Authentic Tai Chi classes in
Welwyn and St Albans
HERTS School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan
We have a full curriculum of Tai Chi courses...
Learning the Form (to be able to practice)
Beginning Form = Moving 'in principle'
We teach the Tai Chi form (T'ai Chi Chuan / Taiji Quan) that was developed by Cheng Man Ch'ing - the first person to teach his Tai Chi outside of China. Professor Cheng's form is sometimes called the 37-posture Form or the Yang Short Form, because it is based on the Yang style Long Form which he was taught by Yang Chengfu. There are other styles whose lineage is via other families, eg Chen or Wu. China once banned Tai Chi, but now has an "official" 24-posture form.
In your first term we teach the first third of the form. which we refer to as B1. We teach in bite size chunks each week, adding a new piece of Form and reviewing each week what we have previously taught. B1 introduces all the internal Tai Chi principles and just doing B1 has many benefits. We want you to quickly make B1 a regular practice, so we teach B1 in one term.
Improving Fundamentals = Embodying principles (with less effort)
We revisit Beginning Form at B1 with a focus on increasing self-awareness through self-observation. We help you do your Tai Chi with less effort, which makes it easier for you to embody the Tai Chi principles not just in practice but in everyday life. After B1, we teach the postures of B2 (2nd third) and B3 (3rd third) with this Fundamentals focus, until you have learned the whole Form. It takes as long as it takes!
Advanced Practice (for ongoing learning)
Form Practice = Tai chi 'meditation'
In Intermediate Form classes we help you deepen the meditation by smoothing out the transitions between individual postures. The Form then becomes one continuous exchange of Yin and Yang that is like simply breathing.
Push Hands Practice = Tai Chi 'dialogue'
This practice (called Twey Shou / Tui Shou) is about how to stay relaxed in real life interactions. It challenges us to continue to embody internal Tai Chi principles whilst interacting with another person. We learn to connect, listen, & respond, without feeling anxious or being defensive - hence why we call it 'Tai Chi dialogue'.
Sword Practice = Tai Chi 'dancing'
Practice with a Sword (T'ai Chi Chien / Taiji Jian) brings the quality of 'dance' to Tai Chi, and we all know the joy of dancing! We learn to move with the sword just as you would when dancing with a partner – moving 'as one', with physical and mental freedom. Sometimes you are leading the sword, and sometimes you are following (when it moves with gravity or with its own momentum). You are always moving 'in principle'.
Standalone courses (usually taught as 'drop-in' classes open to anyone)
The Eight Ways of Tai Chi = Using imagery (to introduce moving 'in principle')
Practising the 'Eight Ways' brings the same benefits as you get from learning to practice Beginning Form at B1. The only difference is that we get to embody the internal principles more directly via imagery. The imagery calls your body to move in accordance with Tai Chi principles - there are no mechanical instructions or precise indications. As we say in Tai Chi: “The [image in the] mind moves the Qi and the Qi moves the body”.
We occasionally teach this as a deepening practice for experienced Tai Chi students, or a great introduction for those who have never done Tai Chi before. It is especially valuable for those who, for whatever reason, would have difficulties learning the form.
5-element Qigong = Regulation of energy / Regulation of emotions
We have a separate page on our 5-element Qigong (aka Ch'i Kung or 'Roots & Branches'). Please click on this link to go to that page.
