Anniversary Celebrations

Hi Everyone,

The Club celebrated it’s 14^th Anniversary on 5^th November. Where has the time gone ! Such a lot of water has passed under the bridge since then with more than 600 students passing through our doors making our motto “we can open the door but you must walk through by yourself” very appropriate. The time was also appropriate to award two club members Moira B and Dr William with Loyalty Certificates who have been with us for 10 years now, These events brought out the Chocolate biscuits provided by another loyal member Sid B. (our longest serving member of 13 years). Thank you all for your continuing active support throughout the years.
Both Mitzi and I were also proud to award Andy T his full Instructor’s Blue Badge and certificate, qualifying him to teach the Yang Cheng-fu Tai Chi Long form, various Qigong sets, the Taiji Stick and Yang Broadsword forms, and the 1^st 64 moves from the Dayan Wild Goose Qigong. See full Syllabus here.

Colin & Mitzi Orr

TCQHC Association-Principal Instructors
at www.taichi-qigong.net

Broadsword Crew

Hi Everyone,
Last Wednesday's session (14th Oct) was something else, the hall was jumping with Qi energy along with yet more certificate awards and photographs. This time it was the Broadsword Group looking like a smart gang of warriors, considering they only starting learning the sword in January they did very well. The club also appreciated their achievement as when the certificates were awarded the club nearly brought the house down with applause. I was very proud of them along with Andy who took them some of the way through their training, he will be picking up his Broadsword Instructors Module in the next couple of weeks.
I have decided to use a combination of two broadsword scarves; black (courtesy of Doreen H) and red for next year's display team demonstrations. With swords flashing and scarves flowing at every slash and strike the displays should be an even better spectacle.




To see the broadsword motley crew click on photo to enlarge.




Yours in Tai Chi & Qigong
Colin & Mitzi Orr TCQHC Association-Principal Instructors
at www.taichi-qigong.net

Wild Goose Qigong completion

After many weeks of learning, the Wild Goose 1st 64 Dayan Qigong group completed their training last night and were awarded the W/G Qigong competence certificate. This group showed a high review standard covering the practical and theory paper in line with the Association learning syllabus.
Well done everyone, your dedication and commitment has been rewarded by learning this powerful set of Dayan Qigong movements.
At the same time Andy achieved the Wild Goose 1st 64 Instructors module under the guidance of Mitzi Principal Qigong Instructor - fondly known as Mother Goose.
Well done everybody, you're a credit to the TCQHC Association.
Click on image to enlarge

Yours in Tai Chi & Qigong
Colin & Mitzi Orr - TCQHC Association - Principal Instructors
Tai Chi-Qigong Displays, Classes & Workshops.
Taiji in Action at www.taichi-qigong.net

MC @ the TCQHC Association

What about Tai Chi?

What are its benefits and claims? Firstly it’s not a cure all, easy way out or short cut to getting fit. It doesn’t use ‘no pain no gain’ methods such as trampolines, rowing machines, walking or running machines or any other such equipment to work up a sweat in the name of getting ultra fit.

To practice Tai Chi you do not require any kind of apparatus, designer jog suits, special trainer footwear or anything else that will make you look good when depleting your hard earned cash. Tai Chi simply needs you as an individual person, loose clothing, flat comfortable footwear or just bare feet and a little commitment.

Tai Chi is an ancient internal martial art originally developed in China, but nowadays mostly practiced as a slow soft set of movements, sometimes called meditation in motion. The practice of these movements help to stimulate and rejuvenate the internal organs and nervous system, calming and emptying the mind of anxieties . Tai Chi will rebalance you internally as well as externally, Tai Chi will teach you to breathe again fully as you did when you were a child. It will teach you to relax correctly letting go of tension, it will rejuvenate your internal energy enabling you to be more aware and more sensitive to movement and the outside world, coordinating thought and movement.

If you think these benefits are for you then contact Colin or Mitzi Orr who are the principal instructors and founders of the Tai Chi Health Centre with 25 years of combined teaching experience between them. The club was established in 1995 and is now a Association with qualified instructors. Their popular annual 11 week introduction class starts on 7^th October at Cliff Park Junior School, Gorleston. Interested then give them a call on 01493 789992 for more details.

