Inverurie class - enrolment 1st September

A reminder that the enrolment evening for the Inverurie class is on Monday 1st September 6:30-8:30pm.

London Classes

Classes at Hackney Round Chapel resume next Wednesday at 7pm. Sunday classes continue at 3pm for the next two weeks and then return to Mark's on Sunday 14th September. 121s continue to be available at mine anytime. I do hope everyone has had a good summer; despite the dull cloudy skies it has been warm enough here to work outdoors for all but two lessons since May.

Elgin Classes

We had a good lunchtime taster session today in the Music Centre with a great group of folk signed up. As we can't get the Music Centre regularly, I'll let everyone know where and when the classes will happen asap.
The next taster is on Wednesday 3 September at Spynie 12:15-1:00 in Meeting Room 2 and classes will begin on Wed 10 Sept. Classes will be in either Meeting Room 1 or 2 and either from 1-1:45 or 1:15-2:00 depending on room use.

Aberdeenshire Long Form class 28th August

Thursday class this week will be at the Masonic Hall, Inverurie 7:30pm.

Introduction to Shiatsu - 30th August

Neil will be holding an Introduction to Shiatsu on Saturday 30th August, 10am-4pm at the Love Yoga Studio, 42 Union Terrace, Aberdeen. Cost is £40.

Aberdeenshire classes with Caro 25-28 Sep

So that we can finalise booking venues for Caro's visit next month, please let me or Caro know of any preferences for particular sessions or 121 slots.

Thursday 7:30-9:30pm will be the regular Long Form class, venue TBC
Friday morning - available for 121s with Caro.
Saturday afternoon - available for a class
Saturday evening 7-9pm - probably sabre introduction (or may be Sunday afternoon)
Sunday - option to have one class (about 2-6pm), followed by 121s or 2 sessions afternoon and evening.

Deeside launch of "Dancer in the Light"

Following on from the London event, the Deeside launch of "Dancer in the Light" is at the Old Stables, Crathes Castle on Thursday 28th August at 7pm. Tickets are £3 and include a glass of wine. More details here: http://www.gerdageddes.com/

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehn, Goodbye.

Our good friend and fellow t'ai chi addict, Heather, is returning to the frozen wastes of Canada on 9 September.

As Caro has already said, Heather has been particularly generous in hosting classes and workshops at her house. She also spent a lot of time dissecting Northern Sabre Form to provide us with a written, easily learned syllabus and warm up set. She lead us through numerous sabre form sessions with goodwill, humour and stamina and those of us who attended the Sabre classes know the difficulties she worked with and overcame.

As the class on Thursday 4 September will be her last, she has agreed that it can be at her house and open to all students who wish to say goodbye.

There will be a modicum of T'ai Chi, a wee swally of the vino collapso (with ra bubbles) and a moothful o' funcy pieces-who could ask for more?

So join us, at Heather's on 4 September from 7-10 pm to say cheerio.

From me, Heather, to you as a true, honest and loving friend-such a scarce commodity nowadays- I wish you a rainbow, my dear and see you maybe in Cambodia!

Durdle Door

I am going near here tomorrow until it feels right to come back, but definitely in time for T'ai Chi on Sunday at my place.

This picture is from the geology department of Southampton Uni, from one of their field trips to this part of the famous 'Jurassic Coast'.

Shin Rin Yoku

Is Japanese for 'bathe in forest', experiencing the particular feeling of well-being from spending time in the woods amongst trees.

One of the ways I really relax is making crafts, especially beading. After having finished a pair of earrings half an hour ago, I discovered a wonderful website: The Bead Database. http://www.bead-database.org This is a 19th century Peruvian offering to Pachamama made of ancient stones and shells, a metal clasp and two traded Venetian glass beads.

Moray Community Health and Social Care Partnership Lunchtime Classes

As promised, a taster session will be held in Spynie Meeting Room 2 on Wednesday 3 September from 12.15.
If all goes well, we will then have a class every Wednesday from either 1.00 or 1.15. (The slight difference in time is to accomodate start times of meetings.)
Most sessions will be in Meeting Room 2 with a few in Room 1.
I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone on the 3rd.

An Idea

In the near future we will be hiring rooms in the Inverurie area for the various classes of Great River T'ai Chi... I have been very happy with the commitment and energy put in by students over the last year and am starting to think about getting some kind of place for us to call 'home' in Aberdeenshire for a while. I have been looking in to log cabin type buildings around the 25 ft x 25 ft - plus size, and they are financially do-able, or at least will be, for me by next February. So, these are just preliminary ideas, but if anyone can look into a local spot where we might be able to lease a small parcel of land for 5 years or more, do get in touch.

