MDA Dublin News
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Team Ireland, plus a couple of honorary guests.
Maria, how you managed to be Spanish, Irish, German, Italian and British all at the same time amazes me. A true European...
Until next time.
Classes resuming as of June 6th.
A great week of training, ever the opportunity to learn new and refine better..
Hi Everyone,
Within the Master Ding Academy, consistency is key. Not just in our own practice as students, but also for Instructors teaching. And as we know, without consistent observation and correction by our teacher, it’s very easy to stray off the path. We forget things, we invent new things, we have great ideas. This is all normal and is why we must keep in close contact with our teacher.
MDA runs an annual Instructor Retreat, instructors spend the week being gently bought back into line so that we’re all pulling on the same rope, in the same direction. This year the Retreat will be running May 27th-June 3rd.
As instructors we’re not only ensuring consistency, we’re also making our Tai Chi better, and when we’re better, we can teach better..
As such, classes will not be running next week, we’ll be returning the week after, from June 6th, ready to go.
Have a good week everyone, when we get back, I expect to see the results of at least two weeks practice!
See you soon.
Ross
Just 15 minutes of Tai Chi practice per day can yield benefits to longevity, the immune system and cognitive function.
So says Dr Michael Mosley in his Just One Thing podcast on the BBC.
So, join a class, do a little practice, it could just change your life!
Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley - Try Tai Chi - BBC Sounds
www.bbc.co.uk
How Tai Chi can boost your immune system, rewire your brain and even reduce visceral fat.Gong hei fat choy!
Happy Chinese New Year.
In the Chinese calendar 2023 is the year of the Rabbit. The rabbit is the symbol of longevity, peace, and prosperity in Chinese Culture, thus 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
On behalf of everyone in Master Ding Academy Ireland, we wish you all health, peace and prosperity for the year ahead.
Ross
Just a quick reminder about our Jan 22nd Workshop in Clontarf.
If you’re interested in attending but haven’t booked your place yet, we have space available, get in touch and we’ll organise.
See you all soon.
Hi Everyone,
2023 is upon us, we have a busy year planned with classes, workshops, Master Ding Masterclasses and more.
Classes will resume from Jan 4th in Dundrum and progress as normal from then.
When new starters enter classes, one of the questions on the contacts form is, ‘what do you hope to gain from this Course?’ The answers I get back are many, ranging from relaxation and destressing, balance and coordination, and simply a tai chi experience, all the way to ‘I don’t know’.
Certainly, in getting where we want to go it’s useful to have a clear picture of where that is. Otherwise, we might start our journey facing completely the wrong direction and waste valuable time finding the right course.
I feel this is a useful exercise not just at the beginning of our journey, but on a regular basis as we proceed.
• What do I really want?
• The work I’m putting in now, is it bringing me closer to the destination?
• What can I do to optimize the process?
• How can I make my efforts yield greater results?
It’s important for us to individually assess our goals and our efforts in attaining them, being ever mindful that goals change over time, and that’s ok. For some, the goals are lofty, that’s good, but scaling heights takes effort, applied consistently over time. This is the true meaning of Kung Fu.
‘A discipline or skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial arts’.
For others, the opportunity to get out, move the body, stimulate the mind, and have some fun with others is goal enough. And that’s ok too.
I’ve always felt that a strength of the Master Ding Academy is in its ability to serve both groups, in the same space, at the same time.
So, classes are returning, have a think about what you really want, and take a positive step towards it. If you’re not sure how to, ask your teacher, that’s what they’re there for.
Finally, if you’re reading this and your practice has fallen to the side recently, but you want to reenter the room, there’s always a place. Your Tai Chi friends are waiting to greet you once more.
See you soon.
Hi All, I hope you’re have a good Christmas break. Just to let you know that we’ll be running our first 2023 workshop in Clontarf in January. As always, open to all..
Date: Jan 22nd 10am – 4pm.
Location: Clontarf Parish Centre.
Topic: Stability and the Expression of Power: Rooting at the feet and manifesting at the hand.
Expression of Tai Chi power is a process that’s described by Grandmaster Ip Tai Tak as ‘The root is in the feet and is directed by the waist. The form appears at the hands. From the feet to the thighs, the thighs to the waist, all should move in unison’.
Tai Chi Revelations: Principles and Concepts.
This power is distinctly different to strength, it encompasses rooting, releasing the muscles/joints and the complete integration of the body while directing from the centre. In this way power is created in the root, travels through the body and is manifested in the fingertips.
We’ll spend the day breaking this process down into manageable pieces, working simple partner-work exercises to deepen our understanding of their function and finally putting all those pieces together to experience the process, and result, for ourselves.
Exercises are broken down, explained and demonstrated with plenty of opportunities for questions and to feel the teacher performing the particular movement.
This workshop is open to all, beginners to advanced. Don’t be concerned if you feel you’re ‘not experienced enough’, if you have a desire to learn, you have everything you need already.
Cost:
Early bird rate: (payment received in full by Sunday 15th Jan).
MDA members: €70
Non members: €85
Standard rate: (payment received after Sunday 15th Jan).
MDA members: €80
Non members: €95
For enquiries contact Ross Cousens:
ross@masterdingacaademy.com
