Tai Chi & Qigong Surrey

06/09/2025

06/09/2025

Six Principles of Correct Qi Gong Practice: Essentials of Qi Gong Practice.

From a general summary, we can see that the key points of practicing Daoyin Gongfa include the following:

1. Open your eyes naturally

Relaxation means that one should not be tense mentally and physically relaxed during the practice. Stillness means keeping calm and free of distracting thoughts during the practice.

Relaxation and tranquility mutually promote and influence each other. If relaxation is mastered, tranquility becomes easier, and once tranquility is achieved, relaxation becomes easier. Relaxation and tranquility are the fundamental requirements for relaxation exercises, the basic skills for beginners, and the foundation for successful practice of various exercises.

2. Combining movement and stillness

Daoyin exercises are divided into two categories: dynamic exercises and static exercises. Generally speaking, dynamic exercises utilize body movements to guide the flow of internal energy, while static exercises rely more on the power of intention to gather energy in the Dantian. Therefore, when arranging exercises, static exercises and dynamic exercises should be closely coordinated.

3. Practice and nourishment together

Practice and nourishment are two distinct states of mind during the practice of qigong. Practice involves consciously adjusting the body, maintaining posture, concentrating attention, and eliminating distracting thoughts. Nourishment refers to the state of rest achieved after conscious practice, characterized by a relaxed and comfortable body, gentle and uninterrupted breathing, and a tranquil mind. Practice and nourishment complement each other, promoting the harmonious balance of qi and blood in the body.

4. Be of the same mind

"Yi" refers to the practitioner's intentional activity; "Qi" refers to the breath and the internal energy sensations experienced during practice. "Yi Qi Xiang Su" means that the practitioner can use their intention to influence and train their breathing and internal energy, integrating their intentional activity with the movement of their breath. This is also known as "Yi Qi He Yi."

5. Accurate and gentle

You must pay attention to maintaining the correct posture and making sure the movements are in accordance with the regulations. The height, weight, position, technique, and breathing should all be done according to the regulations. The movements should be flexible, gentle, and just right.

6. Take it step by step

It takes a while for the guiding health-preserving exercises to be effective and it is impossible for them to be effective in a short period of time. Therefore, we must follow a certain procedure when practicing. Only in this way can we achieve success naturally.

05/09/2025

As well as a tai chi and qigong teacher I am also an acupuncturist and often come across people who don't know just how wide ranging the support from acupuncture can be.

So this is for the ladies out there.

Are you struggling with menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms?

Acupuncture works in a different way to HRT and other supplements. Many of our patients find it a useful complement to their existing treatments.

We offer treatments from as little as £30 in our community multibed in Merstham with private appointments also available in our Redhill clinic.

If you'd like a free 15 minute, no obligation chat please do get in touch with Nicci at info@acupuncture-surrey.co.uk.

Struggling with menopausal or perimenopausal symptoms?

Acupuncture works in a different way to HRT and other supplements. Many of our patients find it a useful complement to their existing treatments.

We offer treatments from as little as £30 in our community multibed in Merstham with private appointments also available in our Redhill clinic.

If you'd like a free 15 minute, no obligation chat please do get in touch with Nicci at info@acupuncture-surrey.co.uk.

02/09/2025

Moving slowly is not the goal of Taijiquan, it is the foundation of learning Taijiquan well. As an early writer of Taijiquan Chen Xin wrote: "From beginning to end, one must move slowly. If you can be slow, then be as slow as possible. When slowness is practiced to the highest degree, agility will also be achieved to the highest degree…This is what people usually find astonishing, yet they do not realise it is the result of the arduous work done beforehand.”

The slow practice of Taijiquan helps to standardise one's movements and allows for a deeper appreciation of the rich nuances and essence within the forms. Slow practice is detailed practice; detailed practice enables complete relaxation of different parts of the body; and complete relaxation allows one to adapt to the myriad changes, achieving a state of unified body and mind. If movements are practised too quickly, many subtle aspects—such as the nuances of posture, transitions, and connections between movements—may be glossed over, leading to incomplete or inaccurate ex*****on.

Slowly learn to feel how one movement seamlessly and continuously connects to the next. This connecting process links what comes before to what follows. Without smooth connections, transitions between movements cannot be fluid, the folding and changing actions cannot be realised, and the continuous, unbroken flow of silk-reeling energy cannot be developed.

During slow practice, it is essential to achieve “slow but not dispersed, slow but not broken, slow but not stiff and, slow but not dull”. Slow practise is ultimately for the purpose of speed, but this speed can only emerge gradually on the solid foundation of slow practice.

