Blog Posts

Our relationship to gravity defines much about us: how we move; how we age; how we present ourselves to the world. Tai chi teaches us to live with gravity and not against it, to be at home in our bodies and on this planet. Gravity is the thing that holds us to the earth and lets us rise from it. Our very posture, and everything that grows in this world, grows upward, toward the sun. Within our relationship to gravity, we have what allows us to rise.

When we are balanced between above and below, gravity becomes not a weight but a freedom from weight.

Tai Chi training might promote emotional stability and slow gray matter atrophy in seniors

By Eric W. Dolan September 14, 2019

Published in PsyPost.org.  PsyPost is a psychology and neuroscience news website dedicated to reporting the latest research on human behavior, cognition, and society.

The Effect of Tai Chi on Bronchiectasis

By John Burke, a student in Ireland

I retired in April 2018 after 40 years in IT as I had reached my contracted age to retire. I had done tai chi for two terms in 1997 but stopped due to changing house, jobs and even countries for a bit.

The Lion Dance Fire Tuning 2019

The Tai Chi Foundation offers qigong tunings seasonally. These tunings are an opportunity for people to join together doing qigong while in their own homes. From June 21 to July 11, 125 people participated in our summer/fire tuning, “The Lion Dance”. While a few people didn’t enjoy it, most people reported positively. Here are some of the comments we received.

I love these tunings. I love feeling the connection with the school.

What are the Benefits of Tai Chi?

By Joseph Nordqvist , last updated August 30, 2018

Reviewed by Daniel Bubnis, MS, NASM-CPT, NASE Level II-CSS

Tai chi is a non-competitive martial art known for its self-defense techniques and health benefits. As a form of exercise, it combines gentle physical exercise and stretching with mindfulness.

Deadly Falls in Older Americans Are Rising. Here’s How to Prevent Them.

This article appeared in the New York Times in print on June 4, 2018.

“A study published last year found that among adults over 70 who practiced tai chi twice a week for an hour, the incidence of falls was reduced by 58 percent.”

By Katie Hafner

On Relaxation – June 2019

By Margaret Olmsted

Comparing the Benefits of Tai Chi and Meditation on MS Symptoms

UMass Amherst researchers enrolling people in community-based study

Tai Chi and Pregnancy by Gerrie Sporken and Margaret Olmsted

A student recently asked if it was okay to do tai chi when pregnant. The short answer is Yes!!

Here is an article from the NY Times. This article appears in print on Feb. 18, 2019, on Page D4 of the New York edition with the headline: Aging: Best Exercises to Prevent Falls.

The Best Exercises to Prevent Falls

Activities that required standing up rather than sitting, such as tai chi, were the most effective.

By Nicholas Bakalar

A large review of studies confirms that exercise can be a good way to help reduce the frequency of falls in the elderly.