Al Simon – The Tai Chi and Qigong Blog

I have some exciting news …

Our Kindle book of “Chi Stories” is now on Amazon.com!

And I say “our” book, because this is the book WE wrote together.

50 True Chi Stories (click here) includes inspirational stories from fifty people whose lives have been made better by Tai Chi and Qigong.

The stories in this book were contributed by readers of this blog, plus by our friends and followers on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. These are real, everyday stories from people just like you!

So it really is OUR book. I hope you’ll join me in thanking all the people here who were willing to open themselves up and contribute these stories. They did this so that all of us could learn about the amazingly transformative power of Tai Chi and Qigong.

Just click here to download your copy NOW!

No Kindle? No Problem!

Because it’s on the Kindle platform on Amazon.Com, it makes it easy to purchase, easy to download,
and extremely affordable. Kindle is the world’s best selling E-reader, made exclusively by Amazon.com. This new book is displayable on *all* versions of the Kindle.

But what if you don’t have a Kindle? No problem!

Just click here to get your Kindle.

… OR …

Get your FREE Kindle app. If you have a Mac, Windows PC, iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, or Windows Phone 7, we’ve got you covered! Just download any of the free Kindle reading apps (click here) and you’ll be ready to go!

The Story behind the Stories

This book is the result of a project that we put together for the online Chi community.

As part of this community, I regularly get stories from people who have been helped by Tai Chi and Qigong. I had often thought that these stories should really be captured and preserved, and then distributed. That way everyone can see the effects – big and small – that Chi development has had for those of us in the online community.

So in 2011, we funded the Chi Stories project. For the first six months of 2011, we invited the entire online community to contribute their Chi stories. And this was not just our own students and instructors. Through email, blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, we invited the entire online community, no matter where they trained, to contribute their stories.

We received quite a few contributions, but eventually narrowed it down to the fifty in this book. While a few of these stories are from my own students and instructors, the vast majority are not. Many of the contributors were unknown to me when we started this project. That’s how far reaching this online community has become.

You’ll find stories about how the Chi arts have helped heal people, physically and emotionally. You’ll find stories about how people got started, or how they stumbled across training when they traveled.

You’ll find stories about things that happened in a class, or happened while practicing alone. You’ll find people who connected with other healing traditions and practices as a result of the training.

And yes, you’ll read about a healing miracle or two.

To see a list of contributors to the book, just click here and scroll down the page.

I hope these stories will inspire you in your pursuit of the Chi energy arts.

Wishing you the best in Tai Chi, Qigong, and Chi Development,

Can you find your name in our annual Thanksgiving Day list?

It’s Thanksgiving here in the U.S. And a few years ago, I started a Thanksgiving tradition here in the blog.

Each Thanksgiving, I list the first names of all the students and instructors who’ve joined us for online Tai Chi and Qigong training in our private ChiFusion courses.

While it’s fun to look through the list to find your name, I actually do this for a very serious purpose. And that’s to express my sincere appreciation to each and every one of you for your support throughout the years.

When we opened our web-based programs in 2003, many people said to me, “You can’t teach this stuff online. That will never work!” It was an uphill battle, and those first few people who joined us were brave pioneers. But now, eight years later, learning Chi Development online is an accepted practice – thanks to the commitment and dedication of ALL of the students and instructors listed below.

Maybe you were one of those first brave pioneers who joined us in 2003. Or maybe you just joined us this morning. Or maybe you were somewhere in between.

No matter when you joined us, I greatly appreciate having you in our program.

Also, I hope all of you will join me in thanking your “senior classmates” – those who joined our program before you. Without their support, this program wouldn’t have been here for you to join.

I’m very thankful to all the support you’ve shown us during the last eight years. We literally could not do what we do without your support.

Thank you to each and every one of you! You have my best wishes for health and happiness now, and for the upcoming New Year.

2003: Rosie, Jill, Adam, Karen, Jennifer, Margaret, Yakup, Bhavesh, Karen, Philip, Daniel, Sally, Donald, Sydney W, Florence, Jerry, Peter, Debra Ann, Paul A, Dick, Michael, Joyce and Joan, Jolanta, Brian, John, Ruth, Lynne, Steven, Gary, Donald, Russ, Erika, Ronald, Shafi, Lynn, Norman, Jan, James, Pat, Alvin, Elaine, Janina, Adam, Arun, Diego, William, William, Manuel, Arun, Paul, Adam, Joyce, Adam, Janina, Norman, James, Rosie, Rosie, Stephen, William, Ute, Theresa, Theresa, Lavaughn, Elaine, Daniel, Girija, Donald, John, Richard, Fanny, Michael, Judith, Katherine, Jarius, Eric, Michelle, Sash,

2004: Joan, Clifton, James, Peggy, Sandro, Mark, Tony, Walter, Carolyn, Richard, Don, Lori, Robert, Nigel, Ryan, Martin, Robert, Tom, Michele, Jeffrey, Loriann, Brian R, Lynn, Robert, Lubov, Kim, Tim, Michelle, John, Candice, Ray, J H, Gary, Adebisi, David, Gerry, Rae, Martin, Keith, Virginia, Virginia, Patrick, Malcolm, Ed, L Kelly, Leslie, Karen, Joel, Tom, Sally, David, S V, Derek, Jg, Cesar, Deborah, Clyde, William, Michael, Tony, Geri, Lillian, T C, Arthur, Robert, Peter, James, Lucia R, Daniel, Craig, Timothy, Abhirami, Robert A, A M J, Rodney, William, Tony, Daniel, Christopher, Cheong, Adam, Carlos, Nancy, Ray, Mario F, Evans, Eric, Sherry, Henry, Rev. Mother, Jerry R, Cynthia, Bella, Robert, Sanjib, Andreas, Gloree, Geoffrey, Michael, Ira, Harry,

