You may have seen my recent post announcing that Master Chen Ziqiang would be returning to Madison this December for another weekend of workshops.

I’m sorry to share that those plans have unfortunately changed. Due to an unexpected health issue that requires my full attention, I am no longer able to host Master Chen this year. This was a difficult decision, but a necessary one.

However, the training opportunity isn’t lost.

Master Chen will still be in the Midwest this fall. He will be teaching in Chicago at the end of October, hosted by Andy Loria. I’ve confirmed with Andy that there are still openings for anyone who wishes to attend.

For workshop details and registration, visit:
👉 https://chicagotaiji.com/workshops/

I truly apologize for the change in plans and any disappointment it may cause. Please know that I share that disappointment — I was very much looking forward to hosting this event.

In the meantime, I hope you all continue to prioritize your practice and your health. As the saying goes — stand more, reel more, and take care of yourselves.

I look forward to better days ahead and to welcoming Master Chen back to Madison in the future.

… and I am cancelling the remaining mini series classes as well.

I came across this post from Master Chen Zhiqiang Facebook account. Master CZQ have shared some of these stories with me in the past but this is organized so well, I decided to save it on my site. The content are not mine, the original was Chinese and Deepseek translated the content. Enjoy reading the amazing stories of these great masters. Note the part about doing the form 30 times a day. How many times do you do the form?

A friend asked me if I had pics to share from my training with CZQ in France and that’s when I realized that I have not been taking pics. I’ve been listening carefully to what he is saying and practicing the corrections he gave me. My understanding of his family’s art has deepen with each correction. He told me that it is easy to mimic what looks right, it is more difficult to know what right is inside. He said not to think too about what the outside looks right. When the inside is correct, the outside with be correct.

The saying about when the student is tardy, the teacher will appear is so accurate. I can take pictures and videos all day long (which one student did) but to truly understand, I have to watch, listen and reflect. I need to discover within myself what’s right and what’s not and ignore what others are seeing or what I’m seeing.

Someone at the seminar asked me how long I’ve been practicing taijiquan and I said I started in 1990 (the year I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease). That’s 33 years ago!!! He said ‘oh, you must be good’. I said  ‘No’. I said, ‘I only get corrections 1 or 2 times a year whenever I get to see CXX or CZQ. The rest of the times I practice the same mistakes again and again.’ Some people think they just need a workshop and they know what taijiquan is. Or, they are upset that we couldn’t finish the form during the 3-day workshop. Pour moi  – only 1 jin gang is enough. Hands on corrections are the best form of corrections for me. I owe CZQ and CXX a lot for my progress.

Yesterday’s correction was minute but profound! At the end of the class Master CZQ asked – how has it changed your form. I said the  changes are huge and I’m now applying that knowledge and feeling to the rest of the movements.

https://www.facebook.com/1042240652/videos/296192672811564/

Sorry this is only through FB.

This book is now available on Amazon. I’ve mine, go get yours today.

Due to the extended Safer At Home initiative, Fitchburg Senior Center offered me the opportunity to make a video of our weekly warm-ups and silk reeling exercises and because the space is small and tight. I’m only doing the stationary portion of the silk reeling exercises.

The video is available at http://factv.fitchburgwi.gov/CablecastPublicSite/show/12329?channel=2 as well as scheduled air times. I hope by the time we get back together in person again, we can add on standing corrections, moving steps , and do the forms together. Until then, please stay safe, protect not just yourself but others through social distancing, earning masks etc until we are sure our healthcare system is ready for us to get the coronavirus. It is not “IF” but “when” we will get the virus.