LotusLeaf Tai Chi

….and since this is being written so late after the calendar New Year I shall say Gung Hai Fat Choi too, for 23rd.  It’s the year of the water Dragon this coming year.

As has become tradition, we are holding our annual get together and despite a bit of a mess it has now been booked.  We are going to The Lotus Restaurant in Cinderford and it bodes to be a great evening.

There are many things planned for this coming year. We hope to hold more workshops on the Sword and Fan forms, maybe branching into the longer, faster Kung Fu Tai Chi Fan Form.

Katie is running the Forest of Dean Half Marathon on 1st April in aid of The Marine Conservation Society and Surfers Against Sewage.  She has a Just Giving page and would greatly appreciate any donations anyone would care to give.

Classes continue as always with normal session now until Easter.

There is nothing better than practicing Tai Chi outside, whether it be in your back garden or in a local park.

Why not try and get a few friends together and go practice outside of class!

There will not be a session for Joys Green and Ross clubs on Easter Monday, but Woolaston will carry on as normal (although there is no session this week 19th April due to being the third in the month).

I hope everyone has a lovely Easter – hasn’t been a gorgeous spring!

Happy Training.

We had another great evening out at The Dragon’s Den in Monmouth for Chinese New Year.  There were students from both Woolaston and Ross clubs which is always great and everyone seemed to have a good time.

I have been asked to organise a few workshops for the Fan and Sword forms.  I will update when these are arranged.

Shangri La restaurant in Chepstow is holding their annual Lion Dance in St Marys Street on 13th February at 4pm as a late celebration of the New year and the start of the year of the rabbit.

Well worth a look if you are in the area as it is such a fantastic thing to have on your doorstep

Happy New Year to everyone, I hope that 2011 turns out to be a good year where hopes and dreams will come to fruition.

As it has become a tradition with LotusLeaf, there will be a meeting off all clubs at the Dragon’s Den, Monmouth on Friday 4th February to celebrate Chinese New Year and the beginning of the year of the Rabbit.  According to the Financial Post’s website (a Canadian newspaper) the year of the Rabbit will be good for Stocks.  However I mis read the headline and, with my slight obsession, read is as

The year of the Rabbit good for socks

Well certainly I am very impressed with the variety and colour that has been slowly seeping into my classes.  One students said to me “One thing about Tai Chi, it has made me think about my socks!”

I hope everyone had a great day and enjoys the festive period!

Don’t forget, if you get any tense moments just try breathing deeply for a couple of breaths, or even have a go at any of the Qigong you can remember – works a treat!!

Thanks to everyone who has been braving it out in this bitter weather recently and a big sorry to those classes I have had to cancel.

A final check on when classes finish and start again:

Joys Green, breaks up next week (13th) and we will not start again until 10th January

Ross on Wye breaks up on 20th December and starts again on 3rd January

Woolaston – Our last session is THURSDAY 16th December (not one of Tuesday 14th) and we will start again on 4th January

These dates obviously are weather and students allowing.

Incase I do not see before have a very Happy Christmas and a merry New Year! Here’s to a great 2011.

It’s so sad to have students leave after they’ve been with me for such a length of time.  Sean and Vivi are no exception.  They started Tai Chi with me when I taught in Chepstow at Equilibrium Holistic Centre and then came with me to Woolaston.  They have been fab students, enthusiastic with a wicked sense of humor.  I know that Woolaston class will miss you guys and so will I.

Good luck with your new life in Mexico at your Ranch and all the teaching, writing, learning and most of all parenting.  Keep in touch and keep practicing hard.  Maybe see you out there one of these days.

Check out their website  about their place Rancho San Pedro and all their exploits and, if you can, join them for one of their bound to be great workshop/holidays.

Just a quick Thank you to ray for cheering us up with that shirt on an otherwise sad occasion!

Gung Hei Fat Choi or Happy New Year!  It’s now the Year of the Tiger until February 2nd 2011.

We had a wonderful meal at The Dragon’s Den in Monmouth with 12 people coming.  The restaurant if full of lovely carved objects and even the chairs and tables were carved with Dragons and other such creatures.  The food was so well presented it was almost too good to eat (almost, but we all managed to ruin the look!) Thank you to The Dragon’s Den for such a beautiful and tasty time.

Then on 21st February in Saint Mary Street, Chepstow, outside of another lovely Restaurant -The Shangri-La- Yi Quin Martial Arts and Lion Dance group performed a mesmerizing dance down the street.  Ocean and I got great views, on particular close look when the silver lion came and ‘nuzzled’ Ocean in the middle of the dance!  I have never seen his eyes so wide!

It is a great privilege to have such cultural things in the local area.  I can not advise strongly enough to take advantage of these events and go see them.

Talking of Lion Dances, as I have mentioned to most of my students, I found this amazing video of a Malaysian Lion Dance which is well worth looking at.