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It took me some time to embrace tai chi. Although cheerfully, if passively, attending Wu Style demonstrations as a spectator over a 20 year period, it wasn’t until 2010, that I thought I’d give it a go. And I stayed, benefitting from the teaching of Sifu Don Spargo, and later Neville Cote, Steve Wright and other instructors at the Archway Academy. I have also benefitted in particular from the workshops by Grandmaster Eddie Wu Kwong Yu at both Archway and Athens Academies. As with any practitioner, I have my favourite aspects of tai chi. I find joy in movement and the subtleties of the 108 and 54 round forms are simultaneously challenging, satisfying, relaxing and stimulating; there is always something new, some correction, refinement or improvement, to add depth and complexity to my practice. I also really enjoy the sabre form although a painful shoulder condition impeded my learning and practice of this, however it was cured by shoulder surgery in 2014. I credit the sabre form in aiding my recovery by being both motivating and therapeutic – and a lot more fun than physio. Outside of tai chi, I have worked with disabled children, adults and their families for 25 years and have commissioned tai chi and chi kung taster workshops for communication impaired children, blind & partially sighted adults and parents of autistic children. Feedback from these has generally been great and I have a special interest in extending the benefits of tai chi to such special interest groups. |
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