Almost everything about it was such a success--the vigorous and energizing workout, the good food with a new strawberry drink drawn from a 200 years' old recipe, Yoga and Tai Chi videos to open your aspiration to the heights, and most certainly the enthusiastic book purchases of many fine Tai Chi and Yoga volumes which people carried underarm out the door--that I scheduled the Fall Evening in advance that very night for a 17 September rendezvous, Saturday the same 4-8 p.m. time. I said "Almost everything . . ." because we would have enjoyed the you who didn't come to join us. So you were the only missing part. Well, along with the many more books I didn't manage to get out of the house's amazing storage capacity that I can now bring in September!

Speaking of that September date, I already have a new Tai Chi (applies to Yoga, too) discovery that tears the veil of confusion and ambiguity from the face of absolute and simple clarity in one's life and practice. And, too, from the secret of economic and other national snarls that we all feel have to be solvable, don't we ? Yes, they are! Join us then to experience, in yourself, a grand movement forward in every way by marking your calendar now for 17 September, Saturday, 4-8 p.m. in Enumclaw. The notice with details will go up just before Labor Day weekend, and I'll be at the door to greet you with a handshake or a hug, your preference, that you won't forget.

And the Fall Quarter of courses and events will be up before then. I just learned, and am apologetic to share, that in the intensity of organizing and scheduling the 8 events of Summer and the promotion of the new DVD, I had overlooked the summer course schedule. Phoning replaced the optional summer courses I normally teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I'm still phoning to back up the website notices for people who don't visit often. There are two more Tai Chi Infusions to help in your Form (and a whole lot more, see the details in the announcement); there's one more Yoga Infusion; and one more Push Hands Infusion--all of these throughout August, all with details in their announcements.

The regular summer courses in Renton and Olympia are going on well, and I should have listed those. I am sorry. I'm going to have the complete Fall Quarter course schedule up early in August, so we start on track then!

Tai Chi Chuan 74 Movement Yang Style Short Form

17 Lessons Front and Back View
Beginning Movements, 1-22 [Lessons 1-8]
Continuing Movements, 23-74 [Lessons 9-17]  

• With Narration and Breathing
• Front View Narration [can be muted], names of the movements
• Back View Narration [can be muted], running detail of the movements
• Breathing Introduction of the system and on working with it
• Back View Breathing, chanting through each movement
• 38 menu tracks, lessons navigable from 8 on-screen selections at once

Total Running Time 55:18
Price $35

In 2002, out of repeated requests, the 74 Form was introduced, retaining everything in the original Form of 64 movements plus the new ones from the workshop experience in William Chen's more recent Form of 60 movements.

The fervent need for an immediate DVD with which to practice, the famous "quick and dirty" product of that same 2002 year, was to be replaced by a fully finished one later with a split screen presentation and self-defense applications. The obstacles to the split screen and self-defense features could not be overcome with the resources available but the many other long difficulties were solved, finally this year, for a finishing date I never expected to be so long in coming,

What a coming! Not only the richness of the 38 tracks and comprehensive details, but when you see the visual design on the cover and the disk itself, you may want Mark Sawyer's autograph. It is a gorgeous original in the field of Tai Chi DVDs. But more to the point is this comment by an observant student of William Chen workshops and my own courses, "It's the best Tai Chi you've done, Ron". I'm very happy with it though, knowing me, you probably won't be surprised I'm already envisioning a future one, super-totally comprehensive, with corrections of the flaws I see here that you may or may not notice. I do feel, in sum, this is now the accomplished standard with a good, substantial life ahead. To me, it will distinctly be the most helpful video I've ever offered.

May it be a faithful companion to you, though never a crutch. Crutching can be avoided by always including a go-it-alone repetition in your practice session so that your memory develops gradually.

May you enjoy it as much as I have in bringing it to you. How to get it, besides a phone call or email with your address so I can send it, is to just check my teaching schedule—for I'll have copies of it wherever I go and you can pick it up on the spot. Here's my contact information for mailing it to you, which I estimate will add about $3 to your price for packing materials and postage: Phone, 360 825-3413. Email, ronald@foxinternet.net .

I have begun to apply the principles of balance & rooting to daily activities. This little treatise will tell you about it. I’ll show some examples and share some conclusions I have drawn.

Principles

Always try to stay balanced on the feet and avoid veering to subtle imbalances when doing things. Use single weighting when turning and reaching to the side.

Do all tasks in small circular motions. This is the essence of Tai Chi.

Keep the lifting and pulling motions close to your body. In the wheelhouse is how Nathan Menaged (a senior student of William C.C. Chen and a masterfully skilled martial artist) describes this idea. Overreaching reduces leverage and creates stress on the body, primarily the back.

Always turn your body from the hips instead of the shoulders. The shoulders may move, too, but are not the point of leverage. 

Remember The Constant Bear warm up exercise. (Everything described below is some aspect of the Bear. That is, relaxed and turning from the waist/hips.)

Examples of Activities

While doing simple activities such as brushing your teeth, shaving or even taking a shower, stand evenly on the three nails. Knees are slightly flexed and hips indented/folded as in the beginning of the Form's movement. This sounds easy but we are in the habit of slouching on one leg or the other and not staying centered. If you turn and reach, use single weight, right or left, and turn from the hips.

Notice that our usual habit of reaching and twisting our upper body and lower back causes bodily stress. But in keeping weight over the three nails the stress is reduced. So instead of stretching and balancing on our toe, heel or side of the foot, take small steps and turn from the waist as in Tai Chi—stress is removed.

Improve balance by putting on skivvies & socks while standing instead of sitting on the bed. Even, though maybe not able to at first, tying the laces or fastening the straps while continuing to balance on the other leg.  

When opening doors, don’t pull from your shoulder. Just flex a knee, root the foot and pull from the floor.

In the kitchen, when lifting and moving pots and pans, use turning motions as in ward off (left or right), rollback and back punch to move things. This will keep you rooted and reduce long reaches which are stressful on your back, knees and shoulders.

These ideas can be applied in all our activities while moving and working around the house and yard. I believe daily activities at home or workplace cause small, subtle injuries to spine and body if we’re not balanced. This accumulates over the years, resulting in bad posture, sore backs, and shoulder, knee and hip damage as we grow older. I have noticed when I am balanced on my feet, my shoulders straighten.

One other benefit is that by taking the weight of the upper body off the lower back, the thighs take the load. The result will be stronger legs, will use more calories and so in subtle ways will help in weight reduction.

When you think about it the body was meant to work this way. The Tai Chi way, when you see it deeply, is actually very natural. 

Many back injuries occur when someone reaches behind or to the side and lifts an object. If we turn from the waist, aligning the spine, these injuries could be avoided.

My Conclusions

Young bodies absorb small injuries without notice. The price is bigger injury and pain as we grow older.

By using these ideas each of us can reduce stress and promote a healthier body. We can move away from injury and pain.

Developing habits such as these is easy and beneficial. Then even simple, common and repetitive tasks become new and very interesting.

Joe speaks from experience of well over 20 years years of Tai Chi with me--Ron.

The Highline Tai Chi Introduction course, runs every quarter except Summer Quarter. You should consider it very actively as a high priority option because:

• it is the only course I offer that meets twice a week, a great advantage for learning
• it is also my only course meeting before work on weekdays, a fine way to tune up the day so that it goes far better and far less stressfully
• and too, it is the only course of mine where, in addition to the beginning part of the Form, you learn about 20 remarkable Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Yoga warm ups that improve everything in your physical and metaphysical life.
• your classmates are mostly young and of many families of nations that bring a lot of energy and an exotic quality into the chemistry of your learning experience so afterwards your day is just naturally a good one!

You can see why I say, then, that it is well worth the adjustment you might have to make in your Monday and Wednesday work schedule to accommodate its 8:00-8:50 a.m. time at Highline--very near Seattle and just off I-5. In calling to register at 206 878-3710, extension 3181, you will be guided from there, and if you are told the class is full, just phone me--360 825-3413--and I will get you included.

1. Vigorous Frequent Hand Washing, specially on arriving home (Neem Soap, Indian shops)
2. Thieves Oil (eucalyptus, cloves, lemon, rosemary, cinnamon) [Young Living]
3. Im-en Cap (Immune system nourishment, 11 ingredients+Wild Indigo) [Thorne Research]
4. Silver, colloidal (Magnum) [Your Health, Inc.]
5. Therapeutic Uses of Urine
6. Echinacea (especially for sore throat) [Eclectic Institute]
7. Bicarbonate of Soda & Sea Salt or Listerine & Hydrogen Peroxide Gargle
8. Goldenseal
9. Olives, black or green
10. Ginger, fresh is best
11. Cayenne Pepper (in water)
12. Garlic, fresh is best
13. Zinc
14. Vitamin C [Thorne Research, Inc.]
15. Beta Carotene {Beta PLEX) [Scientific Botanicals]
16. Simhasana (Lion) Pose [Yoga]
17. Pranayamic Alternate Nostril Breathing [Yoga]
18. Dried Cloves (sucked)
19. Stinging Nettle Tea, Also Cumin Tea
20. Temple of Health Tea [The Republic of Tea] (Seven herbs)
21. Green Tea (Camellia Sinenis) [Scientific Botanicals]
22. Cottonwood Salve (with olive oil and beeswax)]
23. Tate’s Natural Miracle Conditioner (about thirty herbal and plant ingredients)
24. Honey with Vinegar
25. Aloe Vera Gel [Real Aloe]
26. Bitter Gourd (a.k.a. Bitter Melon) [East Indian grocery]
27. Adequate Regular Nourishment
28. Immediate Action of Eating Anything, Any Modest Quantity, Emergency
29. Adequate Regular Nightly Sleep
30. Immediate Action of Prone Rest, Any Amount Needed (3 minutes to hours), Emergency
31. A Daily Rest or Nap, Any Amount Less than One Hour
32. Adequate Warmth, Particularly Covering of the Head When Cold
33. Keeping an inviting harmony, order and spaciousness in home, office, vehicle
34. Let Negative Emotions, Also Excitation, Especially Depression, Go Their Way, Not Yours
35. Exercise, Even Minimally, Regularly Daily
36. Play Tai Chi, Even Minimally, Regularly Daily, for “The Joy of the Body Heals the Body”
37. Sing Every Time You Think of It and Feel Like it
38. Listen to or Create Good Music When It Calls You
39. In Stressful, Tense Situations, Focus Attention on Their Core of Peace (always there)
40. Your Wit and Laughter . . . What Qualities Are Better Friends in Flu Season, Any Season?

For more information or help in using this information get a lesson with Ron by phoning him at 360 825-3413 or emailing him ronald@foxinternet.net for flexible times and fees.