The spring timetable is now up at https://www.ahigherporpoise.com/classes. Classes start week commencing 10 January. There are two half price beginners courses, one on Wednesday afternoons in Hindley and one on Thursday evenings in Bryn.

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.