beginning Jan. 26, Tuesday, we will no longer have non-instructional sessions. Fridays will be our only practice at 9:15 AM. There is some talk about a practice session on Mondays at Aina Koa park which will be student led. Anyone who wants to take the initiative and look into availability please let me know and I will help you to get the info out. We have very few students who are gung ho and look into things to help promote tai chi, but we have a greater number who join us when the initial leg work is done! There is something to be said about being pro-active.  Tai Tai says it all!! |
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