Winter Newsletter

Winter News & Class ScheduleHappy Holidays everyone! I wish the best for you during this season and a very Happy New Year! As we bring this year to a close I want to thank each of you for your continued support and enthusiasm for this practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to share these arts and continue the traditions that I’ve been privileged to learn and transmit.
Below is:
Our Winter Quarter Schedule of classes which begin Jan. 8th
New sessions info for Beginner’s & Seniors and Qigong for Everyone
Saturday Sessions of Qigong and Chen Fundamentals Free Classes during our Break
Winter Intensives – Push Hands, Swords & Kicks
A favorite recipe – Orzo Soup
Winter Quarter’s classes begin January 8th and run through March 22nd.
winter schedule & registration links:
https://wise-orchid.com/new-calendar
Continuing this quarter, we have new sessions of:
Tai Chi for Beginners and Seniors on Mondays at 10:30am and Thursdays at 2pm. Both of these sessions continue online
Qigong for Everyone 6:30pm Wednesdays onlineand,
Saturday’s Qigong Special Session reviewing Yin Yang Medical Qigong & Qigong to Reduce Stress and Boost Immunity 10am
-Winter Quarters Special Saturday afternoon intensives:
–Push Hands and Swords Review
–Tai Chi Kicks what are they and how You can do them

–and, for IN-PERSON Tai Chi and ONLINE Qigong at the Burien Community Center:
Tai Chi for Everyone Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:45am
Chen Tai Chi for Beginners 6pm Tuesdays
Qigong for Wellness and Stress Reduction In Person & online Wed. 10:45am
free practice sessions:
While we are on break, join us for some FREE PRACTICE SESSIONS:New Year’s Day, Monday Jan. 1st, ONLINE at 9:30am Spiral Qigong to wring in the New Year! Look for the Link in separate email arriving next Sunday.
Tai Chi for Everyone/Yang 24 at Burien Community Center, Tues. Jan. 2nd at 10:45am in person, just show up, no registration required.Beginner’s Chen at Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave. SW, Burien, 6pm Tuesday, Jan. 2nd. No need to register, just show up.Qigong for Wellness and Stress Reduction In Person and Online, Wed., Jan 3rd 10:45pm, For in-person, No need to register, just show up. For Online Access: Call BCC at 206-988-3700 to register and get link.
winter intensives:
This winter, we’ll continue with monthly intensives, Saturdays 1:30pm – 3:30pm:

-Jan 27th, Push Hands Fundamentals, Double Straight Sword last section
-Feb 24th, Push Hands Fundamentals Review, Double Straight Sword Review
-March 9th, All about the Kicks, What and how
-March 23rd, Push Hands Review Single Straight Sword, Double Straight Sword

Each class $50 or $30 for unlimited registration students.  
Contact Viola if you are interested and reserve your spot.
Enjoy this easy Orzo (or Rice for GF) Soup
Please enjoy this tasty Orzo Soup Recipe that I have in my easy go to rotation of meals that I make ahead of time to heat up when I don’t want to cook or I have little time. This is an easy recipe I vary depending upon what we have and it is always good. From our table to yours Happy Holidays.
Whew! Congratulations! You made it to the end. We are on break through Jan. 7th. Until then, wishing you the best for the holidays with love, peace, and ease. See you in one of our free sessions or in the New Year!
Peace, Joy, and Love to you,
Viola

Willow Moon Tai Chi History

Willow Moon Internal Arts

History of Taijiquan

Last update:  04/12/23

Being a compilation of many scholarly articles and interviews with members of the taiji families.  

It can be difficult to plow through the fascinating history of taijiquan.  Scholars have studied its history and continue to sort out objective fact from legend. In China, the origin of taijiquan has been the subject of scholarly research (historiography) for many decades.  In fact, this study has taken on a life of its own.

There are several well-known styles of taijiquan.  Within each style of taijiquan (e.g., Yang) in China today you can find “modern” and “traditional”, and each can look a bit different.  The important thing to remember is that it is wonderful that there are multiple rich styles of taijiquan. If basic principles are adhered to, it is taiji. The key principles are balance and relaxation with intent leading and controlling body motion.  That body motion uses the waist as the turning axis and is interconnected; when one part of the body changes, all the body changes.  For serious practitioners, taiji involves attending to energy flow through body channels known as meridians.

There are competing theories and even controversy about the origin of taijiquan. This article will not focus on the controversy.  What we present here is not presented as THE truth, but simply one plausible version.  This version has taijiquan originating in the Wenxian County of Henan Province in China.  It was probably not originally called taijiquan.  It may have initially been called “Thirteen Postures.”  Postures is probably not the most accurate translation, because it is not a set of static postures like yoga poses.  “Thirteen skills” might be a better translation.

First though, why do different styles even exist?  Different styles, named for the surname of the creator of that style (founder) exist because expert taijiquan players changed and adjusted certain aspects of the martial art.

Some of these changes “caught on” and survived the test of time.  Some adjustments could have been due to the player’s body type.  That is, movements are different if you are tall and slim rather than short.  People move differently later in life than when they are in their twenties.  

Other changes were likely due to the emphasis on health vs. martial combat or even the personality of the practitioner. Some changes happened when a master encountered different needs on the part of the students.  Some differences in routines came from a martial application being visualized or where the opponent is coming from during the “shadow boxing”.   Whatever the reason, multiple changes were made by each practitioner during their lives.  True masters were constantly exploring and improving all the time, and such exploration brought about variation.

Social status of the player could have played a role in what the form looked like.  In the hierarchical social system of old China, the educated elite could not be jumping around like common foot soldiers, so routines may have been modified accordingly.

Taijiquan is seen today as a major division of the traditional Chinese martial arts, or wushu.  It derived its name from the term taiji which first appeared in the Yijing, The Book of Changes (compiled during the Zhou Dynasty, 1122-249 B.C.).  “In all things exists taiji the two opposites in all things.  The two opposites cause the four seasons, and the four seasons cause the eight natural phenomena.”  An understanding of basic Chinese philosophy, medicine, and cosmology (e.g., Taoism, yinyang, Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, energy meridians) can deepen one’s appreciation of the art.  

