Why do you practise Tai Chi?
I was looking for an activity that is different from Yoga. I wanted an activity that could bring me well-being and satisfaction. After assisting Master Lim's class, I have decided to be part of the Tai Chi group.
That culture was corresponding to my needs. The energy, the calm and the inner peacefulness that I felt in that class had convinced me to follow Master Lim and his wife Julia.
What benefits you have gained from doing Tai Chi?
Tai Chi gave me more than I was expecting. After passing a cervical scanner, I was diagnosed a posterior central hernia to the C4 and C5 vertebras, osteophytes to the C5 and C6 vertebras and a fusion to the C6 and C7 which made me suffer and was giving me migraines.
Tai Chi training has helped me a lot. Now, I have more flexibility, less pain and I am more well-balanced energetically, physically and mentally.
How SOTC has help you understand the principles of Tai Chi?
SOTC brought me to be closer to myself. The training of Tai Chi movements has permitted me to develop patience, perseverance, also equilibrium and concentration.
In Master Lim's teaching, I have discovered that there is a lot of depth and details to integrate into the movements.
All the movements must be felt in the deepest part of our body and spirit. We must leave aside the exterior universe.
To look, listen and train is the best way to integrate that philosophy.
Tai Chi is a way of life.
Why are you learning Tai Chi
After practising Martial Arts for 33 years and Taekwondo for 28 I felt very burned out. I was loosing focus and direction. I felt like I was at a crossroad. I had to quit or I had to fine new challenge, new direction. At the same time my body was not listening to me anymore. I had too many injuries after all those years of hard style of Martial Arts. I decided to practice Tai Chi after I met Master Lim in 1996. "I am deeply touched, Master Lim opened my eyes." "He opened a new world for me, a world of wisdom." I was seeking to improve my health condition both phisicaly and mentally.
What benefits you have gained from doing Tai Chi?
I would like to declare that practicing Tai Chi has brought me back to the depth of Martial Arts and to get me back on focus, I found the life I was looking for, depth and meaning, and mostly total dedication. Tai Chi has helped me to improve my general health, and give strength to my mind, body, and spirit peacefulness.
As I stated in the beginning I had a lot of injuries and was having pain on my shoulders and my right hip. I was suffering from bone problems and inflammation. I would liked to mention that high blood pressure, hypertension, and high stress are high risk factors in my family.
I do believe if I didn’t start practising Tai Chi, I would have been following my family trend to early retirement and pain and suffering. The only thing I have to worry about now is properly doing my Tai Chi lessons; they are the best treatment to improve my health.
How SOTC has help you understand the principles of Tai Chi?
I come to realize that my body and mind are in balance only when I am relaxed, and then I can function at its optimum level. Practicing Tai Chi, teaches me how to control everyday stresses, anger, frustrations and I have noticed general improvement in my health both mentally and physically. I'm learning that the relax is the best way to let chi flow and feel in my body.
If you have not tried it, I’d would suggest do it at once. Believe me you won't regret it. It is the key for your happiness. I deeply recommended to anyone who is seeking to gain their health, find another alternative to strengthen their mind, relax and recharge their body, increase their resistance to disease and viruses. Tai Chi offers numerous benefits and it can be practised by everyone, man and woman, young or old, fit or not.
Ivan Tzatchev
Tromsø, Norway
June 2005
Why you learn Tai Chi
I decided to practice Tai Chi because I was becoming very stressful and I was developing a depressed attitude toward my health and I was seeking something to help me to calm down as a Martial Artist. I always have been somewhat an hyper Martial Artist; for example, not relaxing when I was teaching and I was seeking to improve my health condition pertaining to having pain in my chest and relieving the numbness in my left arm.
What benefits you have gained from doing Tai Chi?
Here I would like to state that practicing Tai Chi has brought my focus back to the Martial Arts and to myself and to my family. Tai Chi has helped me to have an holistic approach to my health pertaining to mind, body, and spirit peacefulness.
Like I stated in the beginning statement above, I was having pain in my chest and my left arm was going numb. Here, I would liked to mention that heart attack, high blood pressure, hypertension, prostate cancer and diabetes problems run in my immediate family. My beloved mother is suffering from diabetes in a nursing home at this present time (she is completely blind from the disease). I had a younger brother who died at the age of 37 yrs old of an heart attack. One of my late uncles died of a heart attack in his early 60's and my father who is still living now had two heart attacks thus far and one of my uncles died of prostate cancer recently.
I do believe if I wasn't practing Tai Chi, I would have one of these health conditions. The only thing that I'm concerned with at the present time is my PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) test. Every year I have to have this done; because of my borderline level. I do believe, If I wasn't practicing Tai Chi, this situation would be worse than it is.
How SOTC has help you understand the principles of Tai Chi:
Now I realized that only when you are relaxed your mind and your body can function at its optimum level. By practicing Tai Chi, I'm learning to control everyday stresses and I have noticed improvement in my health pertaining to my mental and physical well being. I'm learning that the more you relax the chi will flow much better through out your body.
I would suggest to anyone who is seeking another alternative to their health pertaining to their mind, and to relax and rejuvenate their body, increase their resistance to disease and gain new strength and vitality, young or old, fit or not, Tai Chi offers numerous benefits and it can be experienced by everyone.
John Garrett
Utica, New York
March 2005
Why you learn Tai Chi?
I decided to learn Tai Chi because I needed something that would help me to be calm. I was a very nervous person. I did Yoga before, but it did not fulfill my needs. I needed to move not meditating in the same position.
What benefits you have gained from doing Tai Chi?
It helped me in more ways that I expected. First of all, I had a lot of pain in my neck. An X-ray showed that I had osteoarthritis. So the doctor told me that he could not do anything about it and that I would have to take anti-inflammatory drugs for the rest of my life to release the pain. So since I have been doing Tai Chi, I do not have pain anymore, and thank God, I don't have to take those drugs to help me. It helps me to be more peaceful, it as also helped me to develop my concentration and surprisingly I am stronger on my legs, I did not have very much balance before. Also in 2003, I have lost my job, lost two of my best friend that died of cancer and lost my father which I loved very much. Tai Chi really helped me to past through this year which was very painful mentally and physically.
How SOTC has helped you understand the principles of Tai Chi?
SOTC is helping me to connect to myself. It helped me to find out that the moment I was thinking that I knew how to do my exercises or the form, well when I look again and listen to the Master, I discovered that I still had a lot to learn and there still a lot of details and deepness in Tai Chi to integrate. So the more I learn the more I discover, and the best way, for me, to learn is to look, listen and practice, and practice, and practice.
Johanne Hooper
February 2005
I first started doing Tai Chi because I wanted to exercise. I was looking for a soft, low-impact exercise. I quickly became hooked on Tai Chi. I am 57 years old.
Tai Chi helped my osteoarthritis and my lumbar subluxation by strengthening my muscles and by diminishing the stress and tensions due to everyday life.
I also acquired greater concentration at work.
I realized that it is the soft, slow movements in Tai Chi that are beneficial.
Practicing the Sing Ong Tai Chi method made me less nervous, and in better shape physically, and it increased my self-esteem.
Thanks to Sing Ong Tai Chi and Master Lim, to the patience and the advice, always given with patience, I am in better shape, both physically and mentally.
Rachel Léveillé
February 2005