Joann Carlin

DISCOVERING TAI CHI KUNG/CHUAN

by Joann Carlin

Four years ago I was traveling northbound on North Broadway in the City of Menomonie. I saw a sign advertising tai chi. Thinking that tai chi was some kind of Chinese martial exercise; I signed up for a beginner tai chi class the following evening. This was the start to an eye opening and enriching experience in the martial art of tai chi kung/chuan.

Sempai Linda Bergstrom was the instructor for the beginner tai chi class. I had to retrain my thinking process and physical body. First problem was the middle aged semi-couch potato body, which had my name. Classes would start with warm up and stretching exercises. My body began to adjust and flexibility improved.

Then the real thing, tai chi is not relaxing while doing it. Tai chi has a relaxing and stress reducing effect afterwards. The tai chi form I am studying is a sixty-four posture Yang Style Short Form using a circular box step. You can not be doing mental gymnastics in your mind about what happened earlier in the day nor what you are planning for the next day. The mind must be calm and concentrating on the principles used for moving the body in tai chi. Tai chi can be frustrating and yet you want to learn more.

Four years ago I was a newly widowed working mother of a mentally disabled adult son dealing with the probate court system and other new changes in my life. I credit tai chi with enriching my life by improving my mental and physical health. An extra bonus is learning some fighting skills The Spring of 1999, I became a student-instructor teaching one night a week. In the Fall of 1999, I made the rank of Sifu first black sash. I continue to study tai chi under Soke Kent Bergstrom and Soke Dai Linda Bergstrom at the YamaMizu Renmei dojo/kwoon on the east side of the City of Menomonie. Earlier this year I had a set back with my tai chi. At work I strained the ligaments in both knees. The knees are improving; but my "snake creeps down" posture looks like a sidewinder snake running into multiple road construction detours.

Tai. chi has helped me cope with many issues in my life. I highly recommend tai chi to anyone regardless of age (after getting their doctors approval if needed). A complement would be for a former student to become an instructor and teach others tai chi.

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