One history of taijiquan centers around a small town in Wenxian County, Henan Province:  Chenjiagou “Chen family drainage ditch”, or Chen Village. Much of the history of taijiquan is a history of people flowing into or growing up in Chen Village, learning and teaching, and flowing out again circulating the art.

A popular starting point is when Chen Wangting (1597-1664), garrison commander for Henan province, evolved a form of boxing about 300 years ago.  This martial art, rather than being practiced at a constant fast and hard pace, was practiced dramatically slowed down, with occasional fast release of stored energy.

Chen Wangting would have learned the family martial arts that had been handed down from his ancestors, and very likely studied at the Thousand Year Monastery.  This monastery included Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism.

At the Qianzai (Thousand Year) monastery in Tang village, about 30 miles from Chen Village, Li Daozi (b. 614) is credited with establishing “Wuji Method of Nourishing Life” and “Thirteen Posture Exercise (Shi San Shi)”.  Li Chunmao (1508-1666), wrote an essay entitled “Discussion on Wuji and Fist Wushu” and another called “The Verse for the Practice of the Thirteen Postures.”  These routines were wujiquan, the likely precursors to taijiquan.

There is a reference to an essay that includes Chen Wanting as one of the writers.  It is found in the “Li Family History” (Genealogy).  The essay is called “Essay on the Taiji Method of Nourishing Life.”  The actual essay has been lost.

Two other authors of the essay are brothers Li Xin (birth and death dates unknown) and Li Zhong (1598-1689).  Together with their cousin Chen Wangting they created “Taiji Health Cultivation Thirteen Postures.”  This may very well be the art we now know as taijiquan.  

Some historians say Chen Wanting wanted to separate himself from his cousins for political reasons (Li Xin was considered an enemy of the government, being involved in rebellions to overturn the existing powers.)  So, Chen Wanting, living in Chen Village, created his own version of thirteen postures as part of this separation.  He may have been the one to come up with the innovation translated as “push hands”, the sensitivity training activity that allows for close combat practice. Whatever the ultimate truth, while in his 80’s he began to combine his martial arts with qigong, medicine, and Taoist philosophy to make his martial art unique.

The writings mentioned above from the Li Family documents later became attributed to one Wang Zongyue.  These writings are philosophical in nature and do not include any routines.  They systematically sum up the application of taiji philosophy to wushu or fighting arts.  The book is called The Taiji Classics.  The philosophy states that all things in nature contain both yin and yang:  masculine and feminine, hard and soft, bright and dark. It may be that in this treatise a form of boxing was first given the formal name of taijiquan.  The word taiji refers to yin and yang. quan literally means fist; the concept is that it represents an unarmed system of boxing.  Wang wrote, “What is Taiji?  It is generated from Wuji.  It is the mother of Yin and Yang.  When it moves, it divides.  At rest, it reunites.”

Although a Wang Family Genealogy has emerged, nothing for certain is known about Wang Zongyue’s teachers, personal history, or martial art.  When he lived is inferred from his writing style and people and things he references and is a controversy in and of itself.  

Up until about 150 years ago, Chen Family wushu (Thirteen Postures)was mainly practiced in the countryside of Henan Province, in relative obscurity. Yang Luchan (1799-1872), a native of Hebei Province, was employed by the Chen family.  Chen Changxing (1771-1853), 14th generation, was teachingto his family and village members, and eventually allowed Yang Luchan to become one of his disciples.  Finding credible biographical information on Luchan outside the Yang family is difficult.  Stories vary about how he became a student of Changxing, but it is safe to assume Luchan showed impressive proficiency and communication skill to be allowed into practice as an outsider.  Yang Luchan spent several years studying with Chen Changxing and is said to have become one of his best students.

In 1852, Yang Luchan left Chen village and began teaching wushu, first in Yongnianxian and later Beijing.  This was the beginning of the spread of what we now call taijiquan.  Yang Luchan was asked to teach the Palace Battalion of the Imperial Guards.  Some believe that it is at this phase that the term taijiquan became attached to the movements, because Yang Luchan was impressed with the principles and philosophy found in Wang Zongyue’s tretise.   It was probably only after Yang’s wushu became famous in Beijing that the name taijiquan became attached to this martial art.  Yang was likely teaching what is now known as old frame one (13 postures) and old frame two (Cannon fist).  Some historians have said that Luchan’s style was locally called “soft boxing” or “transformation boxing”.

Yang Luchan must have been an amazing martial artist, because he earned the name “Invincible Yang”.  Stories of Yang Luchan say he was never defeated, yet never allowed an opponent to come to harm.

Outside of Chen Village, once someone mastered the taiji routines and the internal aspects, these masters would make variations. The first two generations of Yang’s likely kept most of the qualities of Chen style.  It is hard to say what the routines were then because there is little record of them.

Luchan’s sons Banhou (1837-1890) and Jianhou (1839-1917) made modifications to the “frame” in which routines were practiced.  They created routines with higher stances and shorter movements.

By later in the third generation after Luchan, we know from photographs that the more explosive moves, stomping and jumping had disappeared from Yang’s routines, but not necessarily from Yang family personal practice. The official story from the Yang family is that these more difficult moves began to disappear when Yang Luchan was teaching in the emperors’ court.  It was likely a gradual process over a few generations, but we don’t know for sure.

Over the next decades, other “styles” were developed.  Yang style was and remains the most popular.  Yang Luchan had three sons, two of whom carried on his art with great skill: Yang Banhou (sometimes spelled Pan-hou) with a very aggressive personality, and Yang Jianhou with a gentle personality.  Contributing greatly to its popularity was a son of Yang Jianhou and grandson of Yang Luchan, Yang Chengfu (1883-1936).

