Winchester - Middletown,
VA;
TEACHER TRAINING: By
arrangement. 2 - 4 people. Must complete Yang Cheng Fu long form first.
If you confirm your enrollment but do not attend, a place has been held for you ahead of others who also would like to attend, so the registration fee and 4 weeks' pre-paid tuition fees are non-refundable. 6th Dimension reserves the right to postpone or interrupt continuation of a course/ class series for legitimate reasons affecting 6th Dimension. Classes will be resumed at the earliest possible date.
Studying Tai Chi really is worth doing. It becomes a resource that you hold in your body and consciousness for life. My aim is to develop a close knit, mutually supportive group of people who are willing to enter into an older, more traditional approach to Tai Chi study. Because of the duration of teaching required to draw anyone through the entire Tai Chi form, and the many subtle layers of learning and realization along the way, I necessarily make a long term commitment to the people I teach. Before embarking on this wonderful adventure that is Tai Chi, please take a moment or two to ponder the following. It is natural to be excited about something that you want to learn and I would like to bring to your awareness that it is a good idea to think through whether this is the right time for you to begin Tai Chi. It's okay. Take your time. Decide. I am here to teach the people who find their way to me. First, finding a teacher is often quite a feat in itself. My mentor, Erle Monatiague made the point that if a teacher has less than 6 years experience in Tai Chi, walk away, because while they might be able to teach you the sequence of movements, they are not in a position to impart the essence of Tai Chi. My search started when I was really quite young. I knew I wanted to study Tai Chi and my search for a teacher led me first to someone who had done a bit of Tai Chi during travels around Australia. The group foundered after only a matter of weeks. This gentleman was not sufficiently developed in his own training to teach. My search then led me to someone who had established a more commercially oriented franchise-style school, complete with a contract for a particular period of study, very expensive up front-fees, the requirement to buy their uniform, and other paraphernalia. Their approach was a very "hard", martial approach. They soon ran into financial difficulties and closed. I then found a wonderful, sincere, and very skilled Tai Chi practitioner who was also teaching... with no requirement for a study contract, exorbitant fees, or buying a uniform from him, or anything like that. He was teaching in "the old way". Sadly for me, he retired from teaching a few months after I began and had just finished learning the Ching Chung "Praying Mantis" style with him. I learned a great deal from him, and now I knew I was on the right trail as to what to look for in a teacher. Eventually, I found a teacher about whom the local paper had written a feature story. He did not want to be too easily found (and now only teaches closed classes), so he refused to own a telephone. To eventually enter his training, I ended up leaving hand written messages on the door of his school. He did not respond to the first hand written note. A few weeks later, I tried again, another hand written note on the door. Another few weeks after that, one of his advanced students called me, on the teacher's instruction. I was interviewed over the phone and later re-interviewed at the first open class that I attended. Yes, interviewed. No student was admitted to their group without first being thoroughly screened for a genuine commitment to learn, willingness to accept direction and willingness to follow through. Ultimately, after a long period of training with the larger, public group, I was invited into the private group of dedicated students who were serious about their training. No-one gained entry to this group simply because they wanted it. One did not ask. One did not expect. One was invited, after being observed for a long time. As I said, "the old way". Later, through this teacher's relationship with Erle Montaigue, my training advanced and I was on my way, accepted by Erle Montaigue and ultimately graded as instructor by him in 1986, eight years after I had taken my first Tai Chi class. Second, because Tai Chi long forms, including Yang Cheng Fu Tai Chi, have a definite beginning and end, and each week's training builds on the previous week's learning, it is important to join the class from the beginning date and time. (For the same reason, it is important to be punctual.) Also, keep in mind that there are three major thirds within the long form and I do ask that you make the commitment to yourself to complete the First Third even if you are undecided as to whether you wish to continue with the entire Tai Chi long form or not. Typically, it takes approximately 3 - 4 months to learn the First Third and about a year to learn the entire Tai Chi long form. Not altogether surprisingly, therefore, it is very common that approximately 60% of people who commence any Tai Chi long form do not complete the full form. Completing the First Third is one way to see if Tai Chi really is for you while also completing a sub-part of the form for your health and well being. By completing the First Third, you will have set in motion some energy principles and pathways that will nourish you regardless. For those of you who do decide to continue through the entire long form of Yang Cheng Fu Tai Chi, having already completed the First Third with me means that you already have the foundation to continue training, as this First Third provides important building blocks for the next two thirds of the entire form. Once the shifting composition of class has worked itself out, as people have decided whether to continue their training or not, things settle into an integrated, close knit class which is very rewarding for those who continue. A truly wonderful and unified group energy develops. I still count among my warmest and fondest memories, and continuing friendships, the people with whom I took my own training and people whom I have trained since then. NOTE: Completing the first third is a matter of individual commitment, class attendance, and practice between classes. The movements are taught in sequence. Each class builds on cumulative knowledge from previous classes in the series. Past experience has proved to me that when people are able to attend regularly and fit at-home practice into their schedules, they really do get through the First Third in about 12 weeks. The opposite is also true if people are not able to attend class consistently and practice regularly between classes. They fall behind and flounder, which is an unsettling and discouraging experience for them, and leaves them with a less than positive impression of Tai Chi. (It is also disruptive for the people who have committed to regular attendance and practice.) So... the point is, before joining class, give some thought to whether you can make the commitment to completing the first third, and possibly to the entire long form. As I said a moment ago, studying Tai Chi really is worth it as it truly does become a resource that you hold in your body and consciousness for life. Having read all this, I hope you will also make the time to read this article by my mentor in Tai Chi: "The Way of the Warrior" by Erle Montaigue. It outlines beautifully what Tai Chi is really about. Looking forward to meeting you in class. Ranna.
RANNA & TAI CHI FEATURED AS COVER STORY IN "FLOW" Polarity Therapy introductory workshop Polarity Therapy practitioner training.
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DON'T leave it to the last minute - class might already be full
or deferred by the time you decide to register! :) BECAUSE: (1)
SPACE IS LIMITED, so register as soon as you are sure that you want
to participate, and complete the confirmation of your enrollment.
If class is full when you register, enrollment must DEFERRED until
the next term. (2) IF there are insufficient CONFIRMED enrollments,
the course does not commence and is DEFERRED to the following term.
