Yang Style Tai Chi

Tai chi and qigong are complementary traditional Chinese arts that help to improve one’s health, vitality, and well-being. Tai chi is a series of gentle flowing movements based on martial arts. Qigong is a mind/body exercise that helps stimulate “elemental life force.” In this class, we will focus on the basic forms of traditional Yang style tai chi and in particular the 8 step short form, moving gradually to the longer 16 step form. Both of these forms are excellent preparation to practice the popular Yang 24 step form. We will also learn Ba Duan Jin, a simple, peaceful and elegant qigong form. In addition we will explore some of the philosophy and basic principles behind these arts.

Adults: 40+

Rick Warm

Rick Warm has practiced martial arts including tai chi for 40+ years. His study of tai chi and qigong has become more serious and focused over the past 10 years, and he is a certified instructor from the prestigious Deyin Institute in the UK. Rick is also the director of the Center for Wisdom and Leadership.

Though the crux of Rick's work has centered on leadership and the development of wise leaders, for the last decade Rick has also focused on  wisdom in “second half of life,” the midlife transition, and in particular what it means to be an elder. Rick has taught classes and run seminars and workshops on the topics of wisdom, spirituality and aging. He also  leads a number of Elder Wisdom Circles around the city. Elder Wisdom Circles are groups of older adults, generally in retirement, that gather weekly to discuss such topics as conscious aging, spirituality, and the journey towards wisdom. The circles gather to learn from each other, encourage lifelong learning and growth, and discern how they can make a difference in the world – small or large.