The Wednesday night Tai Chi class will not meet during the month of May, and will resume on schedule starting June 5. Students who regularly attend the Wednesday class are, of course, welcome to attend the other Beginner/Intermediate Tai Chi classes during May.
Thanks!
The Academy is happy to, once again, host a seminar on Blossoms in the Spring Qigong, a simple, meditative Qigong practice for healing and rejuvenation. This ancient Taoist Qigong is easy to learn but profound in its effects. It is suitable for all levels of experience and can be performed sitting, standing or lying down.We’ll learn the routine, practice together, drink tea, and explore the place of Qigong in Chinese medicine and healing. A companion text and DVD are also available.Taught by Narrye Caldwell, a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine and 30 year practitioner of Tai Chi and Qigong. Narrye is a faculty member of Five Branches University with a private practice which includes classical Feng Shui, Chinese astrology, and shamanic healing, as well as acupuncture and herbology.
Hard, Circular and Soft…three qualities of three different styles of traditional Chinese martial arts. But what do these qualities mean?
On Sunday, March 24, you are invited to ‘touch hands’ and find out: from 1-3pm, the Academy will host an open house, free to all inquiring and curious folks (18 and older.) We are Santa Cruz’s oldest traditional Chinese Martial Arts school; our mandate to preserve and promote these human treasures inspires our continued teaching; we know that no amount of reading or watching films can match the actual experience of moving in one of these styles.
Here’s your opportunity…
Kung Fu, 1:00pm
Bagua Zhang, 1:45 pm
Tai Chi Chuan, 2:30 pm
For more information, please call 475-1429 or contact us.
Good news! We have rescheduled the Bagua Zhang Eight Animals workshop. It will take place at the Academy, and we have two dates for you: both on Sunday, January 27, or February 24, from 1:00-5:00.
In addition to this 4-hour intensive on an introduction to Bagua Zhang, the workshop fee will include Plum’s newest book on Bagua’s Eight Animals, to serve as both a refresher and a supplement to the class.
For more info, you can see our earlier post on this.
Workshop details:
When: Sunday, January 27 or Feb 24
Where: Academy of Martial and Internal Arts, 1570 Soquel Dr, SC
(across from Dominican Hospital)
Fee: $85.00, which includes the textbook
Contact: 831 475-1429; or click HERE
To pay for EITHER seminar…
Classes start up again today…Looking forward to seeing you all.
Ted, Linda, Jim, and Travis
Due to the nature of Kung Fu the first thing to say about warm ups is that some people don’t believe in them. There are even some famous teachers who see no value at all in warm ups. Some of these teachers say, “After all, you can’t warm up before a fight.” They believe that you should do the warm ups and the basics as a whole, that the warm ups and basics should be so close together that they are indistinguishable. Continue reading
In modern times people tend to have much less sense of their ancestors and their origins. We are a mobile race and change often causes attrition to our beloved objects, our collected memorabilia and even our treasured emotions.
After many years in the Martial Arts I’ve found myself in every possible combination of these three activities. I’ve done every combination of any two, and I’ve only used one for long periods of time. Continue reading
Bagua Zhang is considered to be the last traditional martial art to emerge from China, incorporating health, movement and self-defense, exquisitely. Its round and twisting movements create an unparalleled system for building strength and increasing flexibility.
This workshop on Bagua’s Eight Animals is a classic and relatively simple introduction to this great Art. In the course of one afternoon, you will learn
This course also includes a profusely illustrated book available only through this workshop, which reviews the taught patterns, plus gives additional information on Bagua Zhang’s nature and philosophy.
This workshop is particularly open to those wishing to pursue study of Bagua Zhang at The Academy. It will provide a self-contained course, easily affording several months of self-study for the price of just one month’s tuition, and will allow students with this experience to join the Academy’s ongoing Bagua Zhang class.
Instructor Ted Mancuso is the director of The Academy of Martial and Internal Arts, Santa Cruz’s oldest traditional Kung Fu school, with over 45 years teaching experience. He is also the director of Plum Publications, a site devoted to the promotion and preservation of these traditional Arts. He has published widely in the field, including the DVD series, “Bagua: The Art of Change,” and has recently written the book “Learning Bagua Zhang,” which has received top reviews.
