T'ai Chi and Chi kung have become widely renowned as exercises that can help improve health for a wide variety of people. The emphasis on developing an awareness of our bodies and basic principles likecentering, good posture and relaxation, offers a way for people to work positively with their own health.

The calm, balanced movements characteristic of theses arts reflect the concern of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) with restoring a balance of the 'chi' (energy) that is the primary concern of all of the various techniques of this ancient system. Primarily, T'ai Chi and Chi Kung can help cultivate a feeling of centered well being and provide a relief from the strains and stresses of everyday life, physical, mental and emotional. Attention to posture helps us to correct structural, balance and movement problems and the flowing movements improves circulation of both the chi and blood and other body fluids. Correct breathing is emphasised throughout and this has wide ranging benefits on many metabolic processes. At the same time, some exercises and postures encourage us to focus on certain parts of ourselves; organs and tissues; energy channels and points and physical structure to encourage healing where it is most needed.

Recent studies suggest that the range of conditions that can benefit from T'ai chi and Chi Kung is extensive, including Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, Heart disease, Respiratory conditions and recovery from long term physical and mental illness.

I welcome all people, regardless of circumstances to my classes and am happy to help integrate them in to the groups; many of the colleges where I teach also run `learning partnership' schemes should these be useful. I also have classes (notably the integrated chi kung groups) where many of the exercises are practised sitting down, for those who might have problems standing for long periods of time. For older people who wish to learn the traditional forms, but feel that the pace of the regular classes might exclude them I run courses for the University of the Third Age, where the form is taught over a longer period or one of the several 'Integrated' classes now available. For more informatiom on choosing a class clic I am also happy to run classes for groups catering for people with specific needs. I have experience in doing this for people with a wide range of circumstances including people with learning disabilities, who recovering from mental illness and who are recovering from head injuries. Please contact me for further details.