For my long-term Scottish students

Future plans for T'ai Chi in Aberdeenshire

I want to say again how glad I am that students could continue the classes in Aberdeenshire now that I am based elsewhere. For now, my priority is that all those students who studied with me and wish to continue can do so. Thursday class will always be able to continue as a study group with me teaching once a month even if the numbers drop. If need be we will rearrange it so that there is no 'tutor fee' and get a different deal with the Garioch centre. Do not worry, as long as students want to study, I will teach and help arrange a space. For now, I expect nothing to change before the long Summer break.

The Wednesday class seems to be doing fine. New and existing students continue to come regularly. Monday at Turriff is a bit more sparse. This rural area was much more affected by the snow and some students did not return after the break in session. We will still be offering this class after the Easter break, and if sufficient people sign up, it will run. Otherwise we will reappraise the class, and see whether Mondays would be better offered at Alford after the Summer break.

Mark and I were recently discussing all the many reasons people don't continue with their T'ai Chi, or in many cases, pay for a course and never come to a single class. (This happens especially in the New Year - I expect resolutions are behind it...) It is really important to get feedback, and to constantly be improving and learning as a teacher. However, our T'ai Chi is not to all people's taste, as it is not a drop-in activity and requires regular attendance, for a start. Also, we deepen our practice month by month and people feel this affect their day to day lives, some people would rather not allow these changes. Other people get a little bit of Form, or the warm up set, find it relaxes them and then take that away to be getting along with on their own, and that's just fine. There are, of course, 101 genuine reasons from day to day busy life why someone cannot get to class. However there are lots of you who find this T'ai Chi beneficial, interesting and worthwhile. In my experience, someone who is trying to find a reason not to practise will find it, it could be anything. I have also found that if you really want to do T'ai Chi you will do it, even if it means starting up your own group and travelling 1200 miles to get tuition.

So, in a nutshell, here are my plans, such as they are. I hope this will ease the worry amongst some of you that I have sensed. I will continue to teach anyone who wants to do T'ai Chi with me in Scotland, as long as I can cover my train fare! Adult Ed and other classes may change, cease, start up elsewhere in the area (Huntly, Aberdeen, Alford), whatever serves the community. Even if no 'official' classes are running, those who want to do T'ai Chi can work for free at various folk's houses on Sundays and Thursdays, say. Mark will always be able to come and teach, at his usual times in the year as long as enough people are signed up each time. As long as you can arrange to meet up at least once a week, there is no reason why a group cannot continue.

Mark will also be doing monthly-ish Saturday intensives here in London from the Spring onwards, to which all my students are invited. Coupled with coming along to Mark's Sunday drop-in class from 3-6pm (3-7.30pm for Long Form students) this makes for a very good T'ai Chi weekend away and will not be expensive. Soon I hope to have the flat I am trying to buy, so people will be very welcome to stay with me. As soon as I have dates from Mark I will post them here. Steven Moore (www.taichiheartwork.com) also does weekends of T'ai Chi Heartwork in Cork and will resume London intensives soon. As long as they do not clash with Mark's dates I plan to go along as often as I can, and he has told me that you are all welcome too.

Things change, and 'Great River T'ai Chi' as it stands is not something I am attached to. The size, fame or importance of the school is of no consequence. If myself and a few good students are working on this stuff sincerely, and it benefits our lives and those around us then that is a wonderful thing. Right now about 60 are enrolled, when I started, it was only 20. However the number of people regularly really doing their T'ai Chi has actually been quite constant and growing slowly... you know who you are! Some important things in a school are the quality of the T'ai Chi, the fellowship of the students and the work done by the students themselves. There is a wonderful letter from Dr Chi about the qualities needed in a T'ai chi school, which I have on disc somewhere, and I will type it here for you when I find it later.

Here's a paragraph from the excellent US Zen teacher Charlotte Joko Beck's book 'Nothing Special', (which I highly recommend, by the way.) She is the founder of the Zen Centre of San Diego and by all accounts, a remarkable woman.

"...That's why I am uneasy with the growth of the Zen Centre of San Diego.... I prefer a smaller centre, limited to those who are willing to do the work. Of course, I don't expect from beginners the same thing I expect from experienced students. We all learn as we go. Still, the bigger the center, the more difficult it is to keep the teaching clean and rigorous. It's not important how many students we attract to the center; what is important is maintaining strong practice."

Strong practice is not something our teacher can do for us, and we don't need them there to do it. I look forward so much to seeing all of you, and I wish you all good luck in your T'ai Chi.

Saturday 3rd March

Ev had a good idea for an extra lesson open to all Thursday students on Saturday evening, 8-10 pm, so that it does not clash with Neil's Shiatsu taster day. This will go now ahead.

Also, the lessons will be in my now empty living room, with the carpet floor, rather than the old wooden floored room as Jim needed to store his boxes there. Cotton soled or plastic soled shoes will move better than rubber ones in there, but the height and space are the same.

