Tai Chi Seamham - Co Durham
Profile: Ken & Glynis Jones
In 1998 after suffering a heart attack, it was apparent that there was need for a change of my lifestyle
including more exercise, but something gentle, not too strenuous (I was 54 years old and no spring chicken!).
My wife Glynis spotted an advert in the local press regarding Tai Chi classes in a local school.
We went along on the allotted evening and found that the class was run by the College of Chinese Physical Culture headed by Desmond Murray, a former student of Chee Soo the late Grand Master. The association headquarters were based in Leeds.
Our teacher was Peter Rush, his class lasted for two hours and consisted of one hour Tai Chi (Lee Family Style)
and one hour Feng Shou.
We remained students for three years after which through lack of interest the class closed with Glyn and I the
last two students.
Through a work colleague I was given the names of Roy Bourke and Sue Bridges who ran a class in East Boldon,
South Tyneside. The class was a 10 week course and after the course ended it was decided to keep it going as a
club. The style they taught was also the Lee Family Style. How lucky was that?
Roy and Sue’s class was part of the East West Taoist Association headed by Master Howard Gibbon (Chee Soo’s
highest graded student) based in Scarborough. We joined The East West Taoist Association in 2001 and
have subsequently attended many weekend workshops and advanced courses run by Howard and his wife Gisela.
In 2004 Glynis and I were fortunate to be given places on the first ever Teacher Training Course run by Howard
and Gisela. The training and instruction of the arts was of the highest standard and has enable me to pass on
that knowledge to my students over the years I have been teaching, with Glyn’s help, we’ve become a good team
and enjoy our class.
Glyn and I run a class on Monday morning and attend a Tai Chi class run by Sue Bridges on Wednesday morning and
also a Feng Shou class run by Sue on Thursday evenings and I also attend a Tai Chi class run by Dominic Fahey
on Wednesday evening. We tend to support each others classes as best we can in an effort to ‘spread the word’
WHAT I GET FROM TAI CHI:
In a nutshell ‘a feeling of well being’ that I hadn’t felt for years. I assumed that learning the arts at the
age of 54 was a bit late to get too much from it other than keep my body a bit more flexible than it would
otherwise be.
That sounds flippant, and it is, because over the years I’ve experienced so much pleasure from just talking
about the arts for one thing and the continual process of learning new things and seeing things from a
different perspective has just helped me to develop in a personal way. I’ve been told that generally I’m quite
‘laid back’ but I feel much more relaxed about things now than I ever did before.
It’s a positive eye opener when you learn the arts and becomes more interesting and fascinating the longer we
practice.
I’ve met many lovely people, fellow practitioners and new students alike that have helped me to develop as a
teacher and as an individual over the years and will always be grateful for their help and kindness.
It is accepted that practicing the arts is good physically and mentally and allows us to learn to relax in ways
we would not have thought possible, it also teaches us discipline and dedication along with responsibility.
Psychologically we enter an area so vast that I don’t pretend to understand that much, but on a personal level
it helps me to try to understand the way things are and what they may become and enjoy the moment and look
forward to tomorrow.
The pleasure gifted to me over the years by people such as Howard and Gisela, Sue Bridges, the many teachers
whom I’ve met at weekend schools, Mark Kirby, Mark Popplewell and others, the list is endless, and, of course
my dedicated students is something I will always be grateful for.
Tai Chi is part of my life and always will be, I can’t envisage a time when I will not need it nor want to
practice it, its that precious a gift and the pleasure it gives is indescribable. To anyone reading this
article - try Tai Chi - give yourself the chance to enjoy a health art with no boundaries!!
Ken Jones (Tai Chi Instructor)
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Testimonials
Just a note to say hi,
I have been taking my time with each move. I'm up to move 21, yeah!!!!! Your instructions are excellent.
First I watch you do the move. Then, I try the move, while watching you. Then, practice until it feels right. Then add it to the moves learned so far...practice and practice some more.