Workshop details:
When: Sunday, October 14, 1-5 pm Re-scheduled: Sunday, January 27.
Where: Academy of Martial and Internal Arts, 1570 Soquel Dr, SC
(across from Dominican Hospital)
Fee: $85.00, which includes the textbook
Contact: 831 475-1429; or click HERE
UPDATE: We have postponed the workshop due to cancellations; however, if you are interested, please email us and we will let you know when we reschedule, probably in January.
Sunday, the last of the summer Qigong series presented the ancient Five Animal Frolics Qigong. It was a chance to loosen up, learn some movements and, best of all, pretend to be animals. Each section was introduced by a 5-stage walking pattern specific to each animal. Next, came the master moves, ancient postures over 1000 years old. Then the expression and special sound for each animal was added.
After reviewing the photos of the seminar, we can see that these five animals definitely flew, clawed, hopped and ambled inside our studio walls on Sunday.
Watch for other seminars coming in the next few months!
Hello fellow students:
We are initiating our Academy book group with “Secrets of The Tai Chi Circle”. This is the book recommended by Sifu. Here is what is said about the book on the Plum Publishing website:
“Told as a novel, this entertaining tale offers insights into not only the principles of T’ai Chi and Taoism, but the relationship of instructor to student in this ancient tradition.”
At least that’s what we wrote over three years ago when we first listed this book. Then it almost immediately went out of print. But it’s back – and now it’s personal. We LIKE this book. It’s FUN. We like Luke Chan. The back of the book states “You will cry. You will laugh.” You’re all too sophisticated for that, we know. But that’s the author’s intent at least and he’s written a kind of “quest book” that many martial artists and seekers will want to read just for sheer enjoyment. Try a little taste…
”So one side of me chose to live in my own world of being young, curious, and always growing and learning while the other side of me detached myself from my own world, seeing my life just as it was – having the same sorrows and joys as other individuals. In my own world, I was a child, always growing; out of my own world, I was an adult, always sharing. Finally when these two sides fused into a perfect T’ai Chi Circle within me, I felt as though the water source of the pond had been connected to my body, and my mind became as clear and open as the Reflecting Pond itself. Indeed, the Fourth Secret of the T’ai Chi Circle had just been revealed to me.”
The book is available at the Academy or at Plum ($10.) We expect to set a date in early September to discuss the book; look for the sign-up sheet and more info at the studio. Enjoy!
The Academy will be taking vacation for a couple weeks in August:
We’ll be teaching classes on Thursday, August 2, and then will return for classes on Saturday, August 18. (We will be gone August 3 – August 17.)
For students, please continue to make your monthly payment; we will provide plenty of opportunity to make up the time and also will offer some special events!
Also, this will not affect the Five Animal Frolics Qigong seminar, which will still take place on Sunday, August 5!
Hope to see some of you at the seminar, and enjoy your time off!
What a great turnout we had for last Sunday’s Wudang Qigong seminar at The Academy! Over two dozen students—ranging from accomplished martial artists like Sifu Linda, to first-time Qigong players—spent the better part of 3 hours learning the 14 method regimen of Wudang’s signal routine.
This is an especial favorite of ours to teach and to practice: because it is modular, meaning you do not have to do every move each time; because it is traditional, meaning that each set of movements has a real purpose, grounded in Chinese medical principle; because it is effective, meaning that the students could get immediate ‘feedback’ while they learned; because it is Taoist, meaning that the order of learning this ‘Dragon Door’ qigong set—first posture, then breath and, finally, intent—mirrors the three pillars of classical Qigong acquisition.
Narrye Caldwell L.Ac, and Sifu Ted kept it moving, as three hours (with a couple of tea breaks) was just enough time to include all 14 parts (we’ll probably modify that in the future.)
As part of the presentation, we distributed limited edition booklets showing and describing the entire series of movements.
Thanks to all who participated, and we look forward to seeing you at the final Summer event: The Five Animal Frolics, on August 5.
Some moments…l
The 13 Techniques of the Tai Chi Straight Sword. Many styles view the basics for the straight sword differently.Some claim ten, some over twenty. In the case of the Tai Chi sword the techniques are said to derived from the additonal of the Five Elements to the Eight Directions, making a total of thirteen. Each description is followed by an example from the form.
Begin Form Continue reading