Having worked on the steadings at Drumblair, I am pretty happy on taking on this project, but I will be happy with more hands on deck, too. These great buildings come insulated, double glazed and ready to use. We would need to paint it, get electricity connected and a simple water system would be nice. It would need to be within 10 miles of Inverurie for our regular classes as well as Mark's workshops, and could be used by other groups that we liked, for Yoga, 5 Rhythms, drumming, dancing, Shiatsu, or meditation, etc. This would help pay back the initial outlay, but we could also do some fundraising stuff... maybe sponsored zazen... Actually, probably a walk would be more easy to get donations for. As it is for 'workshop' use, we should have no problem with planning, but advice would be welcome with that too.

Anyway, email or call me with any thoughts. I find that once an idea is out and about, it gains its own momentum. Mark thinks it's a great idea, being a big fan of huts and wood burning stoves, so let's see what we can do.

Thanks to Heather

My love, best wishes and thanks go to my good student Heather who has studied with me 4 years, as well as 3 years with Mark and several times with John Kells too, who will soon be moving back to Canada. For the last 2 years we have had the pleasure of frequently using her games room which she turned into a wonderful studio for classes. It has been great to have a base, which has fostered the community spirit which we began at my old place in Forgue. We will miss both Heather's hospitality and her skill in helping and encouraging other T'ai Chi students along the way. I hope we see her again on her return trips.

October workshops- a request.

Two of my newer students and one very new student would like to come to the Autumn Workshops that Mark will be teaching in Aberdeenshire. I am advising them about the cheapest travel but am also writing this now to see if anyone can put them up, at the usual fiver a night rate, for the course of the week. They are three very friendly young women from my Hackney class. Also, if any regular students can recommend bunkhouses or cheap b&b's in the Inverurie area, I'd be really grateful. Lastly, if you know you'll be coming along in October, email me or call to let me know, as I will start to keep a tally.

Wales was very, very wet and windy but incredibly beautiful, especially Harlech Beach. I've just got back to London and will be posting some more dates, news and bits over the next few days. I hope all my students have a great Summer.

This photo of Harlech Beach is by Dave Newbould, whose gorgeous postcard we sent to our mum... See more at http://www.origins-photography.co.uk/

Autumn Term - Inverurie and Turriff classes

The new term for Turriff and Inverurie starts mid-September and runs through to early December.
Turriff
Mondays 7-8:30pm, Gateway Centre.
15th September to 8th December, except 13th & 20th October.
Please contact the centre direct to enrol: 01888 562562
Inverurie
Wednesdays 7-8:30pm, Barra Base, Inverurie Academy.
17th September to 10th December, except 15th & 22nd October.
Enrolment evening will be at the Garioch Community Centre Monday 1st September 2008,
6.30-8.30pm. Or phone the centre 01467 620353.
Update 1-Sep: Garioch Centre have now confirmed term will end 3rd December, not 10th as previously advised.

Aberdeenshire Long Form class 14th August

Thursday class this week will be at Paolo and Davina's 7:30-9:30pm. The venue for the Long Form class for the rest of the year will be confirmed at a later date.

Thursday Sessions

Heather has asked me to let the Thursday group know that her house won't be available for the next 3 Thursdays.

Sunday Class London 10th August

I am going camping with my family for a few days and will not be able to get email or probably any text messages either. David will be taking the Sunday class at my house from 3-6pm. If you would like to come along email him at david@davidknightdesign.com

I will back in the loop on Monday night.

Dates for the rest of 2008

All are welcome to these events. Details of syllabus and venues will follow. Note changes to September dates. I am now coming later in the month as the Aberdeenshire terms start so late-on. As requested, I will be including an introduction to sabre for new students which will also be good revision for those who have got rusty, probably on the Saturday evening as usual.

Dates for Autumn Term 2008
Caro’s Aberdeenshire weekends: Sept 25th-28th, Oct 9-13, November 27- December 1.
Mark’s workshops: Weeklong T'ai Chi Workshop is October 10-17th, will be held at Fetternear Village Hall, tuition is £30 per day, please call me for details and accomodation.
Mark's last weekend workshops of 2008 will be November 28-30th .

Other dates for your diary: There will be another 'partnerwork day' and also a 'weapons day' in London before Christmas. I will be organising these dates with Mark over the next couple of weeks. I expect the price to be £25 per day (concs available).

Aberdeenshire classes 9th & 10th August

Note - change of date. The next sabre practise session is this Saturday 9th August, 7-10pm at the Masonic Hall, Inverurie. Jasmine tea will be provided. The hall is also booked for 6th September.

Sunday drop-in class will be at Paolo & Davina's from 2-5pm on the 10th.

'Cleave'
Means both 'to split from' and also its opposite, 'to join to'.

The writer Janet Frame (whose life was dramatised in the film 'An Angel At My Table') noted this in her recently published memoires and poetry.