31/08/2025

I have a beautiful copy of the Tao Te Ching by Lau Tzu (translated by Stephen Mitchell). Sometimes I ask a question and open to a random page for the answer. This was today's wisdom

30/08/2025

Breathe and Rest Gently in This Moment

Rest here for a moment,
near quiet waters,
letting the surface of the water hold silence,
and the silence hold you.

As the body rests,
the mind begins to quiet.
Thoughts soften,
like leaves drifting downstream.

As the ripples fade,
so do your thoughts.
They dissolve,
they settle,
they become still.

Awareness widens,
a horizon without edges,
expanding into gentle stillness.

You open,
breath by breath,
into spaciousness,
where nothing is hurried,
and everything belongs.

The world drifts softly around you,
and stillness settles
into every corner of your body.

There is no effort here,
no striving,
only the quiet unfolding
of what already is.

Breathe,
and rest gently in this moment.

~'Breathe and Rest Gently in This Moment' by The Garden Of Pensiveness

✍️ Mary Anne Byrne

~ Image by Robert Foster

29/08/2025

The emotional benefits of tai chi and qigong.

If you'd like to know more please email me on twgwithnicci@gmail.com.

First class is free for new students.

24/08/2025

https://metro.co.uk/2025/08/21/this-chinese-walking-technique-wont-get-far-make-live-longer-23959793/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMXmCVjbGNrAxeYCmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEejQAnaU66yxI8NSWZvtRIxsJVLI0QUfFfI3Rz1Ra_pyF1SwluEXIXDsyl1z8_aem_oIiDIO7zYJJXY5CmfFgWPw

Give it a try.

22/08/2025

TAI CHI & QIGONG CLASSES IN REIGATE
NEW TERM - 10 SEPTEMBER - 15 OCTOBER

I'm excited to be teaching the Taiji13 short form this term. Over 6 weeks you will learn an entire short form which can be practiced in 5 minutes and in limited space. This is a great opportunity for new and existing students to learn a compact and elegant form.

Qigong classes - focussed on supporting health and happiness - continue on a pay as you go basis on Wednesday mornings.

First class (tai chi or qigong) is free for new students.

To find out more please contact Nicci on twgwithnicci@gmail.com

19/08/2025

[Rare Classics] (80) Complete Collection of Photos of Grandmaster Yang Chengfu in His Youth and Later Years. Part 16 (Snake Creeps Down and Golden Rooster Stand on One Leg right-left)

Yang Chengfu (1883-1936) was born in Beijing. Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan (Dajia) - Photos of his later years.

There seems to be a difference in postures when he was young and when he is older.

18/08/2025

[Rare Classics] (80) Complete Collection of Photos of Grandmaster Yang Chengfu in His Youth and Later Years. Part 4

Yang Chengfu (1883-1936) was born in Beijing. Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan (Dajia) - Photos of his later years.

Start (Qi Shi)

Lan Que Wei Left Peng, Lan Que Wei Right Peng (no photos of youth boxing)

Lan Que Wei Lu Pose

Lan Que Wei An Shi

Single Whip

Hand-lifting posture

White Crane Spreads Its Wings

Left-Lok Knee Step

Waving the P**a

Right-side knee-hugging step

Progress and block punch

Like a seal or a blockage (missing photos of young boxers)

Cross Hand

Bringing the tiger back to the mountain

Look at the punch from the elbow

Left-handed monkey chase

Chasing the Monkey Rightward

Oblique flying style

Needle in the Sea

Fan Tongbei

Left body hit

Pi Shen Chui Er (missing the photo of the young man)

Progressive Banlan Chui (missing the photo of the youth boxing)

Cloud Hand 1

Cloud Hands II

Gao Tanma

Right Split-Foot Stroke

right leg

Left-legged push-up

Left split leg

Turn around and kick left (missing the photo of the young man)

Left and right hugging knees and stepping (missing the photo of the young man)

Progress

Turn over and punch one or two (missing the photo of the young man)

Right kick

Left Tiger Stance

Right Tiger Stance

Double wind piercing the ears

Left kick (missing photo of youth boxing)

Oblique Single Whip

Right Wild Horse Parting Mane

Left Wild Horse Parting Mane

Jade Girl Shuttle 1

Jade Girl Shuttle II

Jade Girl Shuttle 3

Jade Girl Shuttle 4

Downward trend

Left Golden Rooster Stand

Right Golden Rooster Stand

White snake spits out its tongue

Gao Tan Ma Chuan Zhang (photo of youth boxing missing)

Cross Legs

Progressive Crotch Punch

Step forward seven stars

Step Back and Cross the Tiger (Photos of his boxing in his later years are missing)

Turning Lotus (Youth Fist photo missing)

Shooting a Tiger with a Bow

Closing