Newsletter
Tai-Chi-in-the-Park will take an 'official' winter break until the Spring
Tai-Chi-in-the-Park will begin its regular winter hiatus as we wait for better weather. As always, we will begin again in the Spring.
We would normally have a November get-together in the park before the really cold weather hits, but both Glen and Larry are not able to host the event this month. Of course, those who wish to do so may meet anyway.
We encourage everyone to continue your personal practice. Keep checking the website for news. [There is always the possibility of some seminar or demonstration in the coming months.] |
October Tai-Chi-in-the-Park |
The day was absolutely gorgeous. The temperature was mild and a slight breeze was blowing off the nearby river. About a dozen practitioners and the curious took advantage and explored the performance of Tai Chi. A proposal was floated to the gathered throng about how we might expand the impact we can have in our community. A list of health food stores will be prepared and placed on the web site. We are asking members to print off a flyer from the site and talk to the managers of the stores about placing flyers in the store for their customers. A call was also put out for those in the group who may have contacts with members of the media. World Tai Chi Day is not that far off and now is the time to start networking and preparing for getting the word out to our community. Larry Costner started out the program with his 16 movement modified form, based on the long form. The modified form takes a few representative long form segments and stitches them together. The simpler set of movements makes it easy to move on to the long form. Glen Del Tour talked a bit about the importance of maintaining the upright posture, using the spine as a rotation point. The movements of the hips and shoulders support the retention of the spinal alignment as the practitioner moves through the forms. He then led the group in the 24 Yang style. Ana Lara brought several of her students and led the 24 form. As she went through the movements she narrated, explaining the meaning behind the movement. The combination of the explanation and simplicity of the movements encouraged the group and enabled everyone to follow along. Larry ended the day with the Yang style long form. The previous display of the 16 form helped to clarify the longer set. After going through the various sets of Tai Chi some of the folks mentioned that, even though the movements were slow and the weather was mild, they were 'glowing'. |
Tai Chi Federation Celebrates World Tai Chi Day, 2011 Refresh your page if video does not appear. (Hit F5) |
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Tai Chi Federation Celebrates World Tai Chi Day Here is a video of the 2010 event here in Bakersfield: [Refresh your page if video does not appear. (Hit F5)] |
| Tai Chi in Bakersfield by Larry Costner
According to a June, 2010 report, Bakersfield's population stood at 324,463 people. That number puts us just behind Cincinnati and ahead of Pittsburg in population!
How much potential exists for Tai Chi here in Bakersfield?
Right now, the membership of the Tai Chi Federation of Kern County numbers about 140 people. That means we have one member for every 2,325 citizens. (.043%)
What if we could eventually reach a membership of .1%? That's one out of a thousand – and we would have a membership of around 324 people!
But what if we could bump that tenth of a percent up to a nice, round one percent? That would mean a membership of over 3,200 people! Is it so outlandish to dream that one out of every 100 people in Bakersfield joined our association and promoted and praticed Tai Chi?
Well, we can dream can't we?
Region | Population | One Percent Participation | World | 6,600,000,000 | 66,000,000 | U.S. | 301,000,000 | 3,010,000 | California | 36,457,000 | 364,570 | Kern County | 801,648 | 8,016 | Greater Bakersfield | ave. est. 450,000 | 4,500 | City of Bakersfield | 324,463 | 3,244 |
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