Summer's a great time to start Tai Chi. Beginning class, Friday June 25th, 3:30-4:30 at the Firehouse. $50/8 weeks, $10/class.

Back pain. I just read an article about back pain in America. The main causes they said were sedentary lifestyle and obesity. Short term remedies cited are heat and ice, aspirin, muscle relaxants. Long term recommended agendas include exercise and weight loss. I wished that they had mentioned Tai Chi.

My experience with back pain. I began experiencing back pain when in my early twenties. By the time I was 35, there were times when a simple activity such as picking up a 2 x 4 would send me into terrible pain. One time, after lowering some solar panels off a roof, my back froze up into a knot. When I was able to get into my truck, I couldn't drive for several minutes until the muscles relaxed enough. I went straight to the clinic for muscle relaxants. Several times a year, I would experience this.

I started Tai Chi in 1989 because I wanted to practice a martial art but didn't want to punish my body as I had been with the current martial art- Karate. I also wanted a deeper dimension to my practice- something that would integrate all the elements of my life.

A surprising thing happened. I started to notice after a few years of practice that I wasn't experiencing back pain. I mean, none at all. This came as big, and welcome, surprise.

I am now 62 years old and my back is literally in better condition than it was at 30. I also noticed improvement in my sitting posture. It was more comfortable to sit up straight then to slouch. My back feels strong and straight- and pain free. I attribute this to the slow, gentle, moving, stretching, and strengthening movements of the Tai Chi sequence.

Now whenever I see someone suffering with back pain, I can't help suggesting another Way.

teachers

The study of Tai Chi is really amplified by a good teacher. Videos are great for reference, but I don't think the essence is realized without that personal, real time interaction with a competent teacher. But, not every teacher is the right fit for every student. When I started looking for a a martial arts teacher, I visited several schools and finally settled on Bob Sherman's Isshinryu karate class at Humboldt State. I liked his teaching style and the no-nonsense approach. Also the style of karate suited me better than other martial arts. The same has been true for me with Tai Chi. The two teachers I settled on, Emerson for Wu and Lee for Yang and Chen sword, suited me and my goals both spritual and physical.
Part off choosing a good teacher is looking at their attitude towards students. Is the teacher truly interested in the students goals, or is the student merely fodder for the teacher's bank account, or ego boost, or other selfish motive? A student can benifit from a selfish teacher, or any teacher, but the benefits are very limited, and there is a danger of harm to the student.
Embarking on the study of so intimate an art as tai chi requires trust in the teacher. The student should not have to worry about their progress based on what they can provide to the teacher. The teacher needs to be ever mindful of the progress of the student and do everything reasonably possible to help the student achieve their spiritual/physical goals. When the teacher does this, the teacher is being a teacher- a provider of knowledge to assist another in the Way.