MC @ the TCQHC Association

What is Qigong

WHAT IS QIGONG?
A brief description

The practice of QIGONG pronounced CHI KUNG is a formulated set of movements coordinated with correct breathing originating from mainland China.

QIGONG, has been around for approximately 3000 years, originally devised by the Taoist Monks because of their sedentary lives.
There are many types of Qigong methods and styles: amongst these are such flowery names as Jade Pillar, Fragrant Buddha, Zhang Zhong, Eight Strands of Silk Brocade, 18 Tai Chi-Qigong set and the Dayan Wild Goose Qigong to name but a few.

The nearest definitions of the words Qigong in broad terms are:

Qi = Internal energy or Air
(Air is the most common description because of its Oxygen content)

Gong = Exercise
So the word Qigong simplified means ‘Breathing Exercise’

The most popular Qigong sets practiced at the Tai Chi Health Centre are the Eight Strands of Silk Brocade, 1–5 Zhang Zhong postures, 18 Tai Chi Qigong and Fragrant Buddha Qigong. The 8 Strands of Silk Brocade set is practiced regularly at the Association and has proved to be the easiest for newcomers to master in this ancient art of Qigong.

Both Tai Chi and Qigong practice the same philosophy of Yin and Yang i.e. understanding the meaning of opposites and constant change, creating a balance of health and wellbeing.

As with Tai Chi these slow, external movements with co-ordinated breath help to stimulate the internal organs, by promoting the flow of internal energy called Qi.
At the association we practice Qigong in conjunction with Tai Chi as both skills are inseparable within the learning program.

The practice of Qigong as with Tai Chi is no longer restricted to the far east but practiced in many countries throughout the world and remains one of the most popular ways to exercise. Qigong helps to rejuvenate the internal organs, promotes well being, re-balances the immune system, relaxes and promotes inner calm and improves balance and posture with correct breathing.

If you would like further information on the internal arts please contact us via the blog comment or our website contact us

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Club news

Hi Everyone,

Hope you all had a good term break. Mitzi and I look forward to seeing you all Wednesday night 8^th July at Cliff Park High School Gym for the start of another Club term, thereafter it will be at our usual venue Cliff Park Junior (previous called the Middle School).

2^nd 3^rd group will continue under Mark Greenwood and the watchful eye of Mitzi. We have also decided to slot in three more revision weeks for the 2^nd / 3^rd group, this is additional to the standard one in the learning sequence, making it now a total of four revision weeks in the learning schedule

The Final Third group completed their induction 5 element phase last term with flying colours. They will be awarded their 5 step element certificates and badges on Wednesday. They all obtained high marks in their written and oral reviews. They now move into the seniors group for refinements and corrections; this stage now qualifies them to move onto the weapons section starting with the martial stick form scheduled to start at the beginning of next term 7^th October.

The broadsword tuition is now scheduled for completion on 16^th September – end of term, with reviews and certificates awarded on 7^th October at the start of next term.

The Wild Goose 1^st 64 will be revising in groups and working up to their review on 16^th September under the strict eye of Mitzi. Competent students will be awarded their certificates on 7^th October.

Lastly a polite reminder as always that tuition fees are due on the first night of each term.

Take care and see you Wednesday night usual start time 7pm, doors open 6pm.

