f you plan to order a summer polo shirt please do so by the end of this term as I will be ordering in the break. The cost is $45 with a $20 deposit. You have a choice of two colours, jade and purple. They come in unisex and women’s sizes.

​I hope you enjoy the winter break and I look forward to catching up with you all in Term 3.
Best wishes Rosemary

hether warm-up exercises are just to warm-up or have other health
benefits. Most of the exercises we warm-up with are Qigong exercises, to increase our
flexibility, warm the muscles and open our energy channels so the Qi can flow smoothly.
I have chosen three of our beginning warm-ups for this edition. I will discuss others in
further editions of Tai Chi News.
HEAVENLY LIFT: This exercise encourages elasticity of the whole body. It gives a
vertical and side stretch to tendons and ligaments, strengthens abdominal muscles,
exercises joints and encourages the flow of life’s energy.
When performing this movement, keep the breathing slow and relaxed and stretch only
as far as is comfortable for you.
SWINGING ARMS SET: This is a most important set of exercises for stress reduction,
for loosening the shoulders and increasing flexibility in the waist and hips. With regular
practise it will reduce tension in the shoulders and back, help to strengthen the legs and
improve posture. It is also beneficial for the digestive system.
ARM CIRCLES: This is a whole of arm exercise, expansive and energising. It will
improve blood circulation and help reduce stress through gentle stretching and relaxing
movements. It can be included in the Swinging Arms Set.

Next term we have vacancies for beginners at our 8.15 am class on Fridays at Glenelg
and the 12.55 pm session on Mondays at Reynella. If you have friends interested in
learning Tai Chi please bring them along for the obligation free session. Spring will not
be too far away and this is an excellent opportunity for new students to join and learn
the foundations of Tai Chi and its many benefits.
We break for July as many members take holidays or are looking after children or
grandchildren. It is however important to remember that progress in Tai Chi often
comes quietly. A few mindful minutes of practice each day can be more valuable than
trying to do everything at once. Let your movements be soft, your breathing natural, and
your attention gentle. Over time, these small moments of practice build strength, ease,
and confidence. A steady practice routine, both in class and at home, can make a
meaningful difference to physical comfort and mental clarity during the colder months.


2026 Term Dates
Term 3: 3rd August—26th September
Term 4: 19th October—12th December

Term 2 has continued to bring wonderful energy to our classes. We are pleased to see
returning students deepening their forms and new students discovering the gentle
strength of Tai Chi for the first time. We continue to focus on mindful movement, steady
breathing, and the simple practice of being present.
This term we celebrated World Tai Chi and Qigong Day as well as Anzac Day at the
Mitcham Reserve. It was a perfect weather for Tai Chi and unusual for Anzac Day - no
rain. We were pleased to welcome over 40 friends and members of our school to
celebrate this very special day, play Tai Chi together and catch up with Tai Chi friends
from other classes.

Many of our members like to purchase a school polo shirt, it not only makes them feel they are part of the Tai Chi family but also it alleviates the problem of what to wear to the class.

​Please let either Mardiyah, David or myself know if you are interested and I will make enquiries regarding availability and price.

For our new members I have included information on World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. World Tai Chi and Qigong Day is the brain-child of Bill Douglas and was first celebrated on April 10, 1999, following the United Nations World Health Day. It is now celebrated each year on the last Saturday in April.
At Tai Chi Association’s Official Park Session at peace Park, several Tai Chi

schools in and around Adelaide came together to enjoy this special day. World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (WTCQD) is recognized as a Universal Day by the United Nations. At 10.00 am, beginning in New Zealand, practitioners around the world will be out in the parks and on the beaches, enjoying the friendship of other Tai Chi players and promoting the health benefits Tai Chi offers. If you are interested in finding out more, simply put WTCQD into search on the internet and the website will come up.
This year WTCQD falls on Anzac Day. We thought very carefully whether we should run on this sacred day. However we consider our message of peace and love around the world was appropriate and our thoughts and prayers are to honour those many brave soldiers who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and democracy.
Our celebration for WTCQD this year will be very special and we hope, as our thoughts travel around the globe, we will be One World, One Breath.
Please come along and join us, we hope the weather will be kind and the sun will shine.
Where: Mitcham Reserve, Old Belair Road.
When: Saturday, 25th April
Time: 10.00 am

1. Smile—Comforting Qi: Perform movements slowly in a relaxed but alert manner—use the inner smile.
2. Grounding Qi: Hold a quiet reverence for each posture.
3. Nourishing Qi: Visualise yourself as a tree. Each posture speaks to you directly and is unique to you.
4. Dantian—Strengthening Qi: If you wave your hands around you will not get the benefits of Qigong. If however, you visualise moving mountains with the turn of a wrist, then the effects of the exercise become profound.
5. Out-Flowing Qi: You will feel different each time you play Qigong. Go with the flow and enjoy the moment.
6. Connecting Qi: Qigong has a power if it’s own. It is unique to you. Release yourself for a short time and enjoy the solitude of playing Qigong.
7. Uplifting Qi: Be aware of every breath, every movement.
8. Balancing Qi: Play Qigong as part of your life, your breath—let it become part of your mind, body and spirit.
9. Protecting Qi: Each posture must flow naturally and spontaneously—do not force it.
10. Intuitive Qi: Let your Qigong become a part of you and you a part of Qigong. Enjoy, be relaxed, happy and energised.

Qigong is life, it is love, it is what you want it to be, it is you.
“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex and more violent. It takes a
touch of genius—a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction” Albert Einstein.
“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art
and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, can no longer pause to wonder and stand
rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed”. Alfred Einstein 1930

With Tai Chi and Qigong when we refer to sinking this does not necessarily mean sinking
low physically.

Two important aspects of sinking are:
1. Sink the mind (or spirit) and Qi (energy) to Dantian.
2. Sink the vital energy to the feet (rooting or grounding)

To sink the mind to the dantian is more than simply thinking of this area, you need to think
through it. It is possible to partially sink the Qi to the dantian without Shen (spirit) and
although this can generate large amounts of energy, without Shen to influence this energy
imbalances and inefficiencies can develop. If we think through the dantian and not simply
think of it, the Qi is nourished and activated. In Tai Chi this activation can reach a point
where Qi causes physical vibration in the dantian (by advanced practitioners of the art this
power can be directed through the body by the mind).

We often talk in class about the power (Jing) as being from the foot, directed by the waist
and expressed in the hands. However, this is not only the physical strength from the legs
but the transfer of energy from the source (dantian) to the soles of the feet. This vital
energy is then directed through the body by the mind, giving enormous power to adepts in
the practise of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan). As we play Tai Chi and become more aware of
our bodies we will gradually feel this energy direction.

For home practice your stance work or standing meditation are the best methods to obtain
the feeling of grounding. It is essential however to relax when working on these aspects
otherwise tension will cause aching and block the flow of Qi. For your stance training you
can utilise any of the Tai Chi or Qigong postures. As you feel the effect of grounding and
connecting to the earth, your Tai Chi will improve and you will feel more confident and
balanced.

The root in the foot is referred to as yongquan, which is an acupoint under the foot and is
known as Kidney 1. The stronger the root the more energy will move within your Tai Chi
form. Opening the meridians to a free flow of energy requires time and patience - it should
not be forced but must occur naturally. If your posture is correct and you are relaxed, your
energy will flow from the dantian to the feet, from where it is directed to the waist (the
commander of the movement) and finally to arms and hands.
​
By relaxing, sinking the breath and directing the mind through the dantian your movements
will expand naturally without physical help.

Source: Larry Johnson, Energetic Tai Chi Chuan

​TERM DATES 2026
Term 1: 2nd February—30th March
Term 2: 27th April—22nd June
Term 3: 3rd August—26th September
Term 4: 19th October—12th December