Yang Chengfu had the gentle personality of his father and showed little interest in the martial art until his teens. Once he began to teach, his gentle personality attracted many followers.  He is credited with being the first taiji master to openly share the art with the general public.   Yang Chengfu changed his way of doing the form during his life and we know because there are photo sets of his form from different periods.  By the time Yang Chengfu systematized the Yang family taijiquan, the movements of his form were big and softly flowing at an even pace, without stomping, jumping, or energy-releasing.  It is sometimes referred to as “big frame”, with frame referring to the boundary within which the movements are performed.  It is important to remember, though, that the way a form is practiced is a training approach; in martial application, a technique is done at the speed and “frame” required to be effective.  Yang Chengfu produced many great and influential students, including Dong Yingjie (a teaching assistant for Chengfu and editor of his first book, who later brought his own variations to Yang style.), Chen Weiming, Fu Zhongwen ( Chengfu’s nephew, reported to be the practitioner who practiced the longest with Chengfu, with great push hands skill), Li Yaxuan, And Chen Manqing, ghost writer for Chengfu, who did much to further the popularity of taiji in the United States in the 1970’s. 

In 1912, several prominent taijiquan instructors, including Yang Chengfu, were invited to teach their art at the Beijing Physical Education Research Society (or Institute).  This institute was founded by Xu Yusheng, who was a student of Yang Jianhou and Yang Chengfu and probably of other masters as well.  This institute still exists today, and Xu Yusheng helped increase the notoriety of these masters through his books.    

In 1926, Yang Chengfu was invited to teach at the newly formed Central Goushu (national arts) Institute as the taijiquan teacher.  Yang Zhenduo (1924-2020), third son of Yang Chengfu, traveled the world teaching his great grandfather’s art.  His grandson, Yang Jun, makes his home in Seattle and carries on the family art.

The taijiquan family with the longest history is Chen.  Chen Wangting’s taijiquan has been handed down from generation to generation.  Chen Wangting is usually counted as the ninth generation from the founding of Chenjiagou.  Chen Changxing (1771-1853, 14th generation) is generally credited with synthesizing the martial routines created by his ancestors into what is known today as Chen’s “old frame” sets, which are believed to be practiced basically unchanged to this day.  Old frame is characterized by smooth flowing movements interspersed with explosive strikes and kicks. 

Another 14th generation Chen, Chen Youben, is credited with a variation called “small frame”. It is likely that both the large (old) and small frames developed at the same time.  Small frame is sometimes associated with nearby Zhaobao Village, which intermingled with Chen Village. Some speculate that small frame emerged as older, advanced masters practiced their routines as one single flowing movement, without energy releasing but returning that energy back to the center (dantien).  Current practitioners of small frame, however, have a lot of power releasing in their routines, so it is difficult to say.

Chen Fake (17th generation) is the most famous Chen master of the 20th century.  Much of his fame came from his ability to defeat all challengers without hurting anyone.  He also developed many students who gained fame, including Tien Xuichen and Feng Zhigiang,   

Chen Fake is credited with a version of the old frame, now called “new frame”, which makes the characteristic “silk reeling energy” even more overt.  It features a visible manifestation of the internal spiraling that is more hidden in other versions of taijiquan, including old frame.  Chen Fake developed this version in his later years.  It is speculated that this version was a teaching method to help the student understand the internal energy.

In 1928 Chen Fake and Chen Zhaopei (18th generation) were invited from Chen Village to Beijing and Nanjing to teach.  Apparently, the practitioners of other established styles did not even believe they were seeing taijiquan with its stomping and jumping and power releasing movements.  They were quite confused that the form had the same number of moves and underlying structure pattern and the same or similar names of the moves.  This underlying structure pattern is quite strong within all taijiquan.  The Chen’s skill eventually won everyone over, and Chen became recognized as the precursor to all other styles.  Chen style has spread far and wide, especially through the tireless efforts of 19th generation grandmasters such as Chen Xiaowang and Chen Zhenglei.  Another famous student of Chen Fake was Feng Zhiquiang, who merged Chen with Six Harmonies Xinyiquan to create Chen Shi Xinyi Huanyuan Taiji

Chen Zhaopei  (Zhaopi) is credited with bringing Chen style back to Chen village in 1958.   By then both the village and the practice of taijiquan had fallen into a sorry state.  What he taught is now referred to as Laojia (Old Frame).  Chen Zhaokui, Chen Fake’s son, is the main person responsible for promoting Xinjia (New Frame) practice in Chen village, after Chen Zhaopei’s death in 1972.  The top students from Chenjiagou, competing in tournaments throughout China in the seventies, were said to have come up with the names old frame and new frame, as they were competing using both types of routines.

Another style, Wu, was popularized by Wu Jianquan.  His father, Wu Quanyou (1834-1902) was a student of Yang Luchan and learned a Yang small frame variation from Yang Luchan’s son, Yang Banhou (1837-1892).  Wu Jianquan learned from his father, then developed his own form based on the small frame variation.  Its stances are higher and smaller, with a forward lean of the torso, never losing the elongation of the spine.  This is sometimes called “slanted but straight”. The body and rear leg form a straight line, giving the body a slanted posture while forming a straight line along the back from the head to the rear heel.  Both feet point straight ahead.

There is another W’u school.  In the tonal language of Chinese, the two are pronounced differently.  What is helpful in English is that this W’u school is also referred to as the Hao style, after Hao Yeizhen (1849-1920) who popularized this style.  The school was established by W’u Yuxiang (1812-1880), a scholar and government official.  W’u Yuxiang studied taijiquan from Yang Luchan.  In 1852 he went to Zhaobao in Wen County where he studied small frame with Chen Qingping (1795-1868), and developed a new style based on the two styles.

Yang Luchan and W’u Yuxiang were good friends, and they shared all their knowledge with each other, and worked together to apply Wang Zongyue’s Taiji Classics to their art.  According to relatives of W’u grandmasters, it is through this collaboration that the jumping and stamping techniques and hard and fast movements gradually began to be changed.