2005: Brian, Andrea, Marco, Aubrey, Steve, Gordon, Luke, Robert, David, James, Gerald, Joyce, Geoffrey, Peggy, Norman, Cathleen, Rosie, Francesco, Carlos, Virginia, Adam, Jeff, Gloree, James, Julee, Charles, Donald, Donald, Gary, Arun, John, James, Don, James, Jg, Lillian, Sanjib, Andrea, Martin, Robert, Paul, Michelle, Richard, William, Andreas, Rodney, Lynn, Geri, Girija, G S, Walter, Fuhry, Jeffry, Judith, Marco, Daniel, Tony, Daniel, Gordon, Paul, David, Abdul, Jeffry, Susan, Carole, Carole, Daniel, Gregory, Tom, Louise, Justin, Roger, John, Bonnie J, Jan, David, Jeff, Richard, Manuel, Keith, Pat, Anne, Gregory, Paul, Sharon, Alex, P L, Jeffry, Peter, Robert, Robert, Robert, Manole, Florence, Virginia, Selena, Dennis, Colin W, Stacy, Gloree, Denis, Charles J, Raoul, Chad, Maureen, Chris, Giustina, Ellis, Dr. Munis, Sulten, William, Karen, William, Geoffrey B, Gary, Ronald, William, Douglas, Richard, Roy, Peter, Lewis, S M,

2006: Phyllida, Clyde, Clint R, Deborah, Steve, David, Jeffry, Steven, Douglas F, Gail, Jerry, Loretta, Parnell, Clyde, Jamie, Paul, Peggy, Stan, Pilar, Rob, Derrick, Derrick, James E, John, John, Celia, Elly, Arin, John, Thomas, Alan, Alan, Natasa, Timothy, Michael, John A, Barbara, Ira, Wendy, William, Doug, Arthur, Mr C J, Kimberly, Robbert, Alex, Rotaunja, Ronald, Myrna, Wolfgang, Scott, Patrick Kar Yiu, Jim, Lesley, Nancy, Barbara, Phyllida, Bennett, Khai Quan, Janyce, Heather, Michelle, Gilberto, Josel, P, Karen, K, Roy, Michael, Lorraine H, Michael, Hans, Annie, Doug, Neil, Miguel, Kevin, D A, Annie, Anna, E Marie, Kevin, Peter, Janusz, John, Kevin, Kenneth, K, Laura, Ronald, William, Anna, Carlos, Robert N,

2007: Jose R, Christos, Mario, Charles H, Christine, Charles, Jeffrey, Robert, Elizabeth, Thomas, Connie, Kenneth, Winston, Katherine, Daniel, Robert, Todorka, Rebecca, Greg, Terrell, Katherine, Paul, Michael, Terry, K, Danny, Anita, William, Hans, John, Harold, Thomas, Anthony, George, William, Jessica, Fabio, Terje, Jan, Glenis, Michael, Kathleen, Robert, Ronald, John, Annie, Marianne, Judith, Robert, Mary, John, Lee, Terrilee, Tahir, Allen E, Kathy, Carolyn, Richard, Mira, Elizabeth, James, Pauline, Shirley, Karen, Kelly, John, Naresh, Janet, P. David, Alexandre, John, Angela, John, Dan-Thomas, Sean, Harvey, Arian, Alex, Donald, James, Matthew, Patrick, Raul, Ann, Rae, Peter, Don, Pat, Raymond, Dag Ole, Patricia L, Judith, Larry, Felix, Gerald L, Judith, Patricia, Betty, Gregory, James, Robert, Carles, Eric, Gordon, James, Gina, Jeff, Michael, Celinda, Mladen, Martin, James, Kendall, Joseph, Gary, Deborah, Bruce, Abdulmanan, Stan, Robert, Arthur, Tania, Belinda, Paula, Ah Kiat, Richard,

