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
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 |