LFA T’ai Chi can help you beat the winter blues

Tai Chi can help counter the winter blues; the winter blues usually start around the end of October and continue through to February. This is because the earth’s natural energy (called Li energy) is at its lowest ebb as the weather changes and becomes colder and damper. The day light hours dwindle and we find ourselves travelling to work in the dark and coming home in the dark.

Taught within the LFA style of Tai Chi are the movements of our T’ai Chi Dance this is not a dance practised to music although it can be. The movements of our Tai Chi Dance are designed to harness the earth’s natural Li energy and combine it with our own body’s internal energy.

This means that by practising the movements of our Tai Chi Dance our Tai Chi students are able to more easily deal with the effects of the seasonal changes. The LFA teach the Tai Chi Dance in an easy to follow format. Although our teaching methods are modern this does not detract from the powerful health benefits which are available to everyone who practises our Tai Chi Dance.

The movements of our Dance are more flamboyant than those of our Tai Chi Form (the movements are Yang). However the breathing we use is Yin, this ensures that the movements we practise are a true balance of Yin and Yang and that everything is in complete harmony.

The ideal time to practise our Tai Chi Dance is in the morning, this is because the movements help to activate and stimulate the mind. If you practise our Tai Chi Dance in the late evening you may have difficulty sleeping.

In these modern times we all need a continuous supply of energy, life is moving at such a fast pace. If we can’t keep up, our body tends to make us take a rest, how does it do this? Our bones may start to ache, we feel tired, and it is hard to get out of bed. Suddenly the latest flu bug is sweeping the nation.

LFA Tai Chi is not a magic wand, however it does help to keep your body going when others around you are falling down.

Within the LFA Tai Chi system we are also able to offer advice on natural herbal remedies for those who are suffering cold and flu’ symptoms. These can be found in the LFA Chang Ming Long Life Diet and Recipe Book.

Chang Ming is a diet which I have followed myself for over twenty years, it is not a diet in the traditional sense of the word. It is a healthy way of eating; it was devised over three thousand years ago. Our Tai Chi health diet was brought to the people of the West by Chan Kam Lee the last in the line of the Lee Family.

It was his job to ensure that the traditions and health benefits of the Lee Family Arts where protected and handed down so that future generations may continue to benefit.

In his wisdom Chan Kam Lee converted the Tai Chi diet so that the people in the West could also receive the health giving benefits of this diet.
If you would like additional information on our Tai Chi Dance or Diet please visit our website http://www.lfataichi.com

Copyright Sheila Dickinson LFA Tai Chi 2005

Lee style Tai Chi homepage

Tai Chi for the Elderly

It's about Tai Chi and how it can help people of all ages. It's also for people when they reach their elder years.
Also why no one should suffer from the aches and pains as we do in our daily lives.

Tai Chi has traditionally been thought of as an exercise for the elderly and although this is not entirely true because Tai Chi is suitable for all age groups.

Tai Chi is certainly beneficial for the elderly for many reasons, the most obvious one is that the movements are soft and gentle and they may be practiced without placing a strain on the body.

In the West we are experiencing an aging population, with people living longer than ever before. Science has made remarkable leaps forward and Western medicine is able to prolong life. The question must be asked of the quality of the life the elderly are experiencing.

It appears that as we grow older we are taught to expect the onslaught of aches and pains, because the body is wearing out and therefore we can expect to have to wear glasses, or experience impaired hearing.

My question is why? Why must we accept this? Tai Chi's gentle movements keep all of the joints mobile without strain. It is important to keep the body moving and not allow the joints to cease up.

However there is so much more going on in the inside and a lot of this is affected by the fuel that we take into our body.

For example people suffering from arthritis have found that when they eliminate potatoes and tomatoes from their diet they have found great improvement in their condition. This information is given to people attending Tai Chi classes.

Another consideration for people suffering from joint problems is the intake of tropical fruit.

Fruit is very yin containing a lot of acid, and although it contains important vitamins and minerals, the acid contained in the fruits can have a harmful effect on your joints.

Dried fruit contains the same vitamins and minerals without the harmful effect of the acid. All of this valuable information is available in our Chang Ming Long Life Diet and Recipe Book.

In our Tai Chi classes we work on developing the individual's internal energy. The greater your body's natural internal energy; the better the quality of the individuals health.

Tai Chi is like every thing else, the more you put into it the more you will get out of it. A person attending a weekly class; without practicing in between classes will gain from the movements.

A person who also practices a little every day will gain on a daily basis. This is because the person who practices every day is continually working on developing their body's internal Chi energy.

If you are unable to attend weekly classes, we have easy to follow videos and books so that you can practice in the comfort of your own home.

I am often asked how long or how often you should practice Tai Chi, if you think you have to practice for an hour each day; a lot of people will not have the time.

