Happy Holidays!

 Wishing you a safe and merry Christmas and a happy healthy new year. Classes will start again week commencing 10 January 2022.

Free class

There will be a free 4 week course for beginners starting on Wednesday 7 July. It will be on Wednesday afternoons 2.30pm-3.30pm at Hurst Dance Studios in Hindley. Places are strictly limited. Contact me to book a place.

Summer timetable

 See website for details.😀

"Just One Thing" episode

Over the bank holiday weekend I finally caught up with the "Just One Thing" episode that my brother and Mike told me about. I'm really glad I did. I've always known about the benefits of tai chi from first-hand experience but it is good to have them validated.

The podcast is actually about standing on one leg, and the benefits are amazing. As Dr Michael Mosley says: "Improving your balance really can have a life changing impact. It improves core strength, posture and coordination. Do that and you are more likely to walk upright rather than hunched, which will make you look younger and might even improve your mood. There's even research showing that balance is a great predictor of healthy life expectancy."

He asked Professor Dawn Skelton of Glasgow Caledonian University whether tai chi would work as well and this was her response: "Tai chi is one of the best activities to improve your balance. It's slow and controlled; it's three-dimensional so your head moves at different times to the rest of your body; you get all that feedback from the joints because it's slow and controlled. It's one of the best things to help prevent your first fall... really is a lot of evidence for that."

I always tell people that you don't have to stand on one leg to do tai chi. You can improve your balance and coordination just by paying attention to your posture and being aware of where your weight is.

Standing on one leg is a simple thing that you can do at home. Tai chi has all the health and wellbeing benefits of that and more: it can reduce stress, increase energy, and improve focus and inner calm. And if you join a class you get the social benefits as well. There is nothing quite like the feeling of being in a group moving and breathing as one.

Mindfulness Weekend this weekend at Haigh Woodland Park

 

I've just been to Haigh Woodland Park to have a look round before the mindfulness weekend for Mental Health Awareness Week. It's a beautiful venue and I'm looking forward to tai chi in the walled gardens at 8am on Saturday. And Lewis assured me that they have gazebos just in case the weather isn't kind😀. There are lots of calming mindful activities this weekend, all free, and there is still time to book on 01942 828280.

 

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Indoor tai chi classes start 17 May

Much as I love tai chi in the park, and I do, the British weather isn't always kind to us. So I'm very happy to announce that with the next stage of lockdown easing on 17 May, we can have indoor tai chi and qigong classes again!

The Monday morning class in Walkden and the Wednesday afternoon class in Hindley will return to their original venues.

Our usual venue for the Tuesday morning class in Leigh is being used as a vaccination centre, so that class will continue in the park, weather permitting as always.

Important notice about email subscriptions

 If you subscribe to this blog by email, there are some upcoming changes that you need to know about. The email subscriptions are done through FeedBurner, and it is a service that they will be discontinuing from July. After that point you will no longer be able to get the blog by email.

The blog itself will still continue and you can view it on my website or on Blogger. As an alternative, you will automatically be added to my MailChimp email list and should get an email about this soon.

Happy Easter!

 

Tai chi in the parks

 We have been so lucky with the weather this week. It was wonderful being able to do tai chi in the park again and it was so nice to be able to see people in person.

Tai chi in the park

 

From next Monday, organised outdoor sports can start up again. And you know what  that means. Tai chi in the park! Times and places are listed here. 

Mother's Day gift idea

 What do you think your mum would like for Mother's Day? Flowers? Chocolate? A card? What about spending some time with you? Do something together even if you can't be together in person. Like booking an online tai chi or qigong course to do together.

2 for 1 offer on tai chi and qigong courses - see www.ahigherporpoise.com/classes for details.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Xīn nián kuài lè 🥠😀.

Best wishes for the Year of the Ox.

 It's more accessible, more informative, better integrated. Check it out at www.ahigherporpoise.com.😀

 New website launches midday tomorrow.😀

Shiny new A Higher Porpoise Tai Chi website goes live in 1 week! It's going to be more accessible and informative, and better integrated with social media. I'm excited.

Are you feeling blue this Blue Monday?

 
Today is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year. With Covid-19 and lockdown there is plenty to be depressed about.

There are things you can do to lift your mood though and one of the best is movement. And the gentle, flowing, mindful movements of tai chi and qigong can really help.

How are you going to spend Blue Monday this year?

 This year hasn't started out great with us being in lockdown but 2021 can still be a time for renewal. As part of that I am doing a complete revamp of my website and social media. The shiny new website will be launched 1 February 2021 and will more accessible and informative, and better integrated with social media.

 Wishing you a happy, healthy 2021😀.