W’u Yuxiang eventually abandoned his career to devote his life to Taiji.  He combined Confucianism, war strategy, martial arts and Traditional Chinese Medicine to create a new taijiquan style, characterized by higher stances and compact movements.  He taught this style to his nephew, Li Yiyu.  Li Yiyu’s writings helped explain the theoretical underpinnings of martial arts based on taiji principles.  He wrote (1867) “Essays on Taijiquan”.  These essays include a list of wushu movements learned by W’u Yuxiang from Yang and Chen Quingping called “Thirteen Postures”.  Li Yiyu taught Hao Yeizhen, who taught publicly and did so much to spread this style that his name is associated with it.

Hao Yeizhen taught Sun Lutang.  Apparently, Sun Lutang helped Hao through a serious illness around 1914.  Sun Lutang (1860-1930) was already a master of baguazhang and xinyiquan Some records suggest that Sun Lutang may have been the first martial artist to be a master of all three.  His writings are the first to speak of taijiquan baguazhang, and xingyiquan as sister arts.  Sun’s philosophical mastery combined with his martial skill allowed him to fuse these arts and philosophies into his new style, which he is said to consider the crowning achievement of his life.  The style includes the evasive body movements of baguazhang and the obvious martial tactics of xinyiquan.

Since 1949 the Chinese Government has developed Modern Competitive Wushu as a competition sport.  In the 1950’s wushu was introduced into the physical education curricula, and the Chinese Wushu Association was established in Beijing.  Compulsory forms were created for competition, with required movements and required difficulty, much as today’s Olympic ice skating.

It is fascinating the way the politics of China has played a role in the spread of taijiquan. When China closed its doors to the outside world with the Cultural Revolution, many skilled taiji players chose to flee to Hong Kong or Taiwan, and from there began to spread taiji to the world, slowly but surely.  Chen Manjing was especially influential in Taiwan and later the United States.  Some of his key students include Benjamin Lo, T.T. Liang, and William C. C. Chen.

Prior to Chen Manjing, karate and judo were the primary Asian martial arts known to the world.  But even then, no one outside China was aware of Chen Taijiquan until the Era of Reconstruction when China began opening its doors again.  Then, with the introduction to the world of Modern Competitive Wushu from people like Shouyu Liang, Bow Sim Mark and Roger Tung, people were exposed to Chen Style.

The Japanese were especially inquisitive about Chen Style.  Taijiquan is popular in Japan.  In 1981 a Japanese taijiquan association, researching the origin of taijiquan, made a pilgrimage to Chen Village.  This turned out to be a landmark event, as people from other villages flocked to Chen Village to see the Japanese!  Plus, the event received extensive news coverage, and Chen village suddenly was known.  Thus, people around China knew about traditional Chen taijiquan where before it was not as well-known as Yang Style. This opened the floodgates for people around the world to begin to visit and train in the birthplace of all taijiquan, and that pilgrimage continues to this day, with thousands of annual visitors.

Blake Emery

Willow Moon Internal Arts

Spring 2023 Newsletter

Happy Spring Everyone!

We are in the midst of our 2-week spring break. Spring session begins April 10th with our Saturday classes returning to Pratt Park. Please check below for:

  • World Tai Chi Qigong Day Free Class
  • The updated Spring Class Schedule
  • Returning to the Parks
  • Free Classes the First Week of April with Burien Community Center
  • Spiral Qigong is Back!
  • Weapons Intensives and weekly Saturday review

World Tai Chi Qigong Day is April 29th!
Join us for this wonderful annual event from 10am to noon on Saturday, April 29th at Cal Anderson Park on Capitol Hill to share practice of Qigong and Tai Chi with people around the planet as we circle the globe with positive energy and shared practice with a wave beginning in New Zealand and moving time zone by time zone.
Everyone Welcome!
** Note that our regular Saturday classes will be canceled for this special event.

This spring we’ll be returning to the parks!

Saturday’s beginning in April we’ll be at Pratt Park for the Spiral Qigong at 9:30am, Chen Fundamentals at 10:45am, and Weapons practice 11:45am.

For our Yang 108 class in West Seattle, we’ll continue online on Tuesdays and at Kenyon Hall through April, then beginning in May, we’ll take to Lincoln park for both Tues. & Thurs. as the weather permits. If the weather is inhospitable, we’ll return to the April schedule of Tuesdays online and Thursdays at Kenyon. A determination will be made the night before. Check the Wise Orchid Facebook Page for updates or message Viola if unsure.

For Capitol Hill’s 7:30am Qigong and 8:45am Chen Wednesday mornings, we’ll be at Emerald City Aikido through April, then beginning in May, we’ll move outside to Miller Park having the ECA Dojo as a backup in case of foul weather.
– FREE CLASSES –

The first week of April, you are invited to join us for the following free classes hosted by Burien Community Center:

-Tuesday, April 4th, 6pm In-Person Beginning Chen Tai Chi at Burien Community Center
-Wednesday, April 5th, 10:45am ONLINE Qigong for Stress Reduction and Wellbeing, contact BCC at: 206-988-3700 to reserve your spot and receive the link for Zoom.
-Thursday, April 6th, 10:45am Tai Chi for Everyone, Yang 24 In-Person at the Burien Community Center.

Both In-Person classes Tuesday evening and Thursday morning do not require advanced registration. Just show up. Please share and help spread the word.
Spiral Qigong is Back!

Join us 9:30am Saturdays at Pratt Park (and Online via Zoom) this spring for Spiral Qigong. This unique and dynamic practice comes from the 5 element 12 Animal XingYi practice.

The Ba Fa Pan Gen is 8 methods to firm your roots, helping you develop better stability in your lower body while improving your flexibility and range of motion in your upper body through spiraling and cleansing. It’s fun and invigorating.

Starting April 15th and running through June 17th.
**note: no class 4/29 for World Tai Chi Qigong Day-Free Practice in Cal Anderson Park!
This spring we’ll be offering monthly weapons forms intensives, join us for form review and a focused breakdown of Double Straight Swords on April 15th, May 13th, and June 10th. 2-3:30pm
As always, it is an honor and delight to share these arts with you.
We’ll be on break through April 9th.
Don’t forget to register for classes starting on April 10th.