2008: Robert, Benoit, Tracy, Stefanie, Tom, Virginia, Nha, Paul, Corazon, Lori, Emma Beatriz, Rick, Calvin, Yiu, Rex, Michael, Mary Ellen, Shannon, Kenneth, Kimberly, Julien, Bonnie, Tim, Jan, Alex, Neil, Carl, Ian, Karen, Tony, Alhassan, Alan, Gerardo, John, Todd, Julee, Eugene L, John, Neil, David, Nelson, Patricia, Wesley, Melvyn, Ben, Charles, Peter, Joseph, Ingrid, Cliff, Lisa, Alex, Brian, Petr, Laurie, Guillermo Ruben, Kelli, Larry, Peggy, Joanne, Michelle, Sal, John, Danny, Barry, Patrick, Pamela, John, Michelle, Chrj, David, Georgina, Steven, Jason, Ronald, Svein-Kre, John, Deb, Derek, Allan, Paul, Ramona, Conny, Deborah, Keith, Maria, Khai Quan, Manuel, Ewan, Kelly A, Ronald, Jeffrey, Manfred, Linda, Steve, Kim, Joseph D, Roy, Janet, Graham, Cyril, Irene, Martin, D A, Janice, Christian, Jacqueline A, Kioomars, Paul, Gayle, Judy, Narelle, Paul, Melinda, Marie, Michele, Barbara, Chris, Carol, Lam, Lisa, Glenn, Annette, Evzen, Lorne, Benoit, Tom, Arthur, Alexander, John, Mwezo, Wallace C, Justin, Steven, Rotaunja, Lesly, Betty, Carlos, Christina, Royce A, Ron, Jack, Simon, Norman, David, Harry S, Atsushi, Brook J, Terrell, Marcie, Paul, G A, Maud-Alexandra, Marian, Margaret, Gregory, L Kelly, Derek, Marit H, Rodrigo, Adolfo, Gilda, Azhar, Marios, Lucia R, Agustin, Warren, Patrice, John, John, Robert, Paula, Hendra, Daniel, Mirja, Chad, Edward, Tatiana, Mike, Rodolfo, Annastasia, Scott, A J, Amy, Pamela, Colin, Derek, Salvatore, Anita, Ling, Preston, Aref, Carole D, Evelyn, Margaret, Gordon, Paul, Pascal, Matthew, Christopher, Mary, Norman, Theresa, Lesley, Timothy, Steven, Maryjane, Michael, David, Erich, Sandra, Elisabeth, Jim, Fred, Sean, Emma Beatriz, Amy, Dag Ole, Mary, Ethan, W. David, W. David, Gregory, Linda, Jeffrey, Rosie, Isabel, Erich, Lucky, Annie, Homer, Annette, Jana, Keith, James, Robert W, Robert W, Frances, L Kelly, John, Peter, Maureen, Tim, Stan, John, Maryjane, Maryjane, Judith, Alex, Marianne, Gloree, Clifford, Patrice, Doug, Adam, Linville, Paul, Todroka, Walden, Maurice, A J, Johanna, Donald, Greg, Alex, Scott, Raymundo, C F M, Eyal And Zora, Tom, Tracey, Nancy, William,

2009: Nancy, Sue/Darlene, Anita, Anita, Gilda, Brian, Hisham, Joan, Thelma, Claudia G, Stephanie, Steve, Kevin, Jolanda, Mary Ann, James, Nataliya, Frank, Roger, Tommi, Clare, Catherine, Winston, Antonio, Bill, Atsushi, Homer, Arun, Christina, Christina, Marion, Michael, Tatyana, Gary, Theodore, Glenn, Van, Ronald, Donald, Isabella, Gary, Roy, Bernice, Robert, Sandro, Martin, Harold, Diane, Theresa, Bennett, V, Shelly, Thad, Umera, Ryan, Frances, Saun, Melody, Roy, Richard, Eugen Mario, Dennis, Ken, David, Dan, Richard, Douglas, James, David, Doyle, Lawrence, Jose M., Angelo, Joseph, Carlos, Mishelle, Ralph, Paul, Michael, Ramona, Branko, Tom, Mark, John, Tom, Alton, Alexander, Colin, Eugene, Robbert, Sarah G, Frank, Janet, Won Chull, Kevin, Kathryn, Clay, Georges, Willard, Stephanie, Diana, Alberto, Donal, Frank, Roger F, Sarah G, Hugh, Van, Debbi, Lenga, Mary, Thomas, Olivia, Walter, Kirsten, Joyce, Yuen Sun, Yuen Sun, Dennis, Catherine, Debbi, Ralph, Walter, Mihaela, Claudia G, Simon L, Gene, Ken, Olivia, James, Lorraine, Barbara, Peter, Jeffery, Jose, Richard, Apolonia, Stephen, Nicholas, Lewis, Richard, Kenneth, Vidojko, Ted, Evelyn, Margaret, Stig Rune, David, George, Orlando, David, Thomas, Susan, Jerry, Marjorie J, Stanley L, Dawn, Thilo, Dixie, Mr Steven, Christine, Helen, Mrs S, Dr Valeria N, John, Lesley, Diane, Wong Sin Hing, Abw, Marianne, Cherry, Marin, Marin, Mary, Ronald, Pietro, Michael, Ernest, Bob, Kari, Kaye, Margrit, Patrick, Gino, Peter, David, Abdullah, Tranchie, Derek, Dennis, William, Christopher, Yoshinobu, Rita, Chris, Thomas, Darbella, Eric, Ron, Darren, Linda M, Louise, Olga, Ellie, James, Alvin, Diane, Joost, Aldona, Maryann, Gene P, Charlotte, Wendy, Judy, Shawn, Allen, Steen, Patricia, A P, Rick, Helen, George, Clair, Irem, John, Karen M, Lorene, Allan, Pawan, Ritamarie, Richard, Marie-Michelle, Laurie, Wendy, Marina, Peter Alan, Scott, Glosnie, Eric, Dennis, Timothy, Ronald, Darren, Roeland, William, Robert S, Jonathan, Linda, Alan, Mike, John, Barry, Harold, James, Julio, Pilar, Ricardo, James, Chris, Sia, Miriam, Roger, Robert, Ron, Linda M, Gerard, K V, Robert, Ilse, James, Thomas, Padraig, Alex, Chris, Patricia, Ronald, Richard, Ron, Richard, Jean, Hans, Jehangir, Gene P, Michelle, Barry, Jonathan, Martin, Mary, Christopher, Gunter, Ruth Anne, Shawn, Patricia, Allen, Joan, Theofania, Darren, Chris, Anne, Mark, Jacqueline, Kevin, Laura, Lisa, Brian, Reinaldo, Allan, Basil, Ayse, Richard, Linda, Larry, Agnes, Laurie, James, Simon, Caroline, Mark, Gary, Dennis, Fidelis, Keith, Justin, Beate Helene, Lauree, Mary, Robert, Susan, Jonathan, William, Yves, Chris, Angelina, Frank, Ann, Linda, Nadia, John, Marianne, Mathias, Ed, Christine, Raymond, Robert, Patti, Bette Ann, Karen L, Chris, Christian, Linda, Ron, Linda M, Danny, James, Suzanne, Hg, Ilse, Leon, Gene P, Lynette, Peter, Amy, Thomas, Gunter, Candice, Allen, Joan, Patricia, Shawn, Theofania, Jacquelyn, Wayne, Hans, John, Jacqueline, Reinaldo, Allan, Richard, Linda, Toni, Laurie, James, Angie, Caroline, Dinah, Janice P, Justin, Soi, Elke, Michael, Grant, David, Ipatia, Jonathan, Robin, Barbara, Ann, Allen, Jennifer, Carla, Caroline, Simo, Harry, David, Linda, Dion, Larry, Cathy, Geoffrey, Karen L, Simon, Indra, Weldon W, Camilla, Øystein, Christian, Linda, Ilse, Susan, Donald, John, Gudni, Mary Carol, Lorenz, Suzanne, Kay, P, Ivars, Warren, Vibeke, Martin, Trevor, Rob, David, Javier, Joan, Sherwood, Alexander, Wayne, David, Stephen, Colt, Reinaldo, Dr Alison, Rejean, Theofania, John, Crispino, Carol, Carmen, Linda, Jacqueline, Brian, Miguel, Davide Alberto, James, Dorothea, Caroline, Janice P, Cryslea, Bruce, Justin, Gary, David, Mary, Vincent, Ben, Nancy, Louise, Stephen, Amit, Nikolai, Stevenson, Mark, Dana, Keith, Emanuela, Richard, Janellen, Dag, John, James, Stephen, Robert, Jude, Jose, Daphne, Clifton, Aisha, Yazid, Roberto, John, Colin, Joyce, Jonathan, Joelle, Tzu Fann, Steve, Heather, Alice, Unni Elisabeth, Edward, Mark, Margo, Elizabeth, Roselie F, Neilo, Magaret, Clyve, Donald, Kevin, Karolien, Kenneth, Bob, Mohinder, Genni, Robert, Joseph, R.E., Chris, Jeanne B, Regina, Brian, Jean, Jami, Ken, Hans, Arthur, Christine, Ilmari, Charles J, Steven L, Tatiana, Mike, Frederick, Suzanne, Kara, Philip, Bj, Paula, Christine, Norma, Lauren, Salvatore, David,