At this rate, we may even have the Spring workshop at my place instead of Kemnay. We'll see.

I will be at Wednesday class the day after tomorrow, all Thursday students are also welcome for a bit of Short Form Revision.

Mark will catch up with everybody's 121s at the Spring week workshop in April. We were thinking of making the workshop just 5 days, as many folks can only do the Friday evening TaLu then the weekend anyway. Provisionally the idea is to have a series of 121s with whoever wants them on Thursday 19th, Friday 20th and possibly Saturday 21st April. I will ask about this with you all this week and get sign up sheets as I know it is harder to get 121s with Mark now that he teaches Mondays in London and has to go back on Mondays from Aberdeenshire.

Bokkens

I have just been ordering bokkens for a couple of Mark's and my students from Icon Martial Arts: 02392 588496. You can have a look at their range of bokkens at http://www.iconmartialarts.com/html/body_bokken_.html
When my trade account with them gets set up in a week or two, I will be able to get further discounts from their stated web price on anything on their site, (which includes the cheapest price for those good quality rubber soled kung fu shoes that we wear on the slippery Thursday night class floor in London...), so do get in touch if you are thinking of getting anything. I still recommend www.bokkenshop.com in Japan for top quality woods and finish, but if you are just starting out, this may be a little extravagant. I have been trying to find a good reliable supplier of bokkens in London itself, so I can just go and get them when folks need them, but it is patchy. Shaolin Way in Chinatown stock good lightweight cheapish £10 bokkens and £20 heavier white oak ones, but they are often out of stock, so check before you go there; 020 7734 6391.

121s in Scotland

I have slots for 121s available as listed below, please get in contact if you would like one. Also, all are welcome to Sunday class at mine on 4th, 2-6pm, (bokkens 5-6pm.)
Slots: Thursday 1st March 1-3pm (or 12-2pm)
Saturday 3rd: 1-3pm, 4-6pm, 7-9pm, or thereabouts.
If you really can't fit in any of those times and want a session I am willing to do Thurs, Fri, Sat or Sunday from 10 or 11am, as I know I haven't been around for over two months...

February 121s and classes

This morning the buyer of our Aberdeenshire house pulled out after stringing us along for over 3 months insisting that our house remain off the market all that time as he was 'so keen'. His lack of communication and obfuscation have made me even more sure that much suffering, in so many spheres of life and on so many levels, is caused not by outright hostility, but by a lack of honest connection and a failure to feel the effects our action (or inaction) have on others - in other words - no compassion.

Ah well, the good side side is that I don't have to rush around packing when I am up next week so my plans are now more flexible. I will probably change my ticket now so that I fly up on Wednesday morning, not interfering with the Tuesday London class. I will be happy to do 121s with anyone who can make it to my house, just call to arrange, first come first served! I will come and teach at Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday classes, and Sunday will be at my home again, which will be nice. My next visit will take in a Monday class too, I hope. I would like to do an hour of sabre form with any interested folks from 5-6pm at the end of the Sunday class. Bring bokkens.

It was a great pleasure to take the Hackney class tonight, 9 students are enrolled so far; it was the start of the new term and we were revising up to crossing hands. There may be more returners next week and I think we will take on new beginners after Easter. I am in regular contact with Steven in Israel and he sounds very happy.

I send much love to all the students up North, which is appropriate as I am up very late, so it's already Valentine's day... Enjoy your chocolates.

Blossom in Balham yesterday

Competition

Inside the Great Mystery that is we don't really own anything. What is this competition we feel then, before we go, one at a time, through the same gate.

The human shape is a ghost made of distraction and pain, sometimes pure light, sometimes cruel, trying wildly to open this image tightly held within itself.

Take someone who doesn't keep score, who's not looking to be richer, or afraid of losing who has not the slightest interest even in their own personality: they're free.
(Rumi)

Just looking online for a different Rumi poem for someone dear and found some old favourites too. Away from my books of Rumi, which are some of the very few things I have kept since my teens, I have found the web a real resource.

Venue Hunt - Found

I have booked the Kemnay Village hall for all the workshop sessions as it is convenient, warm, large, cheap and has ample parking. For those students who may feel it's a little bit out of the way, being 5-10 minutes from Inverurie, remember we are coming up from London, about 592 miles further! I wholeheartedly urge all beginner students who have never worked with Mark before to come along to the Saturday Introductory session, it is invaluable. Everyone who has done 2 terms or more should try to get along to any of the other classes that they can.

I just met up with Heather at Mark's when we swapped over (I had a 121 this afternoon, she is having one now). It was great to see her. She has also just had a session with John and Charles, and will go back tomorrow.

I was watching 'Ugly Betty' the other night and thinking how nice it would be to have an assistant! Thank goodness, the worlds of fictional high fashion and real-life T'ai Chi class organising are poles apart, especially when it comes to heel heights. However, the best line I have heard on telly in ages was uttered as Betty's sister came in to the 'Mode' magazine offices and said:
"Oh, it's like gay Star Trek!"

