Daoist Neigong – Daoist Internal Arts

Tailoring Change

Dr Matthew Brewer — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 20:04:33 +0000

There is an intriguing phrase in the Dazhuan, the Great Treatise, the largest of the ten ‘wings’, or primary commentaries, of the Yijing. It is about the nature of change. It reads: Hua and cai are called bian.Dazhuan 1.12 化而裁之謂之變。 Translated directly it says: Transformation and tailoring are called change. The standard words for change …

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Making Use of the Middle

Dr Matthew Brewer — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 11:51:46 +0000

or Goldilocks was a philosopher There is a short phrase in the Taiji Classics that is easily glossed over. If we take the time to look at it a little more closely, it reveals surprising richness, depth and relevance to our practice of the internal arts and, beyond that, to the art of living. …

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Why So Slow 1

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 15:30:52 +0000

When people first join my classes they often comment on how slow they are, even compared to other Tai Chi classes, punctuated as they are by regular tea breaks. There are several reasons for this deliberate lack of haste. The first reason is obvious enough. The breaks give your nervous system time to absorb whatever …

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Being Way Oriented

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 15:23:53 +0000

The beauty of Tai Chi is that anyone can do it. There is an old saying: “Tai Chi can be done by anyone: male, female, young, old, strong, weak, intelligent and slow, healthy or ill.” It is one of the few forms of exercise at which you can improve continuously as you age. Tai Chi …

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Do Not Let the Great be the Enemy of the Good

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 15:05:48 +0000

I don’t know whether Bruce is intentionally referring to Voltaire’s famous phrase, “Le mieux est l’ennemi du bien,” “The best is the enemy of the good” but he often warns students, “Do not let the great be the enemy of the good.” By this he is cautioning against the trap that many fall into of …

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Where & When

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 10:33:07 +0000

Dr Matthew Brewer, the head of the school, teaches in Canterbury, Elham & Online. Dates Charges Dave Willis teaches in Deal, Thanet and online. Dates Charges Fiona McArthur teaches in Canterbury & Elham. Dates Charges

What We Teach

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 10:26:50 +0000

Where To Start Tai Chi Fundamentals We generally recommend Tai Chi Fundamentals as the place to start. This ancient neigong set teaches all of the essential alignments and movement principles in the most simple format possible. It is the foundation of the internal arts and it makes learning any Tai Chi form much easier. Dragon …

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The Three Swings

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 10:22:46 +0000

Tai Chi Fundamentals Part 2 The Three Swings complete the ancient neigong set the first half of which includes Standing, Cloud Hands and the Spinal Stretch. They build directly on the alignment and movement principles of Standing and Cloud Hands. It is important to have the basic alignments of each swing in place before moving …

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Fundamentals

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 10:21:52 +0000

The Foundation The tree is only as strong as its root. More generally known as Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body, Fundamentals is a complete series of neigong exercises that is over 3000 years old. It is the foundation of the internal arts and it is the best place to start. These on-going classes …

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Qigong

Dr Matthew Brewer — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 10:17:37 +0000

The difference between ‘Qigong’ and ‘Neigong’ ‘Qi’ (or ‘Chi’) is the Chinese word for ‘energy’ or ‘life force’. It is what differentiates a living body from a dead one. The modern term ‘qigong’, meaning ‘energy work,’ is used to cover all forms of Oriental energy exercise, however there are actually two distinct forms of such …

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