2010: Ernests, Rachel, Paul, Arlyn, Joan, Jeffrey H, Jolyn R., Marie, Suzanne, Aisha, G. Nick, Vicky, Steven, Michele, Judy, Agung, Chaarani, Suz, Dennis, Martha, Carla, Tom, Diane, Erick, Carol, Richard, Edward, Dorothy, Aghee, Kim, Cynthia, Igors V, Sarah, Paul, Michael, Shari, David, Mette Lyngsoe, Brian, Deborah, Nancy J, Robert, Binh, Richard, Dorothy, Robert, Nancy, Barb, Peter, Karen, Ruth, Andrew, William, Bev, Debby, Trong Hiep, Richard, Michael, Robbin S, Frank, Sandra, Clare, Kathy, Linda, Kerstin, Helen, Sandra, Rosie, Sunada, Igor, Guy, Paul, Michael, Nancy, Suzanne, Tisha, Rick, Alain, Kathy, Shella, Kwok, Gordon, Robert, Joseph, Roderick, Jennifer, Laszlo, Shirley, Jane, Richard, Peter, Eva, Carolyn, Sharon, Dorothy Louise, Nicole Y, Leila, Mark, Ruth E, Steven, Mary, Tina, Bruce, Fontana, Colin, Kevin, Cynthia A, Alia, A W, Yeow Len, Sylvia, Charles, Richard, Cheryl, Bobette, Richard, Emilia, Camille, Shari, Thomas, Nena, Frances, Robert M, Nancy, Jane, Luis, Michael, Wei, Kevin, Elfriede, Sarah V, Hannie, Sindra, William, Patricia, Ysabel, Florence M, Jerzy, Kenneth, Michael, Judyann, Jackie, Debra, Arya, Daniel, Michael, William, Larry, Sheila, Darlene, Steve, David, Andy, Jim, Christine, Yvon, Jean-Paul, Ruchith, Kathryn, Carol, Mamoru, Arthur, Lillian, Valerie, Gary, Laslo, Mario, Mark, John, Marte, Dean, Lori, Michael, Perin, Linda, Steve, Jean, Susan J., Justyn, Arthur, Robert, Malcolm, L, Albert, Donna, Louise, Peter, David, Marguerite, Genci, Bernard, Keimpe, Pamela, Christy M, Matt, Andrew, Jessica, Tim, K Y, Jill, Carel, John, Maureen, Gretchen, Dennis, Anna, Juan A, Walter, Peter, Thomas, W T, Anne Marie, John, Aspy Framroze, Dean, Andrew, Marta, Henry, Frank, Blanca E, Tom, Patrick, Richard, Ron, Ben, Lesley, Diane, Robin, Steve, Stephen, Brock, Suzanne, Brian S A, Renato, Bjarne, Deanna, Edith M, Nancy, Janice J, John, Robert, Paul, Peter, Jeremy, B E, Mary, Kim, Sandra, Kathleen, Debora, Angela, David, Marijke, Shella, Lowell, Nicholas, Marian, Christine, Paul M, Jennifer, Cheney, Suniti, Anthony, Maureen, Lawrence, Bart, Luis, Paula, Pamela, Ron, William, Simon, Michael, Justyn, Craig, Carol, Desiree, Charles, Etienne, Sally, Catheryn, Jannine, Chari, Trygve, Martha, Kathleen, Anthony, William, Mary Beth, Jim, Lucille G, Michael, David, Louise, Viviane, Sharon, Kathleen, Barbara, Dean, Susanne, Karen, Patricia, Jeanette, Marilyn, David, Pauline, Christina, Hitomi, William, Janet, Rachel, Linda, Emma, Maimuna, Roger, Ruth, Linda, Francine, Linda, Waltraud, Linda, Valerie, Mihaiela, Leslie, Craig, Jacqueline, Michele, Cynthia, Stephen, Nikki, Jeffry, Patti, Barbara, Nagako, Stephanie, Martha, Caroline, Marilyn, John, Christopher, Ina, Leanora, Lenice, Lidia, Ann Marie, Joleen, M, Frank, Yaron, Howard, Victoria, Lara, Judith, Christine, Valerie, Betsy, Amanda, Sharon, John, Anne, Katherine, Bibi, Carol, Charles, Edward, Sylvia, Jennifer, Ashley, Elaine, Jason, Gregory, Vasin, Kee Seng, Carmela, Joan, Jeffrey, Gary, Peter, Magda, Marilyn, Prem, Pascale Marie, William, Jo, Ubk Ki Dojo, Alison, Marina, David, Anita, Thomas K, Thomas, Janice, Loriann, Dave, John, Terry, Patricia, Mayer, Rebecca, Robert, Barbara, Rivka, Dana, Eileen, Theodore, Jelani, Karen, José, Frans, Philip, Philippa, John, Blanche, Lara, Aiko S, Mr, Michael, Kathy, Eileen, Iris, Hung, Jason, Donna, Anthony, Eileen, Molly, Sara-Gene, Jim, Caroline, Robert, Thomas, Carolyn, Richard, Carl, G Sridhar, Andrew, Kerry, Kaye, Lisa