If however when you put the kettle on to make a drink of tea you can practice some of the movements you have learnt. You will gain without having to make major adjustments to your life style.

Tai Chi is also excellent for improving your balance, a lot of scientific research has taken place in the United States regarding the positive affect that practicing Tai Chi has on improving the balance of the elderly.

It was found that people who practiced Tai Chi were less likely to fall and Tai Chi students experienced less broken bones.

Tai Chi helps to improve the mind, again the expression ‘if you don't use it you lose it’ is very apt.

Tai Chi works every part of the mind and body, using both the inside and the out. We have people studying Tai Chi well over eighty years and older so it’s never to late to start.

Start practicing Tai Chi today and discover great quality of life, every day of your life.

Kind Regards Sheila Dickinson President and Master Instructor LFA Tai Chi Health Arts

http://www.lfataichi.com
Copyright 2005

What is Tai Chi

What is Tai Chi?
The answer to this question lies in another question, “What are you looking for?”
If you are not happy with any area of your life today, then LFA Tai Chi can help you.

I have been studying and teaching the LFA Tai Chi Health Arts for over twenty years. During this time I have learnt that the answer to all questions lies within each of us.

The above may sound like a bold statement, yet it is based on facts handed down over the centuries.
Because of the vast variety of benefits available to everyone who practises Tai Chi,
many articles have been written on the subject. The majority of the articles shroud the understanding of the art of Tai Chi in mystery.

Today, Western Medicine is acknowledging that Tai Chi can help many ailments and recently an article appeared in the national newspapers claiming that doctors agreed that Tai Chi worked but they couldn't explain how.
I would like to share with you my own understanding of the LFA style of Tai Chi which is taught purely for health and is based on the principles of Chinese Medicine.

Your own body's internal energy (Chi energy), plays a vital role in the quality of your health. Chi energy is with you from the day you are born until the day you die. A person with a highly developed Chi energy experiences very few illnesses. That is what we are all working towards.

Most of us understand how our blood flows through our body and have a basic understanding of how our organs work.
Did you know that a person with highly volatile emotions, often has stagnation in the liver and gallbladder? The stagnation I am talking about is the stagnation of your Chi energy. This is because the flow of your body's internal energy is not moving freely around your body and nourishing your organs properly. My late master Chee Soo used to say ‘If you lose your temper or raise your voice you are ill.'

The movements of the LFA Tai Chi Form start to work on the development of your internal energy (Chi) from your very first lesson.

Our movements are simple to perform and once learnt and practised regularly, the health benefits will last you a lifetime.

Our Tai Chi Form provides the foundations upon which all the other aspects of our arts are based. It is the starting point of training, for all those wishing to improve the quality of their health.
To progress in any area of your life, your mind needs to be calm. If you are tense ideas will not flow freely and you will find the act of daily living a strain.

Because we teach these traditional movements in a modern way, you will find that your mind becomes calm, as you learn the mechanics, your balance and co-ordination will also improve. This is because your mind is pleasantly occupied with the constant repetition of trying to perfect the simple movements
Another vital aspect of our Arts is correct breathing, yet most of us go through our lives without even giving it a second thought. When I was at school I was taught to breathe in and pull everything in.

If we analyse what is actually happening to the lungs when you use this type of breathing you will find that only the upper part of the lungs are being used.
This allows toxins to form and build up in the lower part of the lungs. If you watch a baby breathing you will notice that there stomach appears to expand as they breathe in and contract as they breathe out, this type of breathing allows the whole of the lungs to be used correctly.

When your lungs are working correctly, this helps the rest of your body to work efficiently, your blood will flow freely and your body's natural energy (Chi) will move around your body; taking care of your inner well being. You will also find that your mind is more alert and ideas flow easily to you, providing solutions to areas of your life which may be causing you strain. People who suffer from breath related ailments such as asthma have found great benefit from practising LFA Tai Chi.

Because the movements of Tai Chi are gentle and practised without strain they are suitable for everyone. We encourage people to progress at their own pace.
Remember if you are feeling under pressure in any area of your life today, your mind, body and spirit are not in complete harmony.

The movements we teach work, they have helped many people suffering from ailments such as arthritis, asthma, back pain, balance, circulation, knee problems, low fertility, heart problems, hip problems, high blood pressure, low blood pressure, insomnia, neck problems, M.E. M.S. shoulder problems, thyroid, stress and many more. These ailments will be covered in greater depth in future articles.

The subject of the LFA Tai Chi Health Arts is vast and the knowledge and information I have to share with you has already helped many people. I have many written testimonials from people who have already reaped the benefits of practising LFA Tai Chi.

Sheila Dickinson
LFA Tai Chi Health Arts President and master Instructor.
www.lfataichi.com

Copyright LFA 2004