Tai Chi
healing through movement
Are You Living Your Tai Chi? By Jane Sponiar
After our first child was born, I was ready for some much needed activity to nurture my exhausted body and aching soul. I found a Tai Chi class at the Eau Claire YMCA and am forever grateful to my teacher, Stephen Leung, for his guidance through this wonderful art. It has become my daily companion for over two decades and I continue to share my passion for Tai Chi with others.
me to rewire my left and right brain by having to remember all the different moves and how to do them. Without Tai Chi, I believe I would never have come as far as I have.” Tai Chi could be as physically demanding as you wish depending on your fitness level, age and health limitations. The form could be also done as visualization, sitting in chair with arms only, or even in the water. Some people focus more on meditative aspects and others like the social part of group interactions. Tai Chi is for everybody, but it is up to you to determine if Tai Chi is right for you and how you plan to adopt it into your life. This is how to live your Tai Chi. Jane Sponiar, MSc. Kinesiology Tai Chi, Qigong, Yoga & Meditation teacher, Reiki Master
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Being a national level swimmer in my youth and after that an avid climber for a decade, I had 20 years of vigorous daily training experience when I came to Canada with my husband. It was a life changing experience, and not easy one.
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Some people focus more on meditative aspects and others like the social part of group interactions.
Tai Chi, an old internal art form now has reemerged as an exercise for overall health and well being. Traditionally it was practiced as a martial art and although these aspects are still present and visible, it is the value of this rejuvenating and healing practice that attracts the attention of many practitioners today. To watch a Tai Chi master perform is like admiring a painting in a museum; it is beautiful and mesmerizing. To strive for the same performance as a Tai Chi master gives practitioners a great challenge, but also endless satisfaction. You can practice Tai Chi anywhere, anytime and for as long as you desire. I’ve done it on mountains, in art galleries, or confined to tiny spaces during my travels. Whether you practice Tai Chi for five minutes or a few hours, it can bring real transformation to your life. There are many health benefits from the regular practice of Tai Chi. I have heard from my students how it helped them with stress, insomnia, balance, pain management and more. Besides healing your physical body Tai Chi also offers peace and stillness to the mind. When you engage in a Tai Chi routine, it is impossible to ‘contemplate’ anything else. You as the practitioner have to be present in the moment focusing on performing each move precisely and in the right order. If your mind drifts the sequence could be lost. Lori Healy, one of my students at Wellspring Calgary (an organization that provides support, resources and programs for anyone living with cancer) says “Diagnosed with brain cancer, I went through surgery, maximum radiation and chemotherapy. Then I found Wellspring Calgary and Tai Chi. I attribute a lot of my recovery to Tai Chi, as it strengthened all my muscles, gave me a lot of my balance back, taught me how to meditate, helped my cognitive abilities, my coordination and helped
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