Archives for 2019

I’m a Travelling Man ….

Recently I had an email from a director in an Aged Care organisation from New York (USA) inquiring about our Chair Chi Training Program – and that’s encouraging.

So far over the past six years, I’ve run aged care workshops for staff across Australia and in Christchurch, New Zealand .

One of my dreams (I have many) is to travel internationally and run workshops in various countries.

I’ve realised part of that dream by running Tai Chi early morning sessions for attendees in Nepal and Belgium at Appreciative Inquiry conferences.

And I’ve provided Tai Chi energisers as part of Appreciative Inquiry workshops delivered by my colleague, Sue James, at an international school in Qingdao, China.

Besides Chair Chi sessions for residents and staff training workshops for aged care, I’m planning to further develop my Sports Chi program locally and eventually introduce it internationally.

It’s going to take a lot of work to fully realise my dream but, as Confucius once said, ‘A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step‘.

Be Still

By Chris Leave a Comment

It’s a lot easier keeping the body still than it is keeping the mind still. The other day I was working on my memoir in my living room, which faces the front garden. I looked out of the window and just gazed at the trees and flowers and sky for a while, not thinking about anything in particular. It was very refreshing and, as I was about to get back to my writing, it occurred to me I don’t do enough ‘gazing’ – a form of meditation that only requires you to be still.

I practice Tai Chi and Chi Kung several times a day. It’s invigorating and calming, but my mind is still active as I focus on various techniques and structures to perform each movement correctly. Gazing, or as some may call it day dreaming, is an effortless way of keeping the mind calm.

Even if I am very busy – and who isn’t these days – a few seconds or minutes of gazing can help reduce stress. My preference is to gaze while sitting down in a quiet and visually appealing surrounding without people around. I prefer not to do it lying down, or I’d probably fall asleep! I don’t do it standing or walking either, as I don’t want to be conscious of my body. That can sometimes distract me from being completely still.

Gazing is not only relaxing, but it can also activate creative thinking without thinking. Sometimes when I gaze, an idea or solution will pop into my head. Whereas trying to think can be a barrier to new ideas or to finding a solution to a particular problem.

As I sit here now, writing this post, I occasionally look out of the window and just gaze at the trees and sky. When I do that it feels very relaxing because my mind is still for a brief moment.

What Have I Done That Really Matters

By Chris Leave a Comment

In the documentary ‘More Than a Game‘, Dru Joyce II reflects on a decision he had to make when his son’s high school basketball coach left and Dru was asked to take over as a first year coach.

The team, St Mary St Vincent, was a potential title winning team and had a young Lebron James on the team – now a famous National Basketball Association player and rated by many as the best player in the world.

Dru said he was already making money as a businessman and, when considering the offer, he asked himself ‘what have I done that really matters?’ Well, he decided what really mattered to him at the time was to accept the role as coach.

And I suppose it’s a question many of us ask ourselves at some stage in life.

For the first half of my working life I did mainly boring jobs that did not really mean anything to me apart from collecting a wage to pay the bills.

After several years I decided to do things that really mattered to me. So I went back to university and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Psychology and Media Studies.

Later I followed my passion and built a business around Tai Chi, which has given me the opportunity to travel Australia and New Zealand to run specialised Tai Chi workshops. These have included Chair Chi training for Aged Care staff and residents, as well as workshops and programs for teachers and students at both primary and secondary school level.

Looking back, I could have made a lot more money if I’d stayed working in those boring jobs. But I have no regrets, because I have done and still do now what really matters to me – and I hope also matters to others with whom I’ve worked.

Be Upright

By Chris Leave a Comment

When I work with residents at aged care centres, running a Chair Chi session, occasionally something special happens that makes it all worthwhile.

The other day I was working with a group of residents and one was resident stooped over in his wheel chair, his back at about a 45 degree angle.

We were focusing on aligning the body vertically and I’m very careful when I teach this technique not to cause pain or aggravate any existing injuries.

I make sure the residents watch my demonstration before they consider attempting the realignment and I always say ‘if you feel any pain stop what you are doing’.

Anyway, this particular resident next to me said he suffered from ‘severe depression’ which he said is one of the reason he stoops. So I gently guided him towards a vertical alignment not expecting much change from his posture, because I’d seen him stooped several times before.

Then an amazing thing happened. As he moved his body this time, he managed to achieve an almost vertical alignment without experiencing any pain. The transformation was incredible! I asked him to work on what he had achieved each day.

Next week I hope he is part of our session again. It will be very interesting to see if he has practiced and whether he can do the alignment again. With encouragement I think he can.

I’ll keep you posted of his progress.

The Johnny Weissmuller Question

By Chris Leave a Comment

A question I ask aged care residents when I’m running a Chair Chi workshop is “Who was Johnny Weissmuller?”

TARZAN 1934 Johnny Weissmuller by LALO VAZQUEZ

Usually one or two will know the answer.

Why ask this question? To stimulate residents’ long term memory and also to get a laugh.

This is how I go about it.

I’ll say, “Now it’s time to do the Johnny Weismuller”. I then ask “Do you know who Johnny Weissmuller was?”

Anyway, Johnny Weissmuller was a champion swimmer and a movie actor famous for his portrayal of Tarzan during the 1930s and 1940s. And when he thumped his chest with his hands and yelled, you knew he was nearby in the jungle.

I get the residents to do a milder version of Tarzan by lightly tapping their chests with their hands … but the yell is optional. Occasionally we get one or two residents who do the Tarzan yell as well. 🙂

So far the funniest response to my question was when one resident smiled and replied, “It’s Mrs Weissmuller’s husband!”