DBA Arts Tai Chi Newburyport

Stomping lions, high patting on horses, whirling arms, we can do it!

Try this simple test at home: stand on one leg. How long you can do it actually reveals a lot about your health:

It also tells a lot about how well you are aging.

A recent study found that balance, specifically the ability to stand on one leg, was a better indicator of aging than measures of strength or walking ability. As we age, our bodies naturally experience some decline. This can include things like decreased muscle strength and slower reflexes.

These changes can make it harder to maintain balance, which is why standing on one leg becomes more difficult as we get older. The researchers found that the ability to stand on one leg decreased with each decade of life. This decline was more significant than the decline in grip strength or knee strength.

This is important because good balance is crucial for maintaining independence and avoiding falls, which can be a serious health risk for older adults. Falls can lead to injuries like broken bones, which can reduce mobility and quality of life. Strong balance improves your stability, coordination, and reaction time, ultimately contributing to a more active and independent life.

The good news is that balance is something you can improve, even as you age. The researchers suggest that practicing simple exercises, like standing on one leg for 30 seconds each day, can help you maintain good balance.

You can do this while brushing your teeth, waiting for the coffee to brew, or even while watching TV. It's like any other form of exercise – the more you practice, the better you become. By incorporating these exercises into your daily routine, you can improve your balance, reduce your risk of falls, and maintain your independence as you age.

TC-ing to the Hunter Moon. Thanks y'all for coming out on a glorious night.

Why are stances practiced in every class, whether you are a beginner or advanced student? Because stances are the foundation of all martial arts and should be practiced repeatedly.

An old saying reminds us of the importance of mastering basic skills before advancing:
ONE MUST LEARN TO STAND BEFORE THEY CAN RUN. And if you can't stand properly, you cannot run properly which will lead to injury.

It may seem boring to practice your stances in every class, but if you see how a poor stance can limit your movement you will see the need for such practice.

Stances and repetition are building blocks for growth.

Feeling Your Qi

Feeling Qi can be as simple as becoming aware of the sensations of flowing energy in your body. One easy way to practice this is to rub the palms of your hands together until they feel warm, then separate them just slightly and create small circular movements or separate them slightly and then bring them close together again-all while paying attention to the sensations in your fingers and palms.

Circulating the Qi can bring great results, particularly with pain management, improved digestion, emotional healing, and immune response.

"In Tai Chi we don't keep energy selfishly. We just borrow it for a moment and then give it back to the universe.

We connect heaven and earth through ourselves (human)."
Hilmar Fuchs

🌼 Spring is here; The weather is
warming up and everything is blooming. Which, for some people, means seasonal allergies.🤧

Here are a few acupressure points that may be helpful for relieving symptoms of seasonal allergies. You can do acupressure yourself, at home or work. It's easy to learn, safe, effective and costs nothing.

- The Ll 20 point is easily accessible on the outside of both nostrils, just to the side. Applying firm pressure to these points will open up nasal passages to relieve nasal congestion.

- The ST 2 pressure point is found directly below the eyes on your cheek bones. Stimulation of the pressure points will help to relieve allergy symptoms in the eyes.
It can help relieve red, itchy, and painful eyes, eyelid twitching, excess lacrimation, and sinus pressure.

- The B 2 acupressure point is located on the inside end of the eyebrows by the center of the forehead. Pressure and massage on these points will help to relieve red, watery, and itchy eyes from allergies. You'll also get relief from sinus pressure and congestion, and headaches.

Use gentle pressure and massage these points for a few minutes a few times a day to help with symptoms.

"It feels like my brain is solving a Rubic's Cube." YUP! That's why it's so fun!

My first time doing tai chi: ‘It feels like my brain is solving a Rubik’s Cube’ In her fortnightly review of fitness and wellbeing activities, comedian Jennifer Wong finds that mastering the Chinese martial art is a matter of mind over navel

Thank you, Susan. They are beautiful.

What a beautiful day for tai chi. Special thanks to Henry Lee, Stephanie Orme, and Sophia Chan for leading the way.

TAI CHI WUDANG - MARTIAL APPLICATION - WORKSHOP - WARSAW, 2017 Film jest pamiątkowym zapisem warsztatów, które odbyły się w Warszawie w grudniu 2017 r. Warsztaty poprowadził Mistrz Kung Fu Wudang i Taoisyczny Mnich Zhou ...

How to grow a bigger brain.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/a-sharper-mind-tai-chi-can-improve-cognitive-function #:~:text=Following%2040%20weeks%20of%20either,performed%20better%20on%20cognitive%20tests.

A sharper mind: tai chi can improve cognitive function - Harvard Health ...

A great quote:

"Don't practice until you get it right. Practice until you can't get it wrong."

And then I tell my students to do their movements in reverse, on the opposite side or change your orientation in the room 🙂

Just ☯️

What makes someone a Martial Artist?

Ask different people and you'll get different answers. Why? Because martial arts training is a deeply personal process.

👉Some say if you train but don't fight, you can't consider yourself a martial artist.

👉Some say if you practice daily and show commitment and discipline you are a true martial artist.

👉Some say a true martial artist cultivates the mind and spirit as well as body, and effortlessly connects the three.

👉Some say that any practitioner of any martial art is a martial artist, no matter how new they are, as long as they continue to practice.

☯️ Here is one description we heard and like: When what you do is not a mere hobby anymore, but it becomes you.

It is not about title or rank or certification.
It is a WAY of being. There is no trying to be a martial artist. And there is no labeling oneself as a martial artist. One just is.

What is your definition of a martial artist?

We'd like to hear your thoughts.

Thank you to our Daoist Conference moderator Samuel Wuest , thank you to all speakers for your passion and wisdom, thank YOU, participants, for your interest.

For those who missed our third annual Daoist Conference, the recording is now available on the Daoistgate YouTube channel. Link below.

https://m.youtube.com/user/DaoistGate