J, Henry, Christine, Grayson, Astrid, Robyn, Doug, Me, Hans, Paula, Katherine, Matthew, Ann, Paolo, E, Jorge Armando, Rebekah, Christoph, James, Livia, Donald, Cory, Robyn, I, Chris, Susan, Susan, Sean, Ankica, William, Martin, Patricia, Alexander, Marge, Donald, Sarah, Linda, Simon, Ferruccio, Amit, Kit, Sunny, Ann, Tammy, Sally, Fausto, Dave, Dr, Sayuri, Chuck, Barnett, Deborah, Barbara, Kevin, Kevin, Richard, Rolf, William, J Raymond, Preethi, Ron, James, John, Sharon, Esther, Marilee, Huy, Dominik, Marc, Sandi, John, Julia, Roy, Clare, Robert, Sandra, Larry, Jenny, Julio, C, Nick, Cherie, Dolli, Gary, Terry, Shamsulbahriah, Roberta, Henry, Laurie, Thomas, Gregory, Diana, Tom, Rebecca, Larry, Seena, Sandra, Robert, Judy, Lorraine, Leslie, Nicholas, John, Patrick, Gunnar, Karen, Coleen, Stevens, Edna, Abhijit, Abigail, Donald, Abigail, Susanne, Phyllis, Michael, Susan, Kristi, Randolph, Richard, Frederick, Robert, Dwen, Teri, Ava, Randolph, Connie, Jon, Meredith, Jonathan, Neil, Adriana, Nancy, B Carol, P. Sidney, Lester, Christine, Lynnette, John S, Dane, Victor, Christopher, Jim, Carol, Geoffrey, Kelly, Barbara, Ken, Patricia, Wayne, Carolyn, Spencer, Jacquelyn, Howard, Karen, Larry, C, Katie, Katherine, Michael, Christian, Dave, Rhese, Gita, Jaime, Tammi, Wesley, Jeane, Kenny, Marjorie, Valerie, Jack, Nancy, Bruce, Peter, Virginia, Mona, Charleen, Gwendolyn, Pearlena, Bruce, Laura, Jackie, Sondra, Tedario, Devendran, Atossa, Majna, Roger John, James, Michael, Richard, John, Soei Tien, Leif Erik, Jane, Ihor, Sharon, Flemming, Bryna, Louise, Del, Stephen, Lan, Patrick, Eva Marie, Henrik, John, Smm, Tommy, Leeorr, Sharon, Paul, Inger, Laurent, Simon, Dellwyn, Jan, Vibeke, Kathryn, Lutz, Neil, Gav, Paul R, Burkhard Michael, Linne, Benjamin, Peter, Marina, Denya, Marianne, Veselina, Vivi, Arun, Rodney, Rodney, Richard, Carol A, Nan, Dustin, Matthias, Tamara, Alayna, Judith, Anthony, Jacqueline, Kamran, Steven, Annette, Alok, Maria, Joseph, Aranka, Shelley, Juanita, Beatrice, Michael, Pat, Gloria, Marla, Marjorie E, Irene, Lorna, Carl, Brett, Robert, Therese, Christine, Heather, Linda, Rex, Thomas Kenneth, Josh, Drena, Kc, Megan, Stephen, Faj, Larry, Jonathan, Marcela, Ryan, Michael, Kevin, Deborah, Susan, Judith, Tony, Tom, Miriam, Trupti, Marv, Judith, Bob, Kathe, Gabriel, Kenneth, Charles, Bobbie, J’Ette, Randy, Eva, Gurcharan, Michael, Sandra, Charles, Rainer, Brian, Andrew, Douglas, Sherry, Angel, Maryanne, Bruce, Christine, Clara, Phyllis, Keld, Susan, Deborah, Cathleen, Gerald, Brett, Richard, Stanley, Nanette, Oumah, Georges, Alex, Vlado, Michael, Doris, Christopher, Robert, Christopher, David, Chuck, Thomas, Winifred, Alfred, Brett, Robert, Dorothy, Gunnar, Joslyn, Donna, Michael, Cynthia, George, Wallace, Arazak, Wei, Ann, Stephen, Jeffrey, Mrs Virginia F, Thomas, Vui, Stephen, Sandra, Mabry, Marianne, Bergthora, Donald, Pei, Riva, P Blake, L. Joan, Katie, Thomas, Curt, R.P., Richard, Victoria, Larry, James, Raymond, Lucy, Olena, Peter, David, Robert, Susie, Jim, Doreen, Douglas, Preethi, Connie, Lawrence, Erica, Richard, Walter, Jerzy, Helen, Richard, Lincoln, Kimberly, David, Garry, Jeff, Linda, Gillian, Mohammed, Eric, Martin, Ed, Bill, Anita, Ken, Wilson, Noah, Kashif, Jose, Faj, Paola, Mary, Michael, Andrew, Tino, Ellen, Shalini, Sam, Daphne, Sandra, Charles, Belinda, Marina, HJ, Gary, Barry, Suzanne, Erin, Michael, Dian, Sunny, Stephanie, Barbara, Elke, Mary, Carole, Francine, Edward, Sean, Paul, Lynda, Robert, Woodrow,

