18 December: Shifu Liu appears in M. Le Monde Magazine fashion Shoot!
16 December: AGM, Free Taiji Workshop & Party
The TJC Charity AGM, a free 2 hour Winter Workshop with Shifu Liu and our Christmas party… shared food, playing music, singing, tai ji, favourite poem, everyone joined in to share something they loved best… a fabulous party full of wonderful and generous people, thank you all for sharing and supporting us throughout the year.
9 December: TJC perform with Chinese Wushu Stars
Tai Ji Circle Performance Team at the ‘Chinese & British Elite International Wushu Show’ in Walthamstow, 9 December 2017 – Tai Ji Circle students joined other Shaolin Schools to perform at the Walthamstow Academy. Shifu Liu performed a section of Xinjia Er Lu, The New Frame Cannon Fist and followed that by Breaking a Concrete Block with his palm.
Later Tai Ji Circle at the ‘Chinese Martial Arts Night Show in London‘ – Six of the TJC Team were selected by Shifu Liu and had the honour to perform on stage with the wushu elite champions (see our Youtube links). They have their first rehearsal with the team a few hours before heading to the theatre to perform at the Brewery in the City of London.
The event was organised as part of the cultural celebrations to mark the 45 year anniversary of Anglo-Chinese Diplomacy, by the Chinese Wushu Association with the Anglo-Chinese Sports Exchange Association & The Sino-UK Kung Fu Association, and there will be another to look forward to in 2018.
2 December: Push Hands Workshop with Grand Master Zhu Changhai
Tai Ji Circle were very fortunate to have Grandmaster Zhu head of the Northern Ireland Wushu Association come and share his expert knowledge and experience of Tai Ji Push Hands at our London workshop. We worked primarily with Cloud Hands and it was fascinating to see the many different martial applications that can be used from the Chen taiji and the Yang style from one training practice. We really appreciate his patience and skill and detailed explanations, and coming over to London at ungodly hours for such a quick visit to be with us.
26 October: Foundation Chen Taijiquan training
Foundation Chen training, Shifu Liu teaches applications from Chansi gong (Silk Reeling exercises), it important to gain an adequate understanding of the martial principles of tai ji training, even when practicing primarily for health.
10 September: Sundays at the Islington Chinese Association
First Sunday of Term Three we moved our classes to the Islington Chinese Association, begin our new Foundation Courses and the 19 Step Form, great to have space to spread out.
7 September: Shifu Liu is presented with a pumpkin!
Junliang’s amazing home-grown pumpkin gift for Shifu Liu, who couldn’t resist using it for posture correction in horse stance!
28 August: Chris in Malibu – California
In August during the TJC summer break, Chris caught up with her yoga practice, went on a SEA Qi Gong and Yoga teacher training trip to the US with Master Mathew Cohen. An opportunity for tai ji on the beach at dawn.
Thanks to Karryn Barrows for the photo.
26 August: Tribute to the Ven Geshe Damcho Yonten
This is a heart-felt tribute to the Ven Geshe Damcho Yonten who passed away on Saturday 26 August 2017. Chris from Tai Ji Circle, has been visiting Lam Rim Buddhist Centre in South Wales during the 1980’s-90’s, with her Tuesday yoga group. We would go once or twice every year under the warm and compassionate care of the Ven Geshe Damcho Yonten and Margaret and Edita. In 2005 Chris launched Tai Ji Circle with Shifu Liu Quanjun and wanted to share the beauty, calm tranquility and joy of staying at Lam Rim with our students. Huge thanks to all the people who helped over the years to make our stays there so memorable, Margaret’s care, Edita’s wonderful cooking and vegetables from the garden, and the unforgettable smile and the beautiful spirit of the Ven Geshe Damcho Yonten, known to us all as Geshe-La.
12 August: Da Bei Qi Gong Summer workshop
At our first London qi gong workshop for awhile, we learnt all about qi gong practice and what it is for and how it can help us. The meditative focus is on the movements, respiration, mind and will, so that the qi (energy) circulates smoothly during the practice. The body’s internal qi is the medicine for healing, and Da Bei qi gong stimulates the free flow of energy throughout the body and can be practiced for healing oneself or for building energy.
3 June: Free tai Ji in the Park and Chen Taiji Ball
We had a great time with the MeetUp Group for free tai chi in Camden Square and followed that with the new Tai Ji Ball and weapons classes
29 May: Dr in The House Episode 3 on BBC1
Shifu Liu features briefly teaching Tai Ji to help relieve stress for one of the programmes participants. Great programme, thoughtful Dr Rangan Chatterjee has a holistic approach to helping people through changing diet, activities and lifestyle.
