Mitchell Sandler 
Last week there was a young woman dancing wildly in the park. My group was doing taiji. While we were doing our slow, controlled dance, she was working an energetic groove about fifty meters away. She was evidently making a video for TikTok or the like. I kept thinking what a good, active way this … Read more
I’ve just heard that my taiji teacher has died. It was a shock: I fully expected to see Howard again. His last text message to me, after I sent a picture of my new taiji saber, was “Good for you, it’ll keep you young.” He wasn’t that old himself: 78. Not particularly old for someone … Read more
When Yang Chengfu was teaching in Shanghai in the 1930’s, he taught his students ten essential principles needed to perform taiji properly. I’m going to describe these ‘Ten Commandments’ and talk about how to practice them. First, though, it’s important to know that incorporating these instructions and internalizing them takes time and attention. Holding all … Read more
I would have missed this year’s Scottish Parkinson’s Table Tennis Open were it not for an entertaining radio interview with gold medalist Gillian Lacey-Solmar. She is one of a group of Parkinson’s patients, the “Movers and Shakers”, who undertake various activities to keep in shape and slow the progress of the disease. She says that … Read more
Ik ben net tien dagen in Hong Kong geweest. Het Groot Omroepkoor zong daar twee concerten van “Der Fliegende Holländer” van Richard Wagner, o.l.v. Jaap van Zweden, chef-dirigent van het Hong Kong Philharmonic. De concerten zijn opgenomen en zullen later op cd verschijnen. Op onze eerste ochtend in Hong Kong, was ik vroeg op. Ik … Read more
I’ve just returned from Hong Kong. The Netherlands Radio Chorus was there for two concerts and a recording of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” with the Hong Kong Philharmonic and their conductor, a true flying Dutchman, Jaap van Zweden. On our first morning I set out for Kowloon Park, to find the group I had trained … Read more
Toen ik les had bij Howard Choy, kwam er een moment toen hij zei dat ik voortaan zelf les mocht geven. Niet dat je van het ene moment op het volgende van leerling naar leraar verandert. Hij vond dat ik vanaf dat punt zelfs meer zou leren door les aan anderen te geven. Ik vind … Read more
A fighting Shaolin monk called Cheng Te had heard about Yang Luchan’s great abilities and wrote to ask for a challenge match. Yang Luchan received the monk at his home. As he opened the door, Cheng Te suddenly charged at him with both fists. Yang Luchan easily repelled the attack, and with a tap of … Read more
Today it’s a whole year since I put out my notice on a digital bulletin board about giving free, daily taiji lessons in our local park. After a full year of taijiquan in the park, we have a great group of people together and a steady trickle of new people. People hear of the group … Read more
In June of 2020 I put up a notice on a local digital bulletin board, offering free taijiquan sessions every weekday morning. There was a lot of interest, and there are now 28 people in the Whatsapp group. After a while we started meeting on the weekends as well. Not everyone comes every day. Usually … Read more
In juni 2020 plaatste ik een advertentie op een locale digitaal prikboord. Ik bood gratis taijiquan lessen aan, op elke door de weekse dag. Er was meteen veel belangstelling, en nu zijn we met 29 in de appgroep. Heel snel begon ik ook ’s weekends lessen te geven. Niet iedereen komt iedere dag. Meestal zijn … Read more
Qigong betekend letterlijk ‘energie oefening’. Er zijn heel veel verschillende qigong. Sommige zijn bedoeld om de yin/yang van een bepaald orgaan in balans te brengen, zoals nier, of long. Er zijn ook organen die alleen in de Chinese geneeskunde voorkomen, zoals ‘driedubbele verwarmer’. Een qigong kan bestaan uit 8, 10 of meer oefeningen. Maar een qigong … Read more