2011: Alexa, Kjell-Erik, Mirja, Brenna, Alan, Robert, Kelly, Pat, Margaret, Tom, Lorie, Tanase, Walter, Benjamin, Viswanathan, Roberta, James, Jane, Karen, Birgit, Tony, C S, Kevin, Leeba, Audre, Åse, Sue, Kirsten, Rosemary, Paul, Jerry, Pene, Eva, Miodrag, John, Sue, Michael, Loretta, Laura, Linda, Dianne, Peter, Leslee, Beryl, Susan, Stuart, William, Marilyn, Patricia, Ferdinando, Ibrahim, Marty, Anon, Janet, John, Doug, Dave, Dennis, Ayodele, Anthony, Gary, Alfred, Barbara, Heather, Henry, Jacquelin, Jean Claude, Lee, John, Lisette, William, Allen, Robert, Wesley, Lorraine, Lea, Eric, Deborah, Cruzita, Phyllis, Mary, Hubert, James, Susan, Charles, Ron, Philip, Enzo, Norman, Bonnie, Nader, Marsha, Marjorie, James, Melvin, Paul, Dirk, Carol, Mitzie, Michelle, Santos, Jill, Betty, Pamela, Maria, Mark, Helen, Henry, Alastair, Thomas, Pauline, Barbara, Ernestina, Douglas, Larry, Wim, Astrid, Natalie, Paul, Jiri, Jye Jong, Gwendoline, Wilhelmina, Anne, Charalampos, Grete, Paco, Judy, Alan, Ewa, Katrina, Nancy, Barbara, G David, Olga, Paul, Lester, Kathryn, Genevieve, Jeffery, Doris, David, Jeremy, Troy, Kaye, Dawn, Ann, Dale, Maria Elena, Nestor, Malcolm, Michael, Felix, Cynthia, Marijan, John, Paul, Dawn, Helen, John, Kit, Craig, Michael, Alec, Jacqueline, Cathy, Hans, Darill, Richard, Patricia, Trudy, John, P, Cor, Michelle, Brucilla, Michel, Gilbert, Rich, Medical, Marilyn, Judy, Winston, Billy, Yvonne, Sameen, John, Michael, Darlene, Dailey, Michael, Linda, Lori, Sheila, John, Adriana, Richard, Ivan, Robert, Brad, Robert, Diane, Shelly, Richard, Nicole, Steven, Mary, Margret, Daniela, Ronald, Clair, Linda, Sol-Britt, Aysegul, Torsten, Sandra, Lynley, Melissa, Khaled, Frederico, Jocelyn, Nouf, Bondolin, Thomas, Paul, John, Glen, Sandra, Mark, Jostein, Sharon, Marcia, Connie, Chun, William, Andrew, Randall, Donald, Danny, Nathalie, Elena, Norine, Roslyn, Anne, Elizabeth, Greg, Sandra, Sandra, Timothy, Carolyn, Lisa, Timothy, Loriann, Tim, Deana, E S, Douglas, Paul, Sandra, Robert, Sisko, Pier-Olivier, Leatrice, Fred, Bob, Anne, David, Stephen, Errol, Earl, Ross, Robert, Suzanne, Håkon, Carolyn, Judith, Teresa, Lynn, Craig, James, Arthur, Barry, Carla, Ann, Roger, Janet, Jane, Romy, Gwendolyn, William, Patsy, Timothy, Edit, Sherry, Anne, Christine, Andrej, Jacob, Aylin, Ina, Keiko, Derek, Valentina, David, Veronika, Vivienne, Alicia, Jair, Dane, J, Cecil, David, Kenneth, Nelson, Beth, Margaret, Paul, Donna, Robyn, Chris, Johnny, Helena, Deborah, Olga, Nancy, Edwina, Joyce, Janet, Joy, Bob, Joan, Max, Jenny, Donald, Janet, Elaine, Alison, Clay, Subhas, Charles, Gena, Sharron, Francoise, Beverly, Sharon, Richard, Eduardo, Kenneth, Peter, Opal, Liz, Carol, Elyn, Robert, Carl, Kai, Kathy, Robert, Thomas, Francois, Malcolm, Kathy, Al, Rex, Kjetil, Colleen, Walter, Larry, Nyleve, Tariq, Bryan, Fanny, Deirdre, W A, Kam, Norman, Valentine, Alan, Steven, David, Diane, Burton, Mike, Stanley, Tara, Ruth, Robert, Desiree, Marc, Kimberly, Michael, James, Roy, Cheryl, David, Thomas, Stephen, Lawrence, Paul, Kathleen, Julie, Emma, Linda, Sylvia, Carolyn, Richard, Donna, Mark, Dieter, Christopher, Shirley, Albert, Ron, Aileen, Virachai, Clair, Windu, Shari, Christina, Deborah, Isobel, Anthony, Michael, Francois, Marc-André, Douglas, Nuno, Mark, Kathleen, Maria, Michael, Leandro, Neil, Stanley, Marie, John, Leora, Howard, William, Jane, Antímio, Li