Healing the Body, Mind & Spirit
Ascension T'ai Chi

Overview

One of the main problems that companies deal with in the competitive marketplace is stress on the job.  Many of these corporations are offering the holistic fitness system of T'ai Chi to meet the modern criteria for keeping all employees healthy in mind, body and spirit.  T'ai Chi has received world wide recognition from medical professionals, as well as from the sports and recreational community as an extremely efficient healthy regime.

·   The Cambridge Research Lab in Boston offers a class in T'ai Chi to help workers blow off steam

·   Tais Hoffman of San Clement teaches T'ai Chi in a halfway house to women who have just completed a 21 day drug/alcohol detoxification program

·   Saint Luke's Hospital in Kansas City teaches T'ai Chi to arthritic in its center of Health Enhancement to provide greater mobility, coordination and flexibility.

·   Pan Towne works with professional golfers on the Professional Golfers Association circuit to relax their body, mind and focus on their feet to get grounded before a swing

·   A recent study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging showed T'ai Chi was the only exercise/activity to show a 45% decrease in the number of falls among elderly study participants

The practice of T'ai Chi Chih is a modern method of T'ai Chi originated by Justin Stone and based on the ancient art of T'ai Chi Chuan.  This method involves simpler and fewer movements. This form was developed because Justin Stone realized that it takes many months of hard work to learn the 108 movements of T'ai Chi Chuan.  Once learned,  it takes a great deal of space to practice. In addition, the elderly have a hard time doing some of the movements. Sometimes everybody has a hard time memorizing the long sequence.

In contrast, T'ai Chi Chih can be easily learned and memorized.  The client only needs to practice any six of the 19 movements. This means we practice each movement 36 times on the left side and 36 times on the right side. Very little space is needed. One can stand at one's desk whenever feeling drowsy and do a few of the movements.  

To get the benefit of T'ai Chi Chih all you need to do is to practice the movements regularly, 10 or 15 minutes in the morning and 10 or 15 minutes in the late afternoon or early evening. You will feel the flow of energy and a feeling somewhat like the afterglow of an internal bath.

"Ascension T'ai Chi" was developed as a more modern version of T'ai Chi Chih. This variation of T'ai Chi combines Kriya yoga breathing exercises, Pleiadian Tantra,  Chi Gong warm up,  with T'ai Chi Chih. Like T'ai Chi Chih this method involves simpler and fewer movements for those individuals who wish to benefit from the health aspects of T'ai Chi without studying the martial arts sequences. For the martial arts student this practice has proven beneficial for the balancing and storing of Chi. This form of exercise is suitable for most everyone... males, females, disabled, and all ages.

The following are a few of the possible benefits of this form of T'ai Chi:
*Alleviates carpal tunnel syndrome
*Tones the body
*Relieves arthritis
*Stimulates circulation
*Reduces stress, controls blood pressures, raises the energy level, improves coordination and balance
*Alleviates stiff joint and stimulates the immune system.

About the Instructors
Robyn Dahl, Ph.D. and George M. Samano, Obl.S.B. were trained under the University of Incarnate Word, Spirituality and Arts Center of the Sisters of Charity in San Antonio.Dahl and Samano are practitioners of Tai Chi Chih. In addition, Samano studied for three years under the Grandmaster Jung in Houston. Jung coached the U.S. team in the fourth, fifth and sixth World Kung Fu Tournaments and has attained recognition worldwide. Dahl and Samano have been very fortunate to have had other classes with various Masters and Rogue Scholars throughout the years of Illumination. Over the years, Dahl and Samano have conducted classes at UTB/TSC's Employee Wellness Program, Brownsville Independent School District Homeless Youth Program, Brownsville Medical Center's Premiere Plus Wellness Center and at community centers throughout the States of Texas and Indiana.