The Tai Chi Community has been in existance since 1992, and during that time we have gone through different and complex stages in our developmentas an active grass roots community group. We have operated mainly from two locations in the city, namely the Playhouse building in Artillery Street and of course the Foyle Arts Centre.
With the purchase of the Foyle Arts Centre by the University authorities we have been forced to examine our future once again. The difficulty we face is that we can only continue to be successful if we remain independant from any statutory authority.
We must also retain our own independant community ownership of what we do in order to reach and deliver our health promoting skills to the people who need our services most. It is also important that when we move it must be to a facility that is user friendly and is in a location which is totally acceptable to all our membership.
Members have been aware for some considerable time now that the Foyle Arts Centre was being sold to the University of Ulster. The sale is near completion and in this regard the building will be closed for about 18 months because of refurbishment works. Our Community needed an appropriate facility which again would be located in a neutral area, so that all can access our activities. Recently we have been negotiating with the Foyle Disability Resource Centre, Glen Road, about the rent of space. We are delighted to inform you all that we have been successful in securing this marvellous space, and we will be moving there in the near future- of course after a number of legal and other documents ahve been agreed and signed.
This facility provides activities for the disabled community in this area, and we are confident that we can be of assistance to all that currently use it. We will share our knowledge freely with the people there. The Tai Chi Comunity has always leaned towards the ordinary people of this area whose lives are made difficult because of various types of illnesses and ailments. This ethos will be maintained and built upon. We are confident that our work at this facility will compliment the ongoing work there, and that our partnership will have great benefits for all. Many of our own members use the Disablity Resource Centre on a weekly basis and we are delighted to see that our skills will now benefit many more people.
Our procedures will continue in that each person who attends our class will sign the attendance register and also enter their membership number at each class. There will be no exceptions, as strict fire safety will apply continuously. We will expect and ensure that all the attended classes will conduct themselves properly and respect the facility and it's users. Litter wil not be discarded on any account and smoking will not be allowed within the building.
The Foyle Disablity Resource Centre is located on the corner of Glen Road/ Northland Road junction, opposite Templemore School, and is accessible from all major city routes. Ample car parking space is available. Please park in an orderly fashion and keep exits clear.
In order to do the Tai Chi solo form you must realise that each movement is a real movement, like a punch, kick, or block that is pantomimed and done slowly. These are fast self defence movements that are done slowly in order to understand them in great detail, figure out the alignment of the body and the Chi flow, co-ordinate the breathing and relax. If the Tai Chi player does not understand what is happening in a martial sense then proper mastery of Tai Chi Chuan cannot be achieved.
In order to do any of these things completely the mind needs to be quiet and still, open and receptive. Thoughts block reality because thay are of the past. By the time they have reached a place where you can hear them in your head it is too late.We can, of course, do many things at one time yet we are not fully present if thoughts are also present. Practise Tai Chi until the thinking mind disappears into the movement.