San, Eduardo, Alistair, Janet, Suzanne, Viv, Philip, Kenneth, Alphonsus, David, Arlynna, Julie, Kevin, Katherine, Vicente, Willaim, Mr, Arlette, Ehsan, Quek, Philip, Charles, Elizabeth, Hiromi, Brenda, Shawn, Robert, Ivor, Ian, Gordon, Eric, Barry, Walter, Bronia, John, Margaret, Lex, Lisa, Ed, Phil, Mary Ann, Myra, Basheer, Mark, Richard, J. Archie, V, Thomas, Thomas, Patricia, Janis, Geetanjali, Gerald, George, Markus, Suryya, Susan, Julie, Katherine, Wilfrido, Angie, Rami, Richard, Gregory, Clovis, Dick, Sandy, Brigitte, Jay, Josephine, Daniel, Kath, Iris, A, Martin, Dorothy, Julie, Michael, Pamela, Paulette, Nada, Cartley, Kevin, Trevor, Norma, David, Rea, Carole, Vasilios, Fauver, Barbara, Ronald, Chen, Keith, Michael, Satvinder, Fernando, Tyler, Antonio, Dean, Roger, Harish, Laura, Karen, Khaled, Caecilia, Pauline, Craig, Gulamabbas, Robin, Calvin, Cynthia, Jacquelyn, John, Darren, Lisa, Dawn, Stanley, Stephen, Karin, Ivette, Mujgan, Olin, Frederic, Luis, George, Glenn, John, Valorie, Barbara, Wan, Charles, Diana, Dave, Carol, Craig, Jane, Ruth, Anne, Esther, Cecile, Greg, Jose, Adrianne, Derly, George, Juha, Bernard, Angie, Gregg, Barnard, Malinda, Bd, David, Richard, Marian, Jose, Ben, Ann, Laura, Walter, Donald, Richard, Ana, Cao, Kristina, Barbara, Ryan, Judy, Jana, Stephen, Iain, Renaud, Vivian, K K, Kenneth, Isabella, Patrick, Barbara, Ana Elisa, Robert, Belinda, Joakim, Kimberly, Jerry, Carina, Stephen, Heather, Scott, Robert, Char, Jaspal, Albert, Naitmass, Wayne, Ana, Dianne, Emil, Laila, Danilo, Julie, Diane, Jimmy, Jeremy, Steffen, Edward, Lily, Joann, Charles, Fred, Claudio, Barbara, Wm, William, Zeno, Sandy, Frank, Peter, Milton, Silvia, Bozena, Malcolm, Bruce, Arnold, Dennis, Sarah, Per, Barbara, Robert, Jarle, Heather, Marcelo, Gail, Marilena, H J, Richard, Charles, Nancy, Jennifer, Bas, Elsemarieke, John, John, Larry, George, Lisa, Tony, Pauline, Joseph, Temmy, A Mark, Gilberte, Edward, James, David, Terri, Allen, Jonathan, Julia, Jamila, Sultan, Alexander, Mary Kay, Gordon, Jolie, Joy, Francis, Janice, Rachelle, Christopher, Kuan, Lewis, S, Patti, Janet, Edward, Joane, Micaela, Ben, W. Terry, Helen, Gwen, Diane, Joellen, Montserrat, Frederick, Valerie, Brian, Eileen, Alex, Claire, Ivan, Judy, Kathleen, Steve, Jane, Vikas, Ali, Franklin, Marvin, Debra, Dee, Paul, Maria, Mario, Judith, Richard, Elaine, Richard, Peter, Roger, Dolores, Roy, Margaret, Lawrence, M Elizabeth, Mary, Marilyn, Jaime, Orlando, Santiago, Rodica, Vladimir, Jean Claude, Merryla, Gary, Amy, Debbie, Inkeri, Francisco, Emily, Jane, Wayne, Marcia, Debra, Nancy, Sharon, Helen, Therese, Keith, Ray, Oscar, Eric, Neil, Rita, Fabio, Kathleen, Bruce, Zoltán, Ronnie, Angharad, Robert, Wayne, Brian, Joe, Maria, Scott, Anne, Howard, Kerry, Michael, Stephen, Kim, Martin, John, Barbara, Raja, Barbara, Jacqueline, Christian, Emil, Henry, Coralie, Barbara, Maria, Lee, Yaelah, Michael, Donna, Marilyn, Jeff, Ray, Vanessa, Stephen, Richard, Mary, Ana, Anthony, and Norm.

