By JAKE DAVIDSON
Tai chi can help you relax, get into better shape and help the chi or other mystical energies flow through your body.
An open house was held Jan. 18 during which a Taoist tai chi “set,” consisting of 108 movements, was demonstrated by the International Taoist Tai Chi Society at their Cambridge branch located at 336 Eagle St. N., Unit 1B1.
The demonstrations are held every January and April, just before the beginner winter and spring sessions begin. The winter classes began on Jan. 22.
The society was founded by Master Moy Lin-shin, a Taoist Monk, in 1970. Taoist tai chi is practised in 26 countries, and the society has over 200 locations in Canada alone. They are a registered volunteer organization for health and charity.
Those who have learned the 108-move set can attend classes on Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. at Wesley United Church in downtown Galt. Classes held at the main Preston location on Eagle Street are Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 7 to 9 p.m., and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 a.m. There is also a 5 to 7 p.m. class the same day.
It costs $105 for a 16-week membership with access to all the classes.
“The tai chi we teach is purely for its health benefits,” said Simon Bull, an instructor and recruiter with the society. “It is performed slowly and is ideal for people with health conditions and of all ages.”
Tai chi has several health benefits including increasing flexibility, helping people focus and it can relieve stress and increase mobility.
“It was very strongly suggested by my doctor,” saiBruce Bryans, a Cambridge resident. “I have fibromyalgia, which is a kind of nerve degenerative problem, and not that the tai chi helps get rid of it, but it does help me stay in shape so I can bypass some of the effects.”
The classes are open to everyone. The youngest member is 12 years old and they have an 80+ member. It’s good for every part of the body from the skeletal system to the lymphatic system.
For more information visit central.canada.taoist.org.
