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The Tai Chi I'm practicing and teaching is Tai Chi Tao, the open Way

Els Muys, The way of Tao is the open way

 

 

The tai chi tao I am practicing and teaching goes back to the roots of
tai chi, the philosophy of life. It is creative like the sign of tai
chi, always in evolution. Much attention in the lessons is given to
beautiful forms with the five elements (like 'the harmony'), and to be
conscious and present in the movement, to feel how tai chi feels for
you. Respecting of course the physical principles discovered by the
classics a long time after the tai chi philosophy was born, and
respecting the importance of body posture. Self development as a way
towards harmony is very important in tai chi tao.

 

 

Els Muys

 

Welcome to all English speaking persons.

My name is Elisabeth Muys (1967). I am a Belgian, by nature I am a
poet and a philosopher, I became a tai chi tao teacher and I have a
Master in Roman Languages (K. U. Leuven).

I've lived in China for some time, teaching French. Between 1990 and
1998 I spent about half of my time in China, experiencing and
exploring the culture and the country. I was attracted by the 'Eastern
way of living' and I had my first tai chi lessons in Jing An park in
Shanghai.

Back in Belgium I continued my study of taichi. I discovered tai chi
tao in the Netherlands with Jan Kraak.

What's the difference between tai chi tao and tai chi chuan? Tai chi
is the philosophy of yin/yang, the two complementarities completing
each other and creating together every expression of life and all
the 'natural laws' keeping everything in a constant change and
interaction. This philosophy is expressed by the sign of yin/yang. It
was created a long time before the tai chi chuan, which is actually
the expression of this philosophy in the form of a martial art meant
for defence and personal growth to enlightenment.
Tai chi chuan is much younger than the tai chi philosophy. It is a
beautiful and powerful expression of this philosophy and one can truly
understand the meaning of the tai chi philosophy by practicing tai chi
chuan for a long time.
However, tai chi chuan is not the only branch growing on
the tree of the tai chi philosophy. Daoism as a way of life in harmony
with nature, our own nature and the nature of everything surrounding
us and influencing everything, is a very direct expression of the tai
chi philosophy. One must not necessarily practice tai chi chuan in
order to live according to the tai chi philosophy. And if one has
understood this philosophy, and lives it through his life (which is a
gradual process for us Westerners), he will live according to the same
principles as a tai chi chuan player who has integrated and understood
more than just the techniques.

What has happened over time is that the word tai chi has been used as
an abbreviation for tai chi chuan, where the one is the tree and the
other is one of the branches of this tree, giving access to the tree.
Like the study of calligraphy can be also one of the branches. Or
massage accordig to the principles of yin/yang. Or acupuncture. And qi
gong of course.

The Tao and the connection with the beginning

The tai chi tao I am practicing and teaching goes back to the roots of
tai chi, the philosophy of life. It is creative like the sign of tai
chi, always in evolution. Much attention in the lessons is given to be
conscious and present in the movement, to feel how tai chi feels for
you. Respecting of course the physical principles discovered by the
classics a long time after the tai chi philosophy was born, and
respecting the importance of body posture. Self development as a way
towards harmony is very important in tai chi tao. Tai chi tao is
adaptable, flexible as the tai chi sign, so people of all ages and
with different physical conditions can take part in the lessons. I am
teaching primary school children, high school children, adults and
more aged people. Men and women, 'healthy' people and people with
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia.
In the lessons we also discover the tai chi chuan aspects of tai chi:
how the principles of self-defence are connected with the philosophy
of tai chi (the yielding triumphing over the inflexible, not meeting
force with force ,.).
Tai chi tao wants to cover many aspects of life, not only the physical
movements: the tai chi philosophy is also present in the way we eat,
we cloth, we move. It is the poetry and the philosophy of life, which
everyone can discover by himself.

Besides my teaching tai chi tao, I write poetry and essays inspired by
the tai chi philosophy. In the end of this text you will find such a
poem, dedicated to all the tai chi teachers. If you're having a
magazine, and you want me to write something for you, just contact me.
When my book is published, I will mention it on this website.

Beside writing and teaching inspired by the tao, I give therapeutic
and relaxation massages. The massages I offer are named after flowers:
daisies, roses, , etc.  I also use ear candles, and massage-matrasses.

I invite you to walk around on my site which is not in English yet.
You can watch the pictures, they will give you a further idea of what
I am doing. If you have comments or questions, feel free to contact me
via the page 'contact'. And if one day brings you to Belgium, feel
free to contact me for anything on my website that might interest you.

And here is then the poem, enjoy!


Life in a Taiji-suit
Ode to Life, Ode to Taiji, Ode to all Taiji teachers
(the yinyang of taiji, the suit of life)

Life has given us a suit
A suit for growing
To stretch and strengthen
A Taiji-suit

Loose in his smoothness
Mild and inviting
A generous coat
For our soul to stretch out

Like the life
That says:
You can be big
You have more space then you think
No limits, no obstructions,
Except your own obstacles

A suit smooth but not concealing
Like in life
The smallest of our movements
Can have consequences reaching far
Exciting ripples
Kilometres away

A suit
To move carefully in life
But also
With power
A suit that can absorb
Kicks and punches

And that is exactly the suit
That life has given to us
The life itself
That gives itself
At every instant
Again and again

And the dance, we can choose freely
Wholeheartedly
As it suits our soul
Who likes to stretch out
Happily
As far as it can
Always further
And further


Elisabeth Muys
www.delotusbloem.be
Koningin Astridlaan 125
2880 Hingene (Bornem)
Belgiƫ
32 (03)899 41 37 - 32 (0)475/34 12 88

Member of The Eastern Group of Tai Chi Tao en Qi Gong Teachers

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There is also an address in the United Kingdom:

Tai Chi Tao en Qi Gong - ENGELAND (UK)/ Martina Regnerova, 45 Boscombe Grove Road, Bournemouth Dorset UK,

BH 14 PQ,   fishym18@yahoo.co.uk


24 januari 2007
Jan Kraak

 
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