In addition to being a ChiFusion Tai Chi student, Richard P. Alleger is also a woodcarver. Richard, who lives in Pennsylvania, recently sent me a beautiful, hand-carved plaque with the Chinese characters for “Tai Chi Chuan”. And the wood for the characters comes from boards broken at a dojo!

Richard gave me his permission to share the nice letter he sent me along with the plaque:

Richard P. Alleger
rpcarver@msn.com
July 1,2011

Al Simon, ChiFusion:

I am enclosing this Tai Chi Chuan plaque that I made in appreciation for the ChiFusion course.

I got started with ChiFusion at the end of 2010 and am taking my time working through the program in part because of a family health crisis. I have completed the Eight Brocades and have seen immediate health benefits.

After doing Opening the Spine, I walk more erect and feel I regained my height. After doing the horse stance postures, I notice that I can sink lower in Yang Style Snake Creeps Down posture. I appreciate the direction to turn out the toes rather than keeping the feet parallel while doing horse stances. Weakness in my left knee had prevented me from lowering my stance without experiencing sharp pain. With this change, I have been able to achieve a low stance without discomfort.

I was happy to find ChiFusion because I have a life style that makes it hard to regularly attend a class. My job selling chemicals to Industrial and Food product companies requires me to travel through the Northeast and all of Canada. Weekends are a time to catch up on things around the house and spend time with the family.

I was in a group that started training every other Sunday with a Chinese teacher, then they agreed to start meeting every other Tuesday night, making it impossible for me to attend regularly. So I have been practicing on my own with a DVD the Chinese teacher made. The DVD is better than nothing, as long as I improve my copying of his movements and postures, but I wasn’t getting any help correcting mistakes.

ChiFusion gives me input both reading material and video on basic things to begin correcting mistakes. I like the feeling of learning again and setting a pace to work through the material. I believe daily practice is vitally important to overall improvement. I try to practice first thing in the morning.

My interest in Tai Chi led me into watching and collecting Chinese Martial Arts movies from Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest Studios. I have a small collection, only 530 movies. I got the idea to make these plaques after watching the movies and seeing similarly made signs in temple scenes. I have included a photo of me when I sold some plaques at a Chinese Martial arts competition in Baltimore awhile back. The Chinese characters on the plaque are cut out from boards broken in a Taekwondo dojo where I took some Chen Tai Chi lessons.

Thanks for creating a system for learning Qigong and Tai Chi in an independent setting

Sincerely,
Richard P. Alleger

If you are interested in getting one of Richard’s plaques, you can reach him by email at rpcarver@msn.com.

In addition to being a ChiFusion Tai Chi student, Fidelis Hoeberichts-DeCruz is also an avid belly dancer. Fidelis recently took part in a belly dance “flash mob” in the Netherlands, where she lives with her husband Jan.

Here’s the video of the performance on YouTube. (Press play, then double-click to watch it full screen)

You can spot her husband Jan in the crowd on the other side of the street all through the video, in a blue raincoat and cap, carrying an orange umbrella. You can spot Fidelis, dressed in in a long dark skirt and top with a red and gold hip band, coming out of the VanLeest shop at 1:24 in the video. You can then see her join the mob at around at around 1:48 in the second last row.

Here’s a still from about four minutes into the video, where you can see Fidelis very clearly, along with a photo of her and Jan and friends taken that day:

I hope you enjoy the video. Thanks to Fidelis and Jan for sending it. They have been avid supporters of our ChiFusion Tai Chi over the last few years, and have become our friends in the Netherlands.

This is funny! Thanks to my student Christine A. for sending this to me:

Claude, a bear in a Japanese zoo, has developed an unusual obsession. He spends hours on twirling and twisting sticks.

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For my first post for the New Year, let’s have some fun …

I was reading in John Crewdson’s blog about a new social meme, called four lies and a truth. In it, the poster is supposed to post five things about himself or herself. All of them are supposed to be outrageous, implausible, or ridiculous, but only one of them is true. The other four are lies.

I’ve decided to turn this around – and publish Four Truths and a Lie. I’m going to tell you five things about myself. Four of them are true, one is a lie. They will mostly be about me personally, rather than my Tai Chi, because between my websites and courses, most of you already know everything Tai Chi-wise about me.

So here are Four Truths and One Lie about me. Can you spot which one of these is the lie?

1. A computer program I wrote was once on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
2. I once had a small role in a touring company of the play, The Caine Mutiny Court Martial.
3. Fortune magazine once mentioned my Tai Chi classes in an article about “Cool Companies”.
4. I once worked on a project with the woman who was the model for the character of “Alice” in the syndicated “Dilbert” cartoons.
5. A small ensemble of members from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra once performed one of my musical compositions.

Yes, four are true, one is a lie. Which is the lie?

In the original meme, you are supposed to never reveal the truth. But where’s the fun in that?

Leave a comment to this post with your guess about which one of the above is the lie. If you do, in a day or so, I will send you an email with the correct answer!