Yours in Tai Chi & Qigong

Colin & Mitzi

Heart to Heart by Mitzi Orr

What has practicing Tai Chi done for me? before and after open heart surgery:
My name is Mitzi Orr and with my husband Colin run the Tai Chi Qigong Health Centre based in Gorleston. I teach and practice Tai Chi on a regular basis at the club and also at our Monday and Friday Rejuvenation Clubs. My story begins when I was just 2 years old. I caught the then prevalent disease of diphtheria, which left me with a murmur in the mitral valve of the heart. Heart disease ran in the family anyway so genetically I did not have a good start. However I got on with life, came through the war years, married and raised a family of four children. Off and on over the years I had occasion to see a heart specialist just to keep an eye on what was going on. I went through a great deal of stress in my life, especially in the later years, which added to the problem. In 1994 I had a massive heart attack with complications, brought on by stress, during which I was resuscitated twice.
During the recuperation period I began to look around for some form of exercise which would help in my recovery. I attended a holistic fair at one of the Hotels in Great Yarmouth during which I watched a demonstration of Tai Chi and Qigong. That was it! I joined the Club and from that moment on I was hooked. I learned how to breathe properly in the Qigong exercises and the beautiful soft, flowing, gentle movements of the Tai Chi form gradually healed my body and mind. I learned how to relax and free myself from stress. If I had not been a practitioner of Tai Chi and Qigong I would not be telling this story today.
However Tai Chi does not perform miracles and of course my heart was still in a bad condition. The valve began to deteriorate and I developed atrial fibrillation. I was advised by my doctors to keep up the practice of TaiChi as they believed this was helping me.
Eventually I had open heart surgery at Papworth on the 17th March 2006 when I had two valve repairs (mitral and tricuspid) and a single bypass. The surgeon, doctors and nurses were amazed at the good condition I was in and also my calm state of mind. In fact, I was so relaxed that as I left the ward for the operating theatre I was singing ‘Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye’!
The doctors advised me to get back to Tai Chi practice as soon as possible, which I did. I truly believe that Tai Chi and its related philosophy pulled me through. I’m now a young 74 years old going on for 44!

Author: Heart to Heart by Mitzi Orr – Chief Instructor at the Tai Chi-Qigong Health Centre

MC @ the TCQHC Association

Ten Year Members

The 14th of January 2009 was a special day for two of our association club members. Dr William and Moira have been with us for ten years now and this makes them the club’s longest active serving members. Their dedication and commitment to the Tai Chi Qigong Health Centre is commended to say the least. They both walked through our doors and joined the club on 13th January 1999, since then much water has flowed under the bridge, both acquiring their yellow badge achievement with William (better known as Willy) being part of the Tai Chi in Action Display Team. Both practice along with the Yang Cheng fu Tai Chi form, various Qigong sets, the Dayan Wild Goose, Taiji Stick form and now are going through the rigours of learning the Yang Broadsword form. Even though they both have busy work schedules they have shown continued club loyalty throughout the years. Well done and thank you for continuing to promote Tai Chi with the TCQHC.

MC @ the TCQHC Association

The Hawthorn Bush

As you can all guess by now we are great bird lovers. Our new garden is attracting various birds, so far visitors include Hedge/Tree Sparrows, Chaffinches, Black Birds, Collared Doves, a pair of white Pigeons along with their sisters the Feral Pigeon, a very timid Robin, Pied Wagtails, Gold Finches, Green Finches, Blue Tits, Wrens, Magpies, Starlings (scoundrels of the bird world as I like to call them) plus a couple of crows who occasionally pop in, the biggest of them all has been a Grey Heron.But to encourage our friendly visitors even more especially in the nesting season we plan to plant some Hawthorn Bushes, considered to be a very good habitat and supply of fruit for the cold winter months.
The Hawthorn Bush (Crataegus oxyacantha) or May bush is a beautiful tree and a useful herb in herbal medicine. There is a lot of folklore surrounding the hawthorn and it is called the fairy tree in Ireland. It is seen as bad luck to ever cut down or disturb a hawthorn tree. People in Ireland tie pieces of ribbon or other little gifts on to the tree as a part of a pagan ritual which was adapted by Irish Catholics. One would often see a may bush growing near holy wells and sacred sites, it would be these trees that people tend to decorate with "prayer" ribbons and beads.
MC @ the TCQHC Association

Pink Footed Geese & Dayan Wild Geese

We have been blessed to be on the flight path of skein after skein of pink footed geese flying over our home in Belton, Norfolk, these beautiful birds arrive in October after traveling 800 miles from Iceland to winter in the fields and coast of East Anglia.

Hearing the unmistakable noise of the geese we rush outside just as if it were the first time we saw them. Every time it warms our hearts as we look up to witness these wonderful birds. It really is something to behold sending a chill up the spine as they noisily pass overhead in formation, stragglers falling in line as they make their way to or from their feeding grounds. It makes you realize how beautiful and majestic nature is. You cannot miss this marvelous sight as the unmistakable noise is tremendous as they fly overhead.

Mitzi teaches the Dayan Wilde Goose Qigong and relates to these wonderful birds as they fly over in formation, visually connecting to the ancient Chinese set of Qigong movements with the Pink Footed Geese from Iceland. There’s no better way to usher in 2009. We look forward to seeing many more skein in the future brightening the short winter days.
MC @ the TCQHC Association