Dr Lam Tai Chi for Health Newsletter
- Issue Number 236, April 2021
In this issue:
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Hello <<First Name>>,
Cairns, considered the gateway to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, is a beautiful city in Tropical Northern Queensland. The people are just as beautiful and friendly. I just conducted two in-person workshops there – for the first time in more than one year! What a great feeling to work with people face to face, to feel the energy and vibe from across the room! Feeling the energy of the people really helped me to generate my impromptu kind of humour. It is like a sneeze, a lateral thinking comes to me unexpectedly; I shared that thought which brought laughter. They only work at a certain time with the right mood, topic, question, and circumstances. I enjoyed seeing people laugh and relaxed at the workshop. But I did not know this study quoted by Dr Bob, our humour essay author:
“Professor Gunther Sickl reported that a one-minute episode of laughter has the same health benefits as a 45-minute gym workout.” I have certainly given my participants a workout!
We found time to talk about virtual workshops since some participants went to my Zoom workshops as well. While different, virtual workshops have their features. A proof to the enthusiasm, 20% of participants also signed up for my upcoming virtual STAGE 2 Instructor Training Workshop on April 15 (or April 14 in the US). Given that about half of the participants are Tai Chi for Health instructors, and others do not want to teach, we probably have near 100% signed up for this STAGE 2 workshop!
You can find out more about STAGE 2 here. We are closing the registration at midnight on April 2 because participants need time to prepare by working through the STAGE 1 online course.
There are two more virtual workshops in April on Enhancing the 24 Forms and Qigong for Health Instructor training. Then we are devoting our time to the 18th Annual June Tai Chi Workshop (which is usually held in the USA, which is why we set the time to suit folks from the USA). If you don’t mind getting up early or staying up late like me, you are welcome to join from any part of the world.
It is going be an exciting 18th Annual June Workshop with 18 classes to choose from, with the same great instructors who also have much experience in virtual workshops. We are comfortable to exploit the useful features of Zoom such as recordings and front seat viewing for all, from the comfort of your home. Check out the details here, hope you can join us.
The world is changed significantly from the pandemic, I am hoping we can learn valuable lessons to make our earth and people more harmonious and safer for our children and us. Tai chi can help, with your support we can reach even more people. The ripple effect will help bring more health and harmony to the world.
Apart from the awesome ‘ponderisms’ humour, we are excited to share Bill Douglas, the Founder of the World Tai Chi and Qigong Day’s article on the history of this Day when people around the world share tai chi energy worldwide. All Tai Chi for Health instructors and participants are welcome to send me your photos and videos. Please send to your Master Trainer for them to forward to me within 5 days after WTCQD Day on April 24. I will compose a video with highlights to share with everyone.
While I was in Cairns, the Douglas Shire Council interviewed me about why anyone should do tai chi. At the conclusion of the Exploring the Depth of Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention workshop in Cairns (March 2021), I demonstrated the 56 Forms Chen Style Tai Chi. Renee Cashman, who has never seen this set before, came with her flute to accompany me with beautiful impromptu music. We worked together seamlessly to create this abbreviated version of the unique sharing experience to all participants. The full version will be available soon at the Global Community of my Online Tai Chi Lessons.
Yours in Tai Chi,
Paul Lam, MD
Director
taichiforhealthinstitute.org
Please don't reply to this Newsletter, contact us via service@tchi.org
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Upcoming Workshops by Dr Paul Lam
For online workshops open to all participants around the world, please make sure to check your local time.
April 2021
June 2021: 18th Annual Tai Chi Workshop USA
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Product of the Month
The Yang 24 Forms is the world’s most popular tai chi form. To celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (24th April) we are offering Dr Lam’s Yang 24 Forms DVD at a special discount:
- Get 24% off when you purchase the 24 Forms DVD at Tai Chi Productions
or
- Get 24% off your subscription when you subscribe at Online Tai Chi Lessons (applies to both 2-Month and Annual subscriptions, and includes access to the Global Community)
Note: If you already have an online subscription to the Total Bundle (access to all programs online), then you would already have access to the 24 Forms online at no additional cost!
Please use the promo code YANG24 at Checkout. Offer expires end of April 2021. Discounts cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or promotion.
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A Letter to Dr Lam
Victoria Wesseler, Instructor, Lebanon, IN, USA
I was recently interviewed as a content expert for an article about tai chi and sleep. I thought you'd enjoy reading it. https://www.verywellmind.com/can-tai-chi-help-older-adults-sleep-better-5113724
There is a link in the article to the BEST online tai chi classes that the site recommends. And it is no surprise that Dr. Lam's program Tai Chi for Energy is listed as #1! https://www.verywellfit.com/best-online-tai-chi-classes-5076278
Dr Lam Replies:
Thanks Victoria! Great article, I enjoyed your contribution. Sleep seems to be a subject on everyone’s minds right now, as per the article in the March newsletter by John Walter.
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Bill Douglas (third row, grey suit and white shoes) joining Dr Lam's practice
University of Kansas City 2008
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The History of World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
Bill Douglas, Founder of WTCQD, Kansas City, USA
2021 is a momentous year for World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, as we join a call for leading Mind-Body health educators, like Dr Paul Lam, and to people worldwide who understand that science-based Mind-Body practices can have globally trans-formative effects. Read on to learn about our 2021 announcement of "The Global Transformation Project."
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day (celebrated annually in 80 nations) was first inspired by me, a Kansas City, USA tai chi teacher, whose growing frustration with the fact that mainstream media and health institutions were not grasping, or educating the public, on the profound benefits Internal Arts could have on their readers/viewers/patients and on society at large. So, in a meditation, I had this vision of creating a mass Tai Chi exhibition and inviting the media to cover a visual display "too spectacular for them to ignore," as Tai Chi is very visual - and then used that media microphone the mass Tai Chi spectacle had enabled to educate the mass public on the profound science on Internal Arts.
