February has been busy, and we still have a week and a half to go before we get to March! We have some schedule changes lined up, and some special offerings coming your way, so please take note of the information and dates below.
Schedule Changes
- Meghan has decided to make some changes to her class schedule moving forward. The Monday morning Yoga/Meditation class has been removed from the schedule. Beginning March 2, she will be holding a Seated and Walking Meditation class on Thursdays 4:00-4:45 and Yoga/Meditation on Saturday mornings 7:45-8:30 beginning April 1.
- Petra’s Wednesday evening Short Form class has also been removed from the schedule. Currently, she is teaching Tai Chi for Beginners on Tuesday evenings at 5:30. When that session ends on 3/14, it will roll into an on-going class open to all levels beginning on 3/21.
- Plans are in the works for a new Wednesday evening offering, so stay tuned for that as we finish hammering out the details!
Monday February 20
No class in Hampton, NH and no 4:00pm Yoga with Maura due to the holiday. All other classes are planned to meet as scheduled.
Wednesday, February 22
Paul Mahoney will make his first visit to Internal Arts New England and offer a one hour Long Form and Push Hands seminar. We will begin at 6:00pm. The cost to attend is $20. Space is limited and we only have a few spots left! Please note that this seminar takes the place of Petra’s usual Short Form class while she is away.
Saturday, February 25
Pam Jacobson of Great Bay Tai Chi and Effie Stavrulaki of North Shore Insight Meditation Center will return for another “Mindfulness in Stillness and Motion” workshop. This workshop will meet 10:00am-12:00pm. Mindfulness is the capacity to pay attention to the present moment, on purpose, and in a friendly, curious and open way. Bringing more mindful moments in our daily lives enhances our physical and psychological wellbeing. We can strengthen our ability to be more mindful with both formal sitting meditation practice as well as with mindful movement via a practice such as Qigong. In this workshop we will practice in silence with sitting and movement forms. The focus of this workshop will be on noticing and cultivating the subtle joy of calmly abiding in stillness and movement. There will be time for questions and debriefing at the end. No past experience with meditation or Qigong is needed. All are welcome.
Sunday, February 26
Paul Mahoney and Austin Murray will lead a half day seminar on the practice of Tai Chi Ball and the martial applications of Tai Chi 1:00-4:00pm in Woodstock, VT. For more information or to register, please email:
Thursday, March 2
Join Meghan Leighton for her new Seated and Walking Meditation class at 4:00pm!
Saturday, March 11
Doug and Sylwia Willcox of Newburyport Aikido will begin holding classes at Internal Arts New England in March. On Saturday March 11, everyone is invited to stop in 10:00-11:30am and meet the instructors and see a demonstration. Please drop by to say hello and see what Aikido has to offer.
Saturday, March 18
Sylwia Willcox of North Shore Insight Meditation Center will offer a seminar on Mindful Parenting. In this retreat for parents and caregivers, we will reflect on and reconnect to our parenting journeys. We will explore the power of bringing awareness into our relationships with children. What happens to our experience of parenting if we bring into it an intention of being non-judgmentally present and patient? What shifts on the parenting path if you build it on the foundation of mindfulness practice? Can the experience of conscious parenting alter your reactive patterns? Together, we will explore ways of finding harmony between giving and receiving in relationship to our children. We will also discuss the possibility of morphing the energy drain you may experience as a caregiver into a fuel for your joy and peace. The cost for the seminar is $40 and there is a 5 person minimum enrollment.
Sunday, March 19
Sifu Gary LaChapelle of Kung Fu and Tai Chi Academy of New England will visit Internal Arts New England to offer a seminar on Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan. This form is a bit different than the Flowing Water Fan form that some of our students have done in the past. You can see a video performance of the form here: Tai Chi Kung Fu Fan Video. This seminar will cost $60 to attend and will meet on Sunday, March 19 10:00am-12:00pm. When you register, please be sure to select the option for Seminar Only, or to add the purchase of a red or black fan.
Saturday, April 1
Matthew Daniell of North Shore Insight Meditation Center will return to Internal Arts New England for another retreat. Save the date and stay tuned for further details.
Wednesdays, April 26-5/17
Ted Jones of North Shore Insight Meditation Center will offer an Introduction to Insight Meditation series on Wednesday mornings 8:45-10:15am. The series will run for 4 weeks on 4/26, 5/3, 5/10, and 5/17. 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 complicated society. In this four session introduction to Insight Meditation we will learn how to 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 aspects of our lives, which will demonstrate the potential to live 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 in each meeting. The cost for the series is $100, and there is a 5 person minimum enrollment.
That’s all your Tai Chi news for now. We look forward to seeing you in class or at any of the events listed above.
Happy Practicing!