Cheers from Cape Flattery,
with Patience, Peace & Practice,
Viola

2022 December Newsletter

Happy Holidays everyone!
I wish the best for you during this season and a very Happy New Year! As we bring this year to a close I want to thank each of you for your continued support and enthusiasm for this practice. I am grateful for the opportunity to share these arts and continue the traditions that I’ve been privileged to learn and transmit.
Below is:
Our Winter Quarter Schedule of classes which begin Jan. 9th
New sessions info for Beginner & Seniors and Qigong for Everyone
Saturday Sessions of Qigong and Chen and new sessions at BCC
Free Classes during our BreakWinter Weapons Intensives
A favorite recipe, my Winter Solstice Mediterranean Stew
and, a recording of our free Thanksgiving Practice for you to enjoy!
Winter Quarter’s classes begin January 9th and run through March 24th. Please note there will be no classes from February 23rd to 27th for our Mid-Winter Break.
Link to full winter schedule & registration links here:
Continuing this quarter, we have new sessions of:
Tai Chi for Beginners and Seniors on Mondays at 10:30am and Thursdays at 2pm. Both of these sessions continue online
Qigong for Everyone 6:30pm Wednesdays online
and, 
Saturday’s Qigong Special Session of Professor Huang Joint Opening and Qigong to Reduce Stress and Boost Immunity 9:30am

and, for IN-PERSON Tai Chi and ONLINE Qigong at the Burien Community Center:
Tai Chi for Everyone Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:45am
Chen Tai Chi for Beginners 6pm Tuesdays
Qigong for Wellness and Stress Reduction ONLINE Wed. 10:45am
free practice sessions
While we are on break, join us for some FREE PRACTICE SESSIONS:

Solstice Standing Post and Silk Reeling 6pm, Wed. Dec. 21st ONLINE. Follow link for info and registration
New Year’s Day, Sunday Jan. 1st, ONLINE at 9:30am Spiral Qigong to wring in the New Year! Link for info and registration
Beginner’s Chen at Burien Community Center, 14700 6th Ave. SW, Burien, 6pm Tuesday, Jan. 3rd. No need to register, just show up.
-Burien ONLINE Qigong for Wellness and Stress Reduction, Wed., Jan 4th 10:45pm, Call BCC at 206-988-3700 to register and get link.
Tai Chi for Everyone at Burien Community Center, Thurs. Jan. 5th at 10:45am in person, can just show up, no registration required.
winter weapons intensives
This winter, we’ll continue with monthly weapons forms intensives, Saturdays 2pm:

-Jan 28th, Single Broadsword
-Feb 18th Review Double Broadswords and Spear
-March 18th Review Single Straight Sword and Intro to Double Straight Swords

Each class $75 or $25 for unlimited registration students.
Contact Viola if you are interested.
Beginners welcome to the Single Broadsword class.
Solstice Mediterranean Stew for you
Please enjoy this tasty Mediterranean Stew recipe that I first discovered on Solstice 2004, our anniversary. I’ve been making it on the regular ever since. From our table to yours Happy Holidays. (thank you Sophia!)
our Thanksgiving practice recording
Lastly, Here is a recording of the class we did on Thanksgiving morning. We had such a wonderful turn out! Over 50 people came from far and wide. So grateful to you for tuning in and spreading good energy with me.
Whew! Congratulations! You made it to the end.
We have classes through this Saturday, 12/17 and then are on break. See you in one of our free sessions or in the New Year!
Peace, Joy, and Love to you,
Viola & Rus

Winter Newsletter


Happy Holidays everyone!
Though we won’t be heading to Costa Rica this winter break (save your spot now for 2023!), we are looking forward to some local retreats this coming year.

We have a couple adventures in mind and hope to bring you to Southern Oregon for a Tai Chi & Qigong retreat and birding adventure in the spring, and then in the fall, the Olympics for an opportunity to immerse in nature and practice.

We are still working out the dates and details, so stay tuned and let me know if one of these sounds interesting to you.

Winter 2022 Weekly Schedule
Schedule: 


With the presence of a new variant of unknown severity, we’ll be continuing to work both online and in person with hybrid classes this winter. Above is our schedule and classes are open for registration now.

We’ll start the quarter with some free classes online the first week of January before our sessions begin and then the week our regular classes start, I’ll be teaching some free classes through the Burien Community Center both morning and evening, in-person, and online.

Please note that proof of vaccination, masks, and social distancing are required for all in-person sessions so that we can continue to offer these classes and maintain everyone’s safety and health.

And, if you are not feeling well, please stay home and take care. Most all in-person classes are hybrid which means that you are able to watch the recording or attend online if you cannot make it in-person. Let me know if you have any questions in that regard.

Remember that the recordings are only saved for 30 days from the date of the class before being auto deleted. Please let me know if there is a class that you found particularly valuable and I can save it off of cloud for future reference.
Burien registration and schedule & free classes

Please note that the classes offered through the Burien Community Center are separate from the Wise Orchid registration and you need to register for them directly through the community center.

Registration for the BCC opens on Dec. 13th. If you would like to attend the Free sessions the second week of January, no registration necessary, just show up, or contact the BCC for the link for the online class.

