BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID;X-RICAL-TZSOURCE=TZINFO:-//com.denhaven2/NONSGML ri_cal gem//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT DESCRIPTION:Tai Chi\nJeff Smith began learning Tai Chi from a book when h e was fifteen. Three years later he furthered his education of Tai Chi with lessons from a Tai Chi instructor. He has been practicing and teac hing the open hand Yang form since then\, later incorporating the pract ice of a Yang style staff form and a Yang style sword form. His interes ts include many different ideas and philosophies including Taoism\, vol unteerism\, backpacking and gardening to name a few. He considers himse lf a student who is always learning and finds that he learns the most w hen he teaches. From 2006 to 2011\, he was the president of the Hai Gui * Tai Chi group at OCC in Royal Oak MI\nTai Chi is a moving meditation. When practicing\, you concentrate on the movements\, on the breath and on the energy flowing through your body.\nExpect to spend roughly 30 t o 60 minutes depending on the number of people and experience level. Th e class will follow this format:\n1. Simple breathing exercises to clear the mind\n2. Simple stretches to loosen up\n3. Review the forms from pr evious classes\n4. Questions &\; answers\n5. Learn new postures\n6. P ractice the forms again\nDifferent exercises and forms of meditation wil l be intermixed on different days to give variety and to teach differen t aspects of the practice.\nGuidelines for Tai Chi\n·\; It is bes t to practice well after eating but not while hungry.\n·\; Wear lo se and comfortable clothing that will cover the body during stretching\ , turning and bending. For the benefit and safety of all group particip ants the following dress code is encouraged:\nFull T-shirt with no midri ff showing. Pant legs past the knees. o All clothing fully intact with o ut large holes and self-sustaining around the waist.\n·\; The mind should be clear and free and not under heavy stress.\n·\; Practic ing Tai Chi should not hurt. If anything feels uncomfortable bring it t o the instructor&rsquo\;s attention so that corrections can be made.\n&m iddot\; Practice of Tai Chi is non-competitive. Everyone will have diffe rent abilities and range of motion.\nPractice of Tai Chi\nTai Chi is a f orm of Chi Kong or a breathing exercise. Because of the many branches\, teachers and students of Tai Chi\, the Yang forms taught at different schools can look very different from each other. It is open for debate on how important the exact movements need to be to practice Tai Chi. Wh at is fully understood is that there are principles to practicing. Thes e principles include but are not limited to:\n·\; Hip over heal an d knee over toes.\n·\; Shoulders over the hips.\n·\; Every m ovement flows to the next\, no body part stops.\n·\; Everything mo ves in circles.\n·\; The breath leads the body.\n·\; The spi ne must remain straight.\n·\; The knees are bent.\n·\; Hands generally stay below the shoulders.\n·\; Never lock a joint\, 98% extension.\n·\; Do not pivot a foot that has weight on it.\n&midd ot\; Have Fun![! URL:http://troy.patch.com/events/flower-of-life-tai-chi-class SUMMARY:Flower of Life - Tai Chi class LOCATION:Stone Haven Free Methodist Church: 1349 W Wattles Rd\, Troy\, MI END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR