Experience the gentleness and power of Tai-Chi:
Learn short routines that loosen tensions, calm the mind, and increase vitality.
Weekly classes, special workshops, or Tai-Chi on the workplace, come and try it for yourself!
Patricia Beretta, PhD, RAc, has a unique way to combine her biomedical sciences background, Traditional Chinese Medicine knowledge, Acupuncturist skills, Tai-Chi training with great teachers, and life experience, into Tai-Chi programs that are simpe to follow, exciting, and make you feel good.
Tai-Chi is a graceful and slow choreography of movements that calms the mind and tonifies the body. Tai-Chi and QiGong are often taught together. They both originate from China, and were developed centuries ago by martial artists, Taoist / Buddhist monks, and traditional Chinese doctors.
What is remarkable about Tai-Chi & QiGong, is that they can be done to perfection by absolutely every one, whatever the level of fitness. Good Tai-Chi comes from being soft, relaxed and aligned, using internal principles of how to position and move the body. Tai-Chi can be practiced at any age. It is never too late to start, and I also wish it would be widely taught to young people. From the relaxation and proper body positioning comes internal power, health, flexibility, balance, good concentration and memory, and general ease to move through the flow of life.
Tai-Chi is usually considered an internal martial art. Tai-Chi forms are sets of moves that can have a combat application when performed fast. Tai-Chi was developed in China probably 500 years ago, leveraging the philosophy of Yin & Yang in its martial applications. Efficient and powerful combative moves are achieved through relaxing the body and calming the mind. It is like when playing golf: with a scattered mind and a tight grip on your club the ball will go nowhere. By slowing down every move and aligning their joints, limbs and back, Tai-Chi practitioners attain relaxed coordinated movements and peace of mind, leading to martial effectiveness. At the same time, through gentle move, an open body and a calm mind, our life force also called Chi begins to flow freely. This is why Tai-Chi positively impacts health in a profound way when practiced regularly.
QiGong also uses gentle moves that promote free flow of Chi, as well as holding postures and breathing techniques. The focus with QiGong is more on health (and less on martial applications). QiGong is a branch of Traditional Chinese Medicine. But because a healthy Kung Fu athlete performs better, QiGong is also practiced together with Tai-Chi by martial artists. In fact, many of the QiGong postures and moves can be broken down into combative applications as well. In essence, relaxed breathing and a posture where all joins are anatomically aligned allows for relaxed muscles, favours movement efficiency, calms the mind, increases resilience, and is conducive to free flow of Chi. The ancients say that practicing QiGong and Tai-Chi increases longevity.