Truly enjoy watching you and Gisela; and your UTUBE video (with the group). Watching you doing the first 50 moves, on the DVD, helps to get the timing down for individual moves, flow from move to move, timing between the upper and lower body movements, when to shift your weight, etc.
Taking it slow gives me time to see/study the subtle moves, such as the feet. The hand movements are easier to see, but the slight foot movements, take a little longer to get right.
Would love to travel to Scarborough, to take part in your classes. Maybe once I have the first 50 moves down. Hopefully, I will be retired in a year or two... Then, my husband and I hope to travel a bit. All the best to you and yours.
Regards, Irene Jones - Canada
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Howard is a superb teacher. I have learnt the short form from his excellent and painstakingly produced DVD. Being unable to find a style I enjoyed which was taught at a reasonable hour for me his DVD has been a godsend. I am only sorry that I cannot attend his classes in person. I thank him sincerely for his thoughtful and precise work.
Paul Hillman
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Hi Howard,
Can I say that it was nice to meet you in person for the first time when you came up to Edinburgh in November this year, and as Denise (my own instructor) said I would, I certainly enjoyed all of your classes that I attended. I met some really nice people and I went away from each one having a had a great time, but also realizing that I have a lot to learn; a challenge which I will (hopefully) over the future years meets. I look forward to seeing you again when you are next back in Scotland.
Best Regards,
Jim. Anderson - Edinburgh
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Dear Howard,
At the age of 21 I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and have taken medication ever since (I am much older now!). A friend of mine, introduced me to Tai Chi and like so many people, I struggled at the beginning because there seemed to be so much to learn! However, I was confident enough to attend a day course. I was both excited and nervous - after all I was going to meet 'The Master'! You were not only helpful and encouraging but inspirational - I was hooked and began to take Tai Chi far more seriously. The results of my revised approach was that later in the year my blood pressure had reduced so much that I was taken off one tablet. My blood pressure has continued to reduce, in fact last Monday, I was taken off yet another tablet.
I appreciate that many factors may influence blood pressure however, I am convinced that the improvement in my blood pressure correlated directly with my involvement in T'ai Chi.
Thank you for being you and helping me and others like me to raise our horizons for personal achievement and enjoyment.
Kindest regards.
Barbara Lawes
Testimonials
Howard,
Many thanks for your prompt response - I received the new DVD yesterday. As I have been struggling with "The Stork is Aroused" and "The Double Whip" sequences at my local Tai Chi classes for the last three weeks, I am pleased to say that I have now cracked it by following your crystal clear instructions on the DVD.
Thanks again,
Mr. Joseph William Taylor
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Subject:
Just to say thank you for your very prompt response to my order for the DVD. It arrived within 48hrs. It's a gift for my sister in law who has recently joined a Tai Chi class and is enjoying it as relief from a stressful job. I can't wait to see the results of using the DVD!!
Wishing you all the best for a peaceful Christmas and new year.
Julia Lee
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Many thanks Howard,
The Silk DVD is wonderful and I have already printed out the manual. Hope it isn't as cold with you as it is here.
Regards from Helen
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Thank you, Howard, for speedy delivery of DVD, which arrived yesterday and have also printed your eBook.
I have practiced with your DVD and find it easy to understand and great for learning.
It is daunting when you first start to learn Tai Chi when you see all the moves you have to remember for feet, hands, arms & legs all at once, but you have broken it down into 'bite size' chunks which makes it much more managable.
The eBook is very helpful & informative.
Many thanks.
Caroline Boom
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I would also like to say that I recently
received one of your DVDs - T'ai Chi Dance Vol 1 - as a gift (my partner bought it for my birthday, at my
suggestion) anyway, what I wanted to say was how delighted I am with it, and how I am struck, pretty much
every time I use it, by the thought that the people who made this DVD clearly cared about the quality of the
experience that would be had by those using the DVD as an aid to learning. So, thanks for that; I'm sure I am
very far from alone in appreciating it.
Best
wishes.
David Littlewood
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