I realise it is odd for me to be discussing a TV show on this blog, but hey, I have a cold and am staying at my brother's place, so when in Rome...

Snow

Ev just sent me this from her place this afternoon. The snow here is less pretty and is being rained away as I type...

South London Classes

Daytime Clapham North T'ai Chi classes begin at JK Studios (http://jkstudios.biz) on Wednesday 25th April and will run in 6 week terms. There will also be two taster lessons before the Easter break on 14th and 21st March. All sessions start at 10.30am, are 1 1/2 hours long and finish with traditional jasmine tea, for those who don't have to rush off. Classes cost £54 (or £42 for students, OAPs and unemployed) which works out at £9 / £7 per session. Any student who brings along a friend who then enrolls will receive a free lesson.

All enrolled Great River or T'ai Chi Centre students are very welcome to drop in to this class at no cost as it is great for my new students to see what is 'around the corner' if they keep practising... On the one week per month that I will be away teaching in Scotland, T'ai Chi Centre Instructor David Knight will be taking my classes.

New Beginner's Introduction and Other Workshops

Here is the plan for the weekend Mark comes up to teach from 30th March. Please tell anyone who might be interested. For the first time in quite a few visits, Mark will be taking a new Introduction to T'ai Chi session, so if you have colleagues or friends who want to have a look at T'ai Chi, do invite them along. All classes take place at Kemnay Village Hall, not far from Inverurie.
Friday 30th March 7-10pm: For all who want to learn, revise or practise Ta Lu & Wapu. £12 / £10
Saturday 31st March 2-5pm: Introduction to T'ai Chi - no experience needed. £12 / £10
Saturday 31st March 7-10pm: Partnerwork session; push hands, joining, entering, uprooting, etc. £12 / £10
Sunday 1st April 2-5pm: Short Form workshop, all Great River students at any level are welcome to attend. £12/ £10
Sunday 1st April 7-10pm: Sabre Form; warm ups, revision, new postures and chance for beginners to start learning this wonderful form. Bring a wooden bokken, contact me for details of where to get one. £12 / £10

I will bring sign up sheets in a fornight. If the introductory session doesn't reach the required minimum number of students, we could do a Long Form session as an alternative, with all Thursday students welcome to attend. Do get in touch with any queries.

Adverse Weather and Class Cancellations

During the snowy weather check with the centres whether classes are running or not. Everyone should have been given a sheet with a number they can call to check, the system is fully automated. If Inverurie Academy is shut then classes are always off. Turriff runs a similar system.

Tonight's class at Inverurie is cancelled.

Sunday class is on at Paolo and Davina's, where they have a fabulous wood burning stove to keep you warm as you repulse the monkey. Wrap up warm until then...

It snowed here in London this morning but now it has turned to rain, hopefully it will clear a bit before I head out to class tonight.

My next teaching visit to Aberdeenshire

I have just booked my tickets to Aberdeenshire to teach at the end of the month. I will be flying immediately after the BTCCA weekend and will arrive late Sunday 25th February. If there is anyone who could get me from the airport and take me to Forgue, that would be truly wonderful. I will be packing, I hope, pretty solidly for three days, if the house sale still goes through ok, otherwise I will be showing people around the house. If anyone is free to help with packing, I can offer cake and good company in return! I will know nearer the time what is happening. I will definitely come and teach Thursday class on 1st March and begin teaching the Long Form, so don't miss that. Also, there will be time for any Short Form questions that you have hanging about. If I have time, I will try to do the Monday and Wednesday classes, but I cannot be sure this time, similarly, I may be able to do a sabre class at my house, but we will have to see. Sunday 4th March 2-6pm will be a drop in session open to all, most probably at Paolo and Davina's, and I will be returning to London after that on the last flight back. On the 1st, 2nd and 3rd March, I may be available to teach 121s, let me know if you are interested.

I apologise for the lack of concrete times (except the Thurs and Sun classes, which are certs), but it will all settle down for March dates and the Spring workshops. I am in the process of buying a flat in Tooting near my brother's place, with plenty of room for T'ai Chi. Please keep your fingers crossed about this.

I have been at class 5 days a week, and getting sessions in with classmates as well as a few lessons with Steven and 121s planned with Mark next week. I hope to be starting a South London daytime class on Wednesdays in about 6-8 weeks, and have had a few enquiries already and David will take the class when I am in Scotland.

Steven Moore, John Kells' "right arm" for many years, is moving to Israel to be with his fiancee and to teach T'ai Chi and Heartwork. I will miss him hugely, though I know he will be back regularly to teach as well as see family here. I will post any of his workshop dates here in case any of you want to come to London for them, or to the ones in Ireland. All of the GreatRiver students who have met him have appreciated his generosity of spirit and the depth of his teaching. Thanks Steven, good luck and much love for your future life from all of us! See you soon. The prospect of visiting Israel sometime seems very inviting to catch up with Steven, Nitsan, Rami and also to get some sunshine...