Free Classes offered at the Burien Community Center:
-Chen Tai Chi for Beginners, IN-PERSON, Tuesday, January 11th at 6pm
-Qigong-Immunity, Balance & Vitality, ONLINE, Wed., Jan. 12th, 10:45am
-Tai Chi for Beginners/Seniors, IN-PERSON, Thur., Jan. 13th, 10:45am

Free Intro classes online first week of January
In addition to the above-mentioned free classes being offered at the Burien Community Center, I’ll be offering a few Free online classes the first week of January, before our Winter Sessions begin. Please join me and invite anyone you think would be interested.
-Wed., Jan. 5th, 8:30am Qigong – 5 Animal Frolics
-Wed., Jan. 5th, 10am Chen Taiji Silk Reeling, Standing, form play
-Thur., Jan. 6th, 8:30am Yang Taiji – 108 Play
-Thurs., Jan. 6th, 6pm Chen Taiji – Old Frame Play

To participate in the above free sessions, please contact Viola via email and you’ll be sent the link.
Inclement Weather Policy:
With Winter being here and colder days ahead, please note the following inclement weather policy:
If the local public schools are closed, in-person class will be cancelled (held online only if hybrid). If the schools have late opening, then the afternoon and evening sessions will be held, but the morning sessions will be cancelled (online only).
Seattle Public Schools FB Page for up to date info https://www.facebook.com/SeattlePublicSchools
You can also contact me or check our FB page for updates about changes to class location or cancellation.

If the class is hybrid and we are not able to meet in person, we will hold the class online only.


**HOLIDAY SPECIAL for Private Lessons
For the holidays, I am offering a special for private sessions. Invest in deepening your practice through one on one sessions in the new year.
-Single Class $95 ($10 savings)
-3 class package $275 ($40 savings)Prepayment by December 31st only.

You can book your private lessons here or email me and we can arrange for a time that works.

**SPECIAL HOLIDAY New Student Class Pass
Beginner’s packages are a 4 class package for new students, normally $75, now through the end of the year take advantage of our special holiday price of $50.
All 4 classes must be used within 1 month’s time and used by the end of Winter Quarter 2022.

Breathing and softening and keeping on, looking forward to you joining me.

with love and gratitude,
Viola

Spring News

Greetings everyone and Happy Spring!

We made it through winter! We made it through the last year! I will spare you another retrospective of our year of covid. It’s time to put that in our rearview mirror and look ahead to the positives of keeping practice going and the growth we continue to cultivate. I’m glad to be here and grateful for you showing up and sharing these arts with me.
Our last West Seattle in-person group class met in Lincoln Park on March 17th, 2020 (pictured above). Being resourceful we’ve found a way to continue to meet with the help of the internet, technology, adding lights and upgrading camera and microphones. I think I may have this figured out. See below.
Now…

Spring is the season that correlates with the element of Wood in Chinese Medicine, which corresponds to the Liver and Gallbladder. Below, you will find more info about how to support these organs as we emerge from our winter hibernation.

Below you’ll find our schedule of classes for Spring Sessions, and links to register, info on the upcoming Spiral Qigong fundraising workshop, free classes, updates about our Costa Rica Retreat in January 2022, and news about the Studio.
Our Spring Schedule:
Spring 2021 Tai Chi & Qigong Class Schedule
We have two park classes this quarter. If you plan to attend, please help us in staying safe by maintaining Covid protocols of keeping distance and wearing a mask.
During spring break, we are offering another fundraising workshop to help support organizations doing good work. Please click here for information on which organizations we are looking to support with our Spiral Qigong Fundraiser on Saturday, March 27th at 10am – 11:20am.
Our Spring Sessions kick off on April 5th.

During first week of the session we are offering a couple free classes that are open to everyone.

First, I’ll be offering a Free Intro to Tai Chi and Qigong on the First Tuesday evening, April 6th at 6pm, via Zoom. Link here to register.

Then, Burien Community Center is offering a free online class at 10:45am on Wed. April 7th to introduce the practice of the Joint Lubrication Longevity Qigong and the Yin Yang Medical Qigong. Please call the Burien Community Center at 206-988-3700 to register.
Costa Rica 2020 Tai Chi & Qigong Immersion Retreat with Sifu Viola Brumbaugh
I know many of you have missed traveling.

So have I!

We have had to postpone our Costa Rica Tai Chi & Qigong Immersion Retreat this year, however I am looking forward to returning to Pura Vida next January!

Many of you have received your first or even second shot of the Covid vaccine, and for many others, the promise of having all adults vaccinated by summer gives hope for us to be able to emerge from our homes and be able to share practice in person.

So please come and join us in Costa Rica next January for a transformational experience diving into beauty, practice, and self care.
And about Spring…

With seeds sprouting, flowers blooming, and the sun warming the earth, there is a sense of renewal and new life all around.

As winter is a time to conserve energy and reduce activity, spring is a time of regeneration, new beginnings, and a renewal of spirit.

In the Chinese Medical tradition, spring is a time for cleansing and rejuvenation for overall health and well-being. Correlating to the wood element relating to the liver and gallbladder, these two organs are good to focus on for springtime cleansing. The liver is responsible for smooth flow of Qi through the body. If the liver is functioning smoothly so too will the physical and emotional. Optimal health begins in the spring by moving your Qi. Below is the 5 Animal Frolics Tiger video that you can use to strengthen your eyes and tendons.
Link here for Video of Tiger from 5 Animal Frolics for a good Stretch and Eye Exercise
or scroll to the bottom of this post to find the video embedded of the Tiger Qigong

Stretch – The liver controls the tendons. According to Chinese medicine, the liver stores blood during periods of rest and then releases it to the tendons in times of activity, maintaining tendon health and flexibility. Which is a good reason to incorporate a morning stretch into your routine. Join us for the morning Qigong on Mondays & Wednesdays at 7:30am or the Spiral Qigong on Saturdays at 9am to activate the circulation of Qi and lubricate your joints.

Eye Exercises – The liver opens into the eyes. Although all the organs have some connection to the health of the eyes, the liver is connected to proper eye function. Remember to take breaks when looking at a computer monitor for extended periods of time and do eye exercises including your Qigong and Tai Chi.

Eat Green – Green is the color of the liver and of springtime. Eating young plants – fresh, leafy greens, sprouts, and immature cereal grasses – can improve the liver’s overall functions and aid in the movement of Qi.

Taste Sour – Foods and drinks with sour tastes stimulate the liver’s Qi. Put lemon slices in your drinking water, use vinegar and olive oil for your salad dressing. Garnish your meal with a slice of dill pickle.

Do more outdoor activities – Outside air helps liver Qi flow. Come join our Saturday practices in Pratt Park. 1pm All Levels Tai Chi practice and 2pm Double Broadswords.
A favorite salad:
-Spinach
-Feta
-Strawberries
-Toasted walnuts
-Topped with lemon and olive oil
Adjust proportions for your own taste.
Lastly…It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that our beloved studio, which has been offered for lease for at least 6 months now, has been finally been rented to a new tenant who will take over our lease as of April 1st.

After paying 12 months of rent for a space that we’ve not been able to share, I am both grateful to everyone who helped bring the light and energy to make this space Wise Orchid’s home for 5 years, and incredibly sad that these walls will no longer be a space we call home. I admit it is a relief to no longer be paying rent.

What I know is that when the time is right and we are able to resume in-person classes that we’ll find the right space for us and that it will be its own wonderful place.

I will be there on Monday the 29th in the afternoon. Please let me know if you’d like to drop by to pick up your shoes if any are still there, or contact me to make other arrangements. If you can’t make it and your shoes are there, I will keep them and make sure you can get them back.
With brighter days ahead, I look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks and sharing more good practice. Take good care, stay safe, and keep breathing.
Much love and gratitude,
Patience, peace & practice,
Viola

December 2020 Newsletter

Winter 2020 Newsletter

 After being away from the studio now for 9 months I can’t even begin to express my wish to be with you all in person and sharing practice. And yet, you’ve shown up, logged onto Zoom and continued to join me. You have inspired me, helped me grow to better teach you and been incredibly patient and gracious as we all do our best in the midst of so many challenges. I promise to be here, holding the zoom door open for you to help you find your feet when everything else seems too crazy to bear. 

Bless you all for your continued support. The studio is still enduring. This practice is good medicine and helps us return to center when it seems as though everything else is falling apart.

We’ll be on break for two weeks from December 19th through January 3rd. And from there, Winter Quarter will run from January 4th through March 19th. 

Below you will find information about:
Free classes coming up during our Break,
Winter Quarter Class Schedule with links to register,
NEW Free Intro Class happening on the first Tuesday of each month, 
Tips on staying healthy this winter along with one of my favorite recipes
And, a video of the Yin Yang Medical Qigong which will be the focus of our Qigong practice on Saturdays this Winter.

Winter Break Free Classes & Fundraiser
links for more information are underlined in blue.
– Sat. 12/26, 10am, Silk Reeling, Standing & Intro to Yin Yang Medical Qigong
– Mon., 12/28, 10am, Chen Tai Chi for Everyone
– Wed., 12/30, 10am, Yang Tai Chi for Everyone
– Fri., 1/1, 10am, New Year Spiral Qigong FUNDAISER a 2020 Detox

WINTER QUARTER WEEKLY CLASS SCHEDULE:

Starting next year, we’ll be offering a FREE to all Intro to Tai Chi & Qigong class at 6pm the first Tuesday of each month. You can follow this link for more information and please feel free to share with friends and your network. 

Here is a favorite recipe I make throughout the year, but is particularly yummy in the winter.

Winter health tips & recipe
In traditional Chinese Medicine, Winter is associated with the Water element – your Kidneys and Bladder. Imbalances arising as the cold of winter sets in may manifest as:
lower back or knee pain
fatigue
tinnitus
memory issues
menstrual pain
lowered libido
poor circulation
fearful emotions (anxiety and phobias)
urinary disorders

Good balance of the Kidneys and Bladder helps you manage stress, sleep better, and avoid the above-mentioned problems.

Here are 3 tips for Winter Wellness to support your Kidneys and Bladder:

1. Go Inward, Reflect, Take time to be still and quiet. Give yourself time each day to be still, sit or stand and go inside yourself with breath and calm. Start with a minute and increasing a little each day up to 5, 10, 20 min. (uh, sounds like Qigong, right?)

2. Keep warm. Cover up, avoid exposure. Use a hot water bottle or heating pad to warm your feet and or back before bed. This can help if you have back pain or a tendency to have cold extremities. It is important to not walk barefoot on cold floors, to avoid cold entering into the body.

3. Healthy Winter Meals. Eat warm nourishing foods, warm beverages, teas that are easier for your body to digest. Avoid cold foods and beverages which drain your energy and are harder to absorb.

 Kitchari – Curry porridge
Ingredients:
1 onion diced
2 inches ginger chopped 
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrots chopped
1 C red lentils, mung or adzuki (washed)
1 C basmati rice (washed)
and combination of any fresh veg:
potato, cauliflower, sweet potato, winter or summer squash, cabbage, broccoli, peppers, peas, green beans, kale, chard, whatever you like
Kombu seaweed, soaked, rinsed, and chopped (start with a couple stalks, then add more as you like)
optional golden raisins.

spice: Combine and adjust as you like
Cumin seed 1 T
mustard seed 1 T
fennel seed 1 t
ground coriander 1-2 t
turmeric  1 t
asoefodida (hing) 1/4 t (optional reduces gas)
onion seed  1/2 t (nigela)
whole clove  1/2 t
whole cardamom pod  5 or so
whole cinnamon stick 1
whole red chile 1
bay leaf 2
curry leaves  pinch
fenugreek seed  1 t

Salt & pepper to taste

Stock or bouillon of choice, can of chopped tomatoes

Begin with a large stainless steel soup pot. Warm it on med. heat, then add a couple T of high-quality oil once hot, add (whole hard seeds) cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds along with cinnamon stick, clove, and cardamom pods and chile (if using jalapeno, add fresh at end before serving). Brown for a few seconds to a min. and then add
Onion stirring with spices and cooking till translucent
add ginger, celery, carrot, and rest of spices and cook for an additional minute or two
Then add and stir into spices the lentils and rice
cover with 6-8 cups of water cover and cook for 20-40 minutes, depending on whether using light red lentils or adzukis, until rice and lentils are cooked.
Add vegetables at the appropriate time to cook completely, along with raisins if like
Season with salt and pepper to taste

If adding Cilantro, chop the whole bunch and add at the end before serving.