Click here to see worldwide tai chi events
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Bill Douglas listening at Dr Lam's lecture
University of Kansas City 2008
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On that first day of this event in Kansas City, major media covered it, including CNN News, and the next year other Tai Chi and Qigong groups joined in from several nations, and World Tai Chi Day was born, which soon became World Tai Chi & Qigong Day (WTCQD) at the suggestion of Roger Jahnke, co-founder of the National Qigong Association. Today this event is held annually in over 80 nations, and has been officially proclaimed by government officials and bodies worldwide, including: Senates of New York, Puerto Rico, California, and the National Assembly of Brazil; embassies and consulates including: Italy, China, Egypt, India, etc.
WTCQD Events have been covered by major media, including: CNN, FOX News, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, BBC Television, Agence France Television and national media worldwide, which resulted in "science on the Internal Arts" being seen or read about by a potential ONE BILLION readers. WTCQD also was a catalyst in erasing long held divisions between Tai Chi and Qigong, and divisions between various styles of Tai Chi and Qigong, to foster a global Internal Arts family of mutual support, thereby creating an example to the world of global cooperation, health, and healing.
As this event drew in support from Internal Artists and governments around the world, its motto became "One World ... One Breath," and became a vision of global cooperation and harmony, as well as a both profound and practical solution to our global health crisis, and spiralling health costs worldwide.
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Bill Douglas joining Dr Lam's practice
University of Kansas City 2008
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As mounting science revealed the profoundly transformative nature of Mind-Body practices, and WTCQD's Founder and WTCQD supporters/teachers expanded Internal Arts into Education at all levels; Prisons; Senior Care; Corporate Wellness; Drug Rehabilitation; a larger vision of possibility has expanded in the minds of WTCQD's organizing team - now forming as "The Global Transformation Project".
On WTCQD 2021 we are announcing WTCQD's participation as a founding member of "The Global Transformation Project". The entire planet of science-based mind-body practitioners, teachers, educators, officials, etc. are invited to become a healing part of history. Our initial goal is a United Nations Resolution advocating the adoption of Mind-Body Education becoming a "core part" of Public Education worldwide... to save trillions in future health costs, create more intelligent, creative, compassionate and healthy students (according to science), thereby reducing economic stress, social intolerance, violence and global conflict at a critical point in human history.
Visit the WTCQD website here: www.worldtaichiday.org
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Product Review Prize Winners
Every month we offer a prize to the best review of our products that you have purchased. The winner's prize per month is 3 DVDs of their choice. The winners’ reviews will be published below.
Please contact service@taichiproductions.com (Australia/World) or serviceusa@taichiproductions.com (USA) within ten days to claim your prizes.
Australia/World
Product: Tai Chi for Beginners
 Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Trevor Jones
"The video is very well structured with the warm-up exercises and cool-down exercises being included each time with each lesson, so it's easy to just concentrate on one lesson at a time and internalise it rather than having to play around with DVD menus.
I've never tried Tai Chi before so I'm taking it very slowly and I find the approach of repeating each set of moves from in front, behind and different angles very helpful. Having the group present is also helpful, because it shows that everyone carries out the moves slightly differently which helps in concentrating on getting it right for you, personally, rather than getting obsessed with absolute "correctness"."
USA
Product: Tai Chi Music CD (Volume 2)
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by: William Howell III
"Outstanding music to practice by!
I appreciate having this original music to practice my Tai Chi."
Well done to our winners! Do be sure to post your review when you make a purchase, and you may win a prize!
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Dr Bob McBrien with Dr Lam
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Humour, Laughter and Radiant Health
Dr Bob McBrien, Salisbury, MD, USA
Web searches on humour and health result in many 'hits'. In a flash we are reminded of how much information is on the web waiting to be accessed. This month's essay is focused on the exercise benefits a good long belly laugh offers. Researcher Jared B. Cohen PhD reported one surprising benefit. He has run many experiments on laughing at his laboratory in Newark, New Jersey, USA. His study showed that a hearty laugh strengthened the abdominal muscles of his subjects. Dr Cohen said, "Laughing not only helps your heart, but it also helps you look good for the beach".
Another researcher, Professor Gunther Sickl, reported that a one-minute episode of laughter has the same health benefits as a 45-minute gym workout. Sickl found that when up to 80 muscles that are used during a hearty laugh are engaged, the blood pressure raises, the heart beats faster and blood oxygen levels increase. Sounds like a cardio workout to me. These exercise benefits offer another good reason to include our daily dose of healthy humour as we seek radiant health. For this month’s humor we return to "ponderisms." I hope they help you meet your daily humor & laughter requirement.
- How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
- If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
- Does pushing the elevator button several times make it arrive faster?
- Why is it when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when he rides in your car, he sticks his head out the window for the breeze?
- Have you noticed since everyone has a video camera on their phone now no one reports seeing UFOs like they used to?
- Why is it that people say they "slept like a baby?" We know that babies wake up every two hours & drink warm milk
- You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive a car.
- What disease did cured ham actually have?
Do you have a “ponderism” to share? Send your contribution to drbobtaichi@gmail.com
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Warning: Dr Lam does not necessarily endorse the opinion of other authors. Before practicing any program featured in this newsletter, please check with your physician or therapist. The authors and anyone involved in the production of this newsletter will not be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any injury which may arise as a result of following the instructions given in this newsletter.
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