MY TAI CHI AND QI GONG JOURNEY
Hello, my name is Darren, and I have been practicing Tai Chi (taiji) and Qi Gong (Chi Gong) for over 20 years now. Throughout this time, I have dedicated myself not only to my own practice but also to sharing this art with others, and I have been teaching for 11 fulfilling years. During my teaching journey, I have had the pleasure of guiding numerous individuals from various walks of life, each bringing their unique experiences and perspectives. They all encountered different health difficulties when they first began their practices, similar to those I faced when I initially started my journey into Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
What I have consistently observed is that everyone who enrolls in Tai Chi will quickly discover that the practice can bring about significant and often surprising improvements to their health and well-being. In my personal view, Tai Chi serves a vital role in cultivating and nurturing our vital energy, while Qi Gong (pronounced chi kung) focuses on the effective movement of that energy throughout the body. This practice opens the joints, engages the fascia connective tissue, and ultimately benefits the entire body, enhancing both physical and mental health. In reality, Qi Gong represents a crucial aspect of traditional Chinese wisdom and is often considered the key to achieving and maintaining good health.
I had issues with my back, and my short-term memory was so poor that I had to write everything down when I started Tai Chi and Qi Gong to remember the movements. A dear friend, now gone, introduced me to my first teacher. I owe my journey in Tai Chi to James Wayman. After my first school, I learned for eight years from James Langcake, who studied under Arvo Tucker and then Master Wang Hai Jun. Master Wang learned from Chen Zhenglei, a member of the direct Chen family lineage, from age eight. Chen Tai Chi is considered the original school of Tai Chi. However, Taoist priests claim that Zhang Sanfeng, born in the 12th century and believed to have lived for 307 years, is the founder. He was skilled in white crane, snake, and sword and is said to have created the concept of Neijia, which is foundational to Tai Chi.
I was eager to learn about true tai chi, so I traveled to China to meet my teacher, Master Ou Hai Bing. He studied under Grandmaster Feng Zhiqiang, a well-known tai chi teacher and Chinese national treasure. Feng learned from Master Hu Yaozhen, a legendary figure in qi gong, who taught him about internal qi gong. Feng later met Chen Fake, a key representative of Chen style tai chi. Decades later, Feng continued Chen Fake's teachings and shared Chen taiji worldwide.
So to present day just before the world lockdown started I met Howard Wang the founder of Prana Dynamics this experience changed me forever it was exactly what I needed and has helped boost my skill level in Tai Chi and Qigong, I continue to marry the concepts of Prana Dynamics with my practice of tai chi and qi gong. In this internal mind awareness exercise, we work very closely with the fascia in our bodies while also emphasizing the use of Yi, or intention. My journey into Prana Dynamics has only just begun, but I already feel it is the missing link that can enhance and deepen all aspects of tai chi practice. During the lockdown, I had the opportunity to learn from several knowledgeable practitioners, including Howard Wang, Liang De Hua, who specializes in Yang style, Adam Mizner, also focusing on Yang, and more recently, Mark Rasmus, another esteemed teacher within the Yang style tai chi community. I hold their skill and wealth of knowledge in high regard, considering them among the best in this field. The health benefits of tai chi and qi gong are extensive, with a long list of conditions that these practices can help improve. In China, studies on these benefits have been both lengthy and thorough. So, I encourage you to ask yourself this important question: would you like to experience any of the following benefits for yourself?
Reduce stress, lose weight, and improve your confidence while becoming healthier overall. Enhance your balance and memory, recover more swiftly from illness or injury, and increase your immune system's ability to combat disease and illness with greater ease. Alternatively, if your goal is simply to get healthy and fit in a supportive and friendly environment, then look no further. If the answer to these goals is yes, then I am the right teacher for you. I am happy to share my Tai Chi and Qi Gong knowledge
My students come from every walk of life, each bringing their unique experiences and perspectives, and a great number of my dedicated students have been with me for many years now. My comprehensive health plan for you is designed to give you not just more energy and enhanced health, but also greater confidence and improved balance in your daily activities. Over time, you may notice that your memory will sharpen and your friends will begin to ask you why you look so good and how come you are so calm and centered. Tai Chi and Qi Gong practice can truly benefit your life in profound ways. It notably changed and saved mine. I sincerely hope I can assist you in improving your overall health and fitness while helping you manage your stress levels, ultimately bringing your body back to a state of peace and harmony.