The full episode can be seen on © BBC iPlayer (Shifu Liu is on about 31.06 minutes in) and also appears on the BBC News website in a photo with their article about about back pain and health: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-40050863
27-28 May: Shifu Liu teaches Belfast Seminar
Grandmaster Zhu Changhai and the Irish Wushu Association invited Shifu Liu to gave a qi gong seminar in Belfast. It was lovely to reconnect with friends we met last year at the Duan Wei gradings, such kindness and generous hospitality. Spread over two days the workshop focused on Da Bei Qi Gong, a quiet meditative practice with the intention of generating the internal movement of energy for healing. A big thank you to our hosts Grandmaster Zhu, the Members of IWA, Yun Long for his translation skills, and the four TJC students, who came over to Belfast to join us.
16 May: Shifu Liu and ‘Dr In The House’ on BBC1
Blink and you’d have missed it… Shifu Liu makes a brief appearance in the opening credits of BBC’s ‘Dr in the House’ last night
9 May: Master Chen Ziqiang signs contract
What an honour for us… Master Chen signs the contract that authorises Shifu Liu and Tai Ji Circle to became the official representatives in London of the Chenjiagou Chen Taijiquan Association and Chenjiagou Taijiquan School, the home of Chen Taijiquan in China.
9 May: Master Chen Ziqiang – Push Hands
Master Chen Ziqiang’s second seminar on 9 May was Tui Shou Chen-style Push Hands practice, which is his specialism, and for which he is renowned worldwide. Pushing hands works to undo a person’s natural instinct to resist force with force, teaching the body to yield to force and redirect it. We had a wonderful two days of training and are very grateful to Master Chen for giving us his time and energy.
8 May: Master Chen Ziqiang – Chen Taiji Ball
We were so happy and honoured to welcome Master Chen Ziqiang to London for two great evening workshops. The first was Chen Taiji Ball training, which is a method to increase strength and power training in traditional Chen Taijiquan. We practiced the movements using small rubber basketballs to become familiar with the coordination of the movements. A weighted ball can be used for practice in the style’s classic spiralling, twining movements, which over time helps to train the ‘dantian’ in leading body movement. Thanks to Calvin for translating for Master Chen, and everyone for attending.
29 April: TJC’s 2017 World Tai Ji Day in London
We had a great morning for World Tai Ji Day, gathering in Camden Square gardens at 10am local time on the last Saturday of April. It was fun to imagine that elsewhere many others were also gathering to practice their art around the world. After introductions Shifu Liu took us through his warm up and some standing posture practice and correction. After a demonstration of the beginning of Xinjia Er Lu to show the ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ aspects of Chen style, he then lead us through silk reeling and a section of form, using ‘fajin’ to demonstrate the power of the martial aspect of the movements.
Huge thanks to everyone who came and freely contributed, Shifu Liu who taught and TJC students who came to help us for a wonderful celebration of Chen Taijiquan, and not forgetting Camden Council who waived the expensive ‘Event’ fee that would have prevented us from holding the session in Camden Square.
See Facebook Link Albums
14-15 April: Tai Ji Circle’s Easter Retreat with Shifu Liu
Our Easter Retreat was nearly a no-go event as the London Irish Centre where we had booked since February had forgotten our booking, we were saved by Stephen at the Islington Chinese Association who gave permission for us to use their lovely hall instead, what a huge relief it was available! So after warm ups and silk reeling in Camden Square Gardens we trooped off to Holloway and the welcoming warmth of the ICA premises. We studied Laojia Yi Lu the classic Chen Tai JI long form, with students following and watching movements of Shifu Liu, on day two we started with the meditative qi gong practice to give us energy and continued on through the routine.
Finishing with pick-a-posture from the form, for Shifu Liu to adjust and several students also got lucky and had a relaxing Tui Na Massage with Shifu Liu, who is also a specialist in Chinese Massage Therapy. Great weekend of training and thanks all around for those who came from near and far, and Shifu for teaching us.
1 April: TJC’s Free tai chi class in the park
Free Saturday Chen Taiji in Camden Square today in the sunshine, large and small circles of Chansi gong, silk reeling exercises… come and try it, 12.00-13.30 every 1st Saturday of the month, next one is 4 June, Camden Square Gardens NW1.
11 March Chen 56 Competition Form Workshop
Great workshop with Shifu Liu working through the complexities of the specially formulated 56 movement Chen routine to show the Chen style taijiquan characteristics in the setting of a competition.
5 February Shifu Liu gives a Chen Tai Ji Demonstration for the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Shifu Liu demonstrates Sifang Quan, his Chen Four Direction Fist Form at the ATCM Association’s 2017 Chinese New Year Celebration in London. This short routine practiced in both directions is well balanced, good for beginners to learn, is calming and a tai ji qi gong therapy for health and well-being.
4 February Chinese New Year at the Islington Chinese Association in London
Tai Ji Circle Chen Taijiquan demonstrations and practice session at the Islington Chinese Association, a lovely celebration and collaboration for us to be part of the ICA’s Fire Rooster party and celebrations. As always we are very grateful, and huge thanks go to our students who supported us, coming from far and wide across London to participate.
HAPPY NEW YEAR OF THE FIRE ROOSTER 2017
