Weekend Seminars and July Announcements!
Hello Great Bay Tai Chi Community!
Last chance to get in to our seminars taking place this weekend!
Relaxed Mindfulness Retreat
Matthew Daniell of North Shore Insight Meditation Center returns to Internal Arts New England to offer this half day retreat. Here is the description from Matthew:
Often when learning to practice mindfulness meditation, we try to focus on one object, such as the breath, to get some calm and clarity. However, we often try to push away other things, and lean into the object we are focusing on in a way that causes stress. What would it be like to practice without the heavy burden of expectation of trying to “get it right,” and replace this attitude with a light, open, and curious attention? To do this we need a shift in attitude: Am I aware now? What is awareness knowing? Can I recognize and relax into the light awareness that is resting quietly in the mind behind all of my plans, judgments, and fixations? Can I allow more of my experience to be just as it is and drop into the nourishing, healing flow of life lived more deeply from the present moment – not through more effort, but a wiser, kinder effort?
This workshop will include guided and silent meditation periods as well as an open discussion and Q&A. It is appropriate for beginners as well as experienced meditators.
The retreat will take place on Saturday, June 24, 10:30am-1:00pm and costs $45 to attend.
Chin Na Seminar
Great Bay Tai Chi founder, Paul Mahoney, returns to Internal Arts New England to offer a seminar on Chin Na, the joint locking applications found within our Tai Chi movements. The study of Chin Na greatly enhances our understanding of our form practice and martial applications. This seminar will meet on Sunday, June 25, 9:30am-12:00pm and costs $75 to attend.
Scheduling Changes for June and July
After this weekend, there are a few schedule changes to keep in mind, so please take note of the following adjustments:
*No Tuesday evening Short Form in Salisbury on 6/27. This class will resume on July 11.
*No Martial Movement Classes 6/30-7/10
*Morning Classes on June 30 will be outdoors at Training Field Park in Amesbury
The GPS address for Training Field Park is 55 Monroe Street in Amesbury, MA.
*No Classes on July 4 – Happy Independence Day!
*Morning Classes on July 6 and 7 will be outdoors at Training Field Park in Amesbury weather permitting only. In the case of inclement weather, these classes will be cancelled.
*No 4:00pm Meditation or 5:00pm Short Form on July 6 (Long Form and Beginners will still meet as scheduled).
*No 4:00pm Yoga on July 10
Here are our other events coming up in July:
A Morning of Insight Meditation: Instruction and Practice with Ted Jones of North Shore Insight Meditation Center
July 15 10:30am-1:00pm
Cost: $45.00
Meditation can be understood as the art of bringing full, conscious attention to the present moment, just as it is. In today’s culture, this is a tall order, as we are continually bombarded with demands on our attention: advertising, texts, phone calls, emails, and a myriad of other electronic temptations. This is not even to mention the interpersonal challenges of our complex society. The practice of Insight meditation will be presented in a silent retreat format where we will calm the mind through attention to the sensations of breath and movement. Building on the foundation of this enhanced concentration, we will then expand our focus to include more complex phenomena, which will demonstrate the potential to experience our lives more fully and to understand more deeply who we truly are. Meditation periods will be guided with instructions, and there will be ample time reserved for questions and discussion. This program is open to both beginners and experienced meditators
4 Seasons Qigong: Summer with Chris Himmel
July 30 10:00am-12:00pm
Cost: $40.00
The final seminar in our 4 Seasons Qigong Series will be on the Summer Set, which focuses on the heart. We will also review the All Seasons Set which is especially good for the neck and spine. You do not need to have attended any previous seminars in the series to take this one. No Tai Chi or Qigong experience is required.
Save the Date: Retreat with Matthew Daniell
On July 29 Matthew Daniell of North Shore Insight Mediation Center plans to hold a retreat at Internal Arts New England. Details for this retreat are still forthcoming, but we will pass them along as soon as possible.
That’s all your Tai Chi news for now. We look forward to seeing you in class!
Happy Practicing!