I first experienced Tai Chi 30 years ago. While walking through my neighborhood in a small town in northwestern New Jersey, I saw a man in a martial arts uniform doing a graceful dance in his backyard. I sat down a safe distance away and watched with fascination. I knew I was witnessing something special and sacred. I respected his level of concentration and did not dare make a move. I never spoke of what I saw as if speaking of it would have destroyed the magic.

25 years later. In Agios Pavlos on the remote southern coast of southern Crete, I took Tai Chi classes at sunrise and sunset. Staring from the cliffs out at the endless ocean I felt the sacred magic...one world...one breath.
Fast forward a couple years later. Chiang Mai, Thailand. While out for a morning jog I spotted a large group of Thai people in uniforms doing Tai Chi in the park. I joined them for a short time...and felt, once again...one world...one breath.

Fast forward to 2007. Chapel Hill, North Carolina. At a Thai Massage conference I took several Tai Chi classes and saw weapons demonstrations from Hans Dieter Lutz who also taught several classes in Nuad Boran, the ancient Thai system of healing and energy balance. Hans showed me a pressure point that is a healing point in Thai Massage and a killing point in Tai Chi...one world...one breath...one life...one death.

Saturday April 25, 2009. I headed to the Houston Arboretum to help local Tai Chi instructors and practitioners celebrate World Tai Chi& Qigong Day. The celebration started in New Zealand at 10am then moved like a wave through succesive time zones. It was a beautiful morning at the Arboretum. We learned from the organizer, Sifu Dale Napier, about the history of Tai Chi and how what started as a very athletic martial art was slowed down to become more accessible to more people. When the practice slowed down many health benefits were discovered. Dale's introduction was followed by a general warm-up. At 10 am teachers and regular practitioners performed '13 Kinetic Movements' as part of the world-wide wave. Next, the whole group participated in Qigong exercises which focused on centering and breath. After Qigong, we saw impressive demonstrations that included Tai Chi for Arthritis, Tai Chi Spear and Tai Chi Sword. Then participants partnered up to experience 'Pushing Hands'.

It is exciting to see ancient traditions kept alive in the heart of a modern urban city. Even though I do not practice Tai Chi regularly it has definitely had a huge impact on me through the years. In massage school I learned to incorporate many of the movements to help maintain good body mechanics. Many Gyrotonic movements are based on Tai Chi forms. Breath connects us to our bodies, to each other and to the Earth.

For more information about Tai Chi or Qigong contact Dale Napier at www.elementaltaichi.com

For more information about Nuad Boran, Thai Massage or Gyrotonic you may email me at stacy.elan@gmail.com or call me at 713.240.5397.