A 6 week Introduction to T’ai Chi Chuan with Fara Afifi from Grey Heron Internal Arts
These sessions will be recorded and available to all ticket holders after each session.
£18 for all six weeks, only £3 per session!
T’ai Chi Chuan is a Chinese internal martial art that focuses on inner calmness, connecting through the body, good alignment, posture and balance. It improves coordination, relaxation, balance, mobility and strength.
The art can be practised seated as well as standing so it is an inclusive and enjoyable form of mindful exercise. Movements and techniques are learned at a gentle and unhurried pace, focusing on body awareness and clarity of attention, that people of all levels, experience and abilities can enjoy.
The course will be a 6 week introductory course where students will be learning the first 6 movements of the first Shibashi Tai Chi/ Qigong set developed by Professor Lin Haosheng in the late 1970s, and also learning about body alignment, posture, balance and T’ai Chi walking patterns.
It is open to compete beginners but will also benefit people with experience in T’ai Chi.
The ethos behind these classes is to enjoy the sheer pleasure of moving and gentle exercises and moving freely with no pressure on getting it right.
Friday Session Dates as follows (10am-11am):
23 October, 30 October, 6 November, 13 November, 20 November, 27 November.
Weekly sessions will include:
- Commencing the Form (Raising the Qi / Regulating Breathing)
- Opening the Chest (Broadening the Chest)
- Painting a Rainbow (Dancing with Rainbows)
- Separating the Clouds (Circling Arms to Separate the Clouds)
- Rolling the Arms (Twisting Waist and Swinging/Rolling Arms)
- Rowing a Boat (Rowing a Boat in the Middle of the Lake)
Faradena is a full time T’ai Chi Chuan instructor teaching classes since 2004, a community healing musician, Reiki practitioner and massage therapist. Trained at the Sylvia Brearley School in Harrogate in 2000, achieving an ITEC Anatomy Physiology and Massage Diploma. Since 2001 she attended various postgraduate courses with the Holos Massage School and the Middlesex School of Complementary Medicine.
Faradena is a teacher for Grey Heron Internal Arts, a small Cambridgeshire based T’ai Chi school.
Her main areas of study are Chen style Taijiquan and Qigong and she also is learning Yiquan (intent boxing) with Eva Koskuba and the Beijing 24 step and associated practises with Mike Tabrett of Grey Heron Internal Arts and has recently taken up Ba Gua and more martial elements with the World Taiji Boxing Association run by Eli Montague.
She teaches T’ai Chi Chuan in a variety of settings mostly for adults and occasionally with children; including yearly festival music/exercise children’s sessions and one to one with children with additional needs.
Faradena teaches the Beijing 24 Step, Chen Style beginners, Yiquan for beginners Chi Kung, Push Hands and partnerwork.
She also can teach specialist classes: classes for people with long term health conditions, classes for improving strength and balance, women only, mental health positive classes, neurodiverse friendly classes, adaptations for people with complex learning disabilities, classes for wheelchair users, etc.
She covers East Cambridgeshire and also teaches online.
As well as community music sessions for adults with multiple and complex disabilities using a combination of T’ai Chi Chuan, massage and music to stimulate the senses and improve range of movement. She also does one to one and small group sessions in Music for Wellbeing using a combination of Reiki, recorded nature sounds and handpan, cello or singing for healing.
She teaches workshops in T’ai Chi and Chi Kung in local nature reserves during warmer months.