Correction: Qigong Workshop Date, Sunday, Febrary 23rd 2020

Just a quick note to correct my recent advertisement for the Qigong workshop: I'd originally said the workshop was on February 21st. The correct date and time are:

Qigong Workshop

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2020

Time: 1-5pm

Location: Regent Health Center, 150 Locke Street South, Hamilton

Instructor: Melissa Smith

Cost: $60

Open to all levels of experience.

More details about the workshop are available here.

To register, contact Melissa at smithmk2@gmail.com or (905) 521-0043. 

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Qigong Workshop, Sunday, February 23rd, 2020

NOTE: This workshop was originally advertised for January 21st. That date was incorrect. The correct date is Sunday, February 23rd.

Qigong Workshop

Date: Sunday, February 23, 2020

Time: 1-5pm

Location: Regent Health Center, 150 Locke Street South, Hamilton

Instructor: Melissa Smith

Cost: $60

Open to all levels of experience.

The focus of this workshop is going to be, well, focus! Of the mental variety. 

Too often we allow our mental processes to run roughshod over us. Tai Chi and Qigong movements are named after metaphors for thoughts that have run amok: the mind is a wild horse that races away from us, or a fierce tiger, poised to strike. When we don't teach the mind to settle down, it torments us with random thoughts, and our emotions become disturbed. Often we don't even realise it's happening: we simply end up with anxiety, physical tension, and a plethora of symptoms related to stress.

Qigong offers a solution in the form of physical exercises and mental relaxation and focus. This combination helps retrain the mind, allowing it to settle down and rest, as well as strengthening and relaxing the body. Working to change the mind's patterns is a long term project, but with a little deliberate effort and practice, it's well worth it. 

I hope you'll join us for a day of gentle movement and meditation. It's delightful to find one has some control over how the mind responds to daily life, as well as to any surprises that might come our way.

To register, contact Melissa at smithmk2@gmail.com or (905) 521-0043. 

Don't miss a post! To receive future newsletters in your email inbox, and keep updated about classes, workshops, and Tai Chi and Qigong topics, subscribe.

If you have received this message by email and you wish to respond, don't hit "Reply"! Your message will go into the void. Make sure smithmk2@gmail.com is in the address bar of your email program or app.

Classes are on for Saturday January 18

Roads in town are messy but passable and the promised windstorm seems to have not manifested, so I'm going to be at class, as is Marilyn. Be careful driving if you are planning to come in, and if you choose not to attend, happy shoveling / snuggling!

Snowfall warning for Saturday, January 18, 2020—watch this space

Hi everyone,

I'll be keeping an eye on the weather Saturday, January 18 into the late morning and early afternoon to see whether it looks like class should go ahead. For now I'm assuming it won't be an issue for me to make the drive across town, but if it's very bleak and class is cancelled for Saturday, I'll announce that on the website at taichionlocke.blogspot.com.

Eventually you'll receive the notification in your email inbox, but a last-minute cancellation probably won't show up in your email until after class. The system I use involves a large delay between the time I post to the site and the time emails get pushed out to you.

SO if you have any doubt at all about the weather tomorrow, please check taichionlocke.blogspot.com before heading out. If I am cancelling, I'll post that information before 1pm tomorrow. You'll be able to see it on the website, but it won't show up in your email until later.

If class is going ahead as usual, I won't post anything, so if you don't see any notification about cancellation, then assume class is on.

I hope that's clear! As always use your own discretion with regard to whether it's safe for you to travel. Fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly with the weather tomorrow. For those of you planning to attend the Lok Hup workshop, I'm guessing that tomorrow's storm will be well cleared away by Sunday, so it will almost certainly go ahead.

Take care and stay cosy!

Melissa.

Thursday Evening 8:30 Class and Upcoming Lok Hup Workshop

Happy New Year, everyone!

Two scheduling announcements this time round.


Thursday Evening Classes, 8:30-9:30pm: Tai Chi and Qigong Foundation

I've decided to make a change to these classes for January and February 2020. This slot was initially intended as a place for people who want to study intermediate and advanced Tai Chi, but since there are no beginners ready to finish the set until March, it's been a bit of a tough sell. What I have been doing with this hour is teaching foundation techniques and exercises: focusing on the how of correct movement and alignment, which really is where Tai Chi—and Qigong, for that matter—get their unique qualities as a practice.

There's no reason why Qigong people can't benefit from these lessons, nor why people earlier in their Tai Chi practice can't come and learn as well. This class will still be a technique class, with exercises taken from both the Tai Chi and Qigong side of things. (Don't worry if you're unfamiliar with one of those areas--all the exercises will be explained during class.) We'll be spending part of the class on flow--precise content to be determined. For now, I'm dropping the Tai Chi prerequisite. The class will be open to all who are willing to dive in. If you can manage to leave the house in the dark winter evening, I'll guarantee a great, relaxing, and deep workout.


Lok Hup Workshop, Sunday, January 19, 2020
Location: Regent Centre
Time: 1-5pm
Fee: $60
Prerequisite: Some experience with Lok Hup Ba Fa

I've had some requests to return to the Lok Hup Ba Fa set for January's Sunday Workshop. Last season we spent some time working on the end of the Lok Hup set. This workshop will focus on polishing it from the beginning.