Serve with a dollop of yogurt and a squeeze of lemon

This pot usually feeds us for a week of dinners. I like to freeze some to have later. Enjoy with love from my table to yours.

NOTE: You can adapt to instant pot by doing spices with lentils and rice with pressure for 5-7 minutes, open add veg and pressure for another 5 min. Enjoy experimenting with this very flexible nourishing porridge. Can serve for any meal.

This time of year it is important to slow down. Do exercise that does not expend a great deal of energy.

And here is some Yin supportive practice to help you maintain your health and vitality through the winter. Join us on Saturdays at 9:30am as we practice and breakdown the Yin Yang Medical Qigong. 

Be well, stay safe, and enjoy your holidays. I look forward to sharing practice with you soon.

With much love and gratitude in
Patience, Peace & Practice,
Viola

Fall 2020 Newsletter

And then it was Fall…

Hi there Everyone! 

Hard to believe we’ve been enduring the pandemic (and then some) for so many months. I miss being together in-person of course, but I am also grateful to be able to see you online and share good practice in spite of us not being together. 

Below you will find:
– the schedule for fall, 
– Info on scheduling private lessons now available at the studio, as well as online or at the park,
– Also, one of our own, Leo, has a son in So. Oregon who lost his home to the Alameda Fire. Look below for more info and a link to a GoFundMe where you can offer support.
– A few workshops and a fundraiser to deepen your Tai Chi weapons practice and refresh your 5 animals!
– And, lastly, in spite of us not being above to meet for classes in person, the studio endures. I welcome you to donate to help maintain our rent.
Fall Schedule of Classes
Private Lessons!

In order to deepen your practice, sometimes it’s helpful to have personal instruction to find ways to improve. I am now offering private lessons in person at the studio or outside following safety guidelines as well as online via Zoom. I’ve set up a calendar where you can find a time and book a lesson based on what’s available. Check it out here:

book a lesson here!
 One of our own, Leo, has a son from Southern Oregon who lost his home to the Alameda fire that rampaged whole neighborhoods near Ashland. Some have asked how they can help. Here’s a link to the GoFundMe that was created to help.
_________________________________________________________________________________
This fall, we’ll be hosting a Tai Chi weapon/implement intensive each month on Saturday afternoons in Pratt Park.October 24th, from 1:30pm to 3pm, Double Broadswords, come to review what we’ve trained so far and work the next section.November 21st, from 1:30pm to 3pm, Plum Blossom Spear White Ape Staff will be reviewed and refined, and thenDecember 12th, from 1pm to 2:30pm we’ll train the Chen Single Straight Sword. If you would like to attend these sessions, please register with Sifu Viola by email indicating your preference of in-person or online.
———————————————————————————————————————————
“Climate Change is no longer some far off problem; it is happening here, it is happening now.” – Barack Obama

With the devastation of the fires throughout the western states, I would like to offer a special workshop to support the efforts to combat climate change. On Saturday, Oct. 17th, 1:30pm to 3pm, you are invited to share a Special  5 Animal Frolics workshop to raise money for 350.org. Suggested donation $50.
The Spirit of the Wise Orchid Studio endures!

Reminder about Paying for tuition, support & tipping

 Our Square store is easiest if you prefer to pay by credit card. (please note that a 3.5% transaction fee is charged) Please note that there is now a tip option on our square store. This is completely voluntary and an option if you’d like to provide extra support.

Studio Support: We also have a donation option on the square store now if you are interested in making a separate contribution. The contributions help us pay for our Studio lease and the additional expenses in bringing your online content. Please let me know if you have any questions and know that no amount is too small and any amount is completely voluntary and deeply appreciated.
 Other ways to pay: You are welcome to use one of the following free apps.
Zelle: https://www.zellepay.com/
Venmo https://venmo.com/ (@Viola-Brumbaugh)
All you need is my phone 206-321-0613 or email: viola@wise-orchid.com 
The money comes directly into my account without a transaction fee on either side.

Check: feel free to mail a check to: Viola Brumbaugh, 1311 12th Ave S B201, Seattle WA 98144

And lastly, other support you can offer:
We have a Patreon account set up if you’d like to make a monthly contribution. You can choose any amount and set yourself up for auto-payment, and cancel it at any time. Become a Patron!  
Many moons ago, in another chapter of my life, I lived in Southern Oregon, very close to where the fires have wrought so much destruction.

This image is me standing atop a tree I know as Yoda.

For as long as I can remember I have gravitated toward the company of trees. Trees are excellent teachers who demonstrate much of what it takes to practice Tai Chi. These same skills can also serve you in quarantining/social distancing in the midst of a pandemic. Trees are the epitome of commitment, persistence, and patience. Flexibility and slowing down, taking your time. Putting down roots and reaching. Finding balance. Looking out to the future, I can see this covid-time as another chapter of delving into practice, at mindfulness to maintain health, mental, physical as well as spiritual, in the midst of much loss, suffering, strife, and grief.

Yet there is striving, there is beauty, and there is the long march forward … equality, balance, practice, skill. All testing our patience and persistence. 

Take good care, practice well, and persevere dear friends.

Patience, Peace & Practice, Viola

Summer ONLINE Sessions begin 7/6

Summer session is here!
 Thank you all for sharing practice during our free sessions while on break, and also for the participating and support for our Black Lives Matter fundraising Spiral Qigong workshop last weekend. If you would like to make a contribution to BLM Seattle, follow this link.

Also, tomorrow morning begins our summer sessions! The codes and passwords for the online sessions have been sent to those I have registered, so if you didn’t receive them, please let me know. The links are no longer available on the calendar, so once you received the log in info, please save it for easy access for the rest of the quarter.

We have made a plan to teach the Wed. evening classes through SSC, also online beginning Wed., July 22nd, Yang 24 Tai Chi at 5:30 – 6:50 and Qigong from 6:30 to 7:20pm, both of which are open for registration now through SSC following these highlighted links.

More info below on our summer schedule of classes, