This weekend: Workshop Days in Tooting

This weekend there will be two T'ai Chi workshops with my teacher Master Mark Raudva at St Mary Magdalene Church Hall, Trinity Road, Tooting, SW18, 1-7pm. Both days will cost £25 (concessions available). Bring a snack for the break, jasmine tea is provided.

On Saturday we will study Partner Work, to include push hands sensitivity training, sticking (listening hands), Ta Lu, Wabu, San Shou, rooting and uprooting, etc. The sessions are very friendly and inspiring, all those with at least a term's T'ai Chi experience are welcome, but there will also be plenty for those with many years' experience too. We study both push hands and weapons to further develop our sensitivity and awareness, always seeking to better embody the T'ai Chi principles we value in our solo practice. Our push hands is non-competitive and suitable for all ages, both men and women.

On the Sunday there will be an Introduction to T'ai Chi Weapons, including Sabre, Staff and Sword. Those with over 6 months' experience of T'ai Chi are welcome to come along, spare wooden weapons will be available. If you can bring your own sabre, staff or sword, or wooden sabre, bokken or sword, do, but keep it covered with fabric or in a bag whilst in public to comply with the law. We study weapons forms for many good reasons, one being to learn how to extend our awareness into an inanimate object and go from 'body as one unit' to 'body and and sword / staff / sabre as one unit'.

If you have any questions, do contact me.

By the way, if you would like me to make a recycled fabric bag or cover for your weapon, let me know this weekend. I charge £5 for sabre or sword bags with carry strap, cord and toggle fastening, and £4 for a simple staff bag. Though branded 'martal arts style' bags with Chinese logos might look very nice and work fine, I find they attract the wrong kind of attention in the street. In over 4 years of carrying my bokken around in a burgundy coloured velvet bag with stripy strap, I have never once had anyone guess what it was or assume it was a 'weapon'. Mostly people are convinced I must be carrying a long flute. I recommend slightly hippy looking fabrics, especially for blokes!