www.movement4life.co.uk

MOVEMENT FOR LIFE – the Way of T’ai Chi Chikung

Nature has been both kind and fair to us. We have received not only the gift of life but also when we look closely, we find that each of us have received a unique collection of talents and strengths to use in making the most of our lives.

For hundreds of years Chinese culture has recognised the benefits of regular exercise and that the prevention of illnesses should be the goal of medical practice. Health exercise regimes typical of the Eastern approach focus on movement and meditation, paying particular attention to regulating the body, mind and breathing. In this context, movement is slow and rhythmic and resembles yoga in motion.

Chikung (qigong) is the oldest of Chinese physical arts, dating back some 3,000 years. Chikung is to China what yoga is to India and both practise breathing and meditation exercises for therapeutic, physical, mental and spiritual purposes.

T’ai chi chuan (taiji quan) is a form of self-defence formally established in the 17th century. It emphasizes non-aggression and teaches techniques to neutralise and overcome with the minimum force using the attacker's own strength. Requiring highly developed mobility and movement skills, as well as mental alertness, the exponent of this art is as much a spiritual warrior as a physical one.

T’ai chi chikung (taiji qigong) is a more modern development which has received a lot of attention by medical establishments and research institutes throughout China during the last century. It can be seen as a kind of Chinese physiotherapy. Tai-chi chikung eliminates the more difficult and demanding techniques of tai-chi chuan to successfully combine-the relaxed, smooth and graceful movements with meditation and simple postures of chikung. It has firmness and gentleness, fullness and emptiness, peace and tranquility while in motion, unbroken continuity in the steps, soft and harmonious movements and a combination of will (yi), vital force (chi) and spirit (shen). The movements taught in this video are based on a concept developed by Professor Li Ding of Shanxi Medical College, China;.a Chinese and Western medical doctor.

Michael Cashnore’s t’aichi movements are fundamentally a Chinese exercise system incorporating many useful aspects of health, physical education and preventive medicine, clarifying and demystifying some of the traditional Chinese teaching and adding something that is specifically his own.

It is further believed that every student will only achieve lasting health and fitness through their direct experience, and not just by reading books or following a teacher. An ancient Chinese proverb says that:

"If you believe everything you read in books, don't read books and if you rely completely on teachers, then don't have a teacher."


MOVEMENT4LIFE DVD PROGRAMME

CHAPTER 1 Going with the Flow
Demonstration of t’ai chi chikung movements performed in Natureal surroundings to instil relaxation and tranquillity and give a complete overview of the whole sequence.
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CHAPTER 2 Introduction
A brief history of T’ai Chi movements and basic standing postures, feet and hand patterns.

CHAPTER 3 Step by Step Instruction
Detailed instructions as to proper performanceof movements including breathing patterns and visualisation.

CHAPTER 4 Learning by Practice
Follow Michael Cashmnore as if in your own private class and complete the whole sequence of T’ai Chi Chikung.

Copyright Michael Cashmore 2006. All rights reserved.

Music composed and performed by Paul Athey.

SEND £10 plus £1 p&p to address below and receive your DVD plus notes.

YOU CAN ALSO VIEW VIDEO CLIPS ON U-TUBE

SWIMMING DRAGON http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=g7gGyGNx5KI

EASY T'AI CHI an introduction
PART 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHtI_2G3lMA
PART 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSEnVfPIU9Q
PART 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRdEtdiuc70

GRASP BIRD'S TAIL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvmVyjoLijc&feature=channel_page


Michael Cashmore holds a B.Sc. in Physical Education and Sports Science from Loughborough University with over 27 years experience in the health and fitness industry, much of that time as a consultant developing business projects and managing luxury health and leisure clubs in S.E Asia. He also spent three years sharing his expertise, working as a senior lecturer within the higher education sector in Singapore and introduced stress management to Singapore in 1992 as part of an initiative by the Civil Service Institute. Michael organized stress management programmes as a consultant to many health and fitness institutions, and schools in Singapore and England, and has lectured extensively in other areas such as Workplace Health Promotion, Fitness Leadership and Personal Training and Business Communications.
Michael developed a keen interest in the martial arts, t’ai chi and yoga in the late 80’s while living in Singapore, and after incorporating the concepts into his own holistic view of education published a book on health and exercise, “T’ai Chi Aerobics”, in 1993. More recently Michael has published a training video and handbook on practising t’ai chi for health and well being.


REGULAR T'AI CHI and MEDITATION CLASSES

MONDAY
10.00 - 11.00AM EASY T'AI CHI, BAPTIST CHURCH, SWADLINCOTE
WITH ARTHRITIS CARE.

TUESDAY
7.00 - 8.00pm T'AI CHI CHIKUNG. NETHERSEALE VILLAGE HALL

WEDNESDAY
9.45 - 10.45am T'AI CHI CHIKUNG, MOIRA VILLAGE HALL
1.30 - 2.30pm T'AI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS, BURTON ON TRENT

THURSDAY
7.00 - 8.00pm T'AI CHI CHIKUNG, MOIRA VILLAGE HALL
8.30 - 9.15pm INNER ROOM MEDITATION, MOIRA VILLAGE HALL

FRIDAY
10.00 - 11.00am T'AI CHI CHIKUNG. THE PALACE, IBSTOCK


THERE ARE NO SET FEES AS EVERY CONTRIBUTION IS CONSIDERED AS A GIFT.
As a general guideline however participants' gifts range from £4.00 to £5.00 depending on length of class, location, personal circumstances etc.
ARTHRITIS CARE subsidise the class on a Wednesday at a cost of £2.50 to participants.
Call Michael for further advice.
THANK YOU.

MAP for MOIRA VILLAGE HALL - Location and directions
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=d&saddr=&daddr=52.741904,-1.526842&hl=en&geocode=&mra=mi&mrsp=0&sz=14&sll=52.737851,-1.5277&sspn=0.033467,0.076904&ie=UTF8&z=14


ALSO PLEASE VISIT http://www.livingessence.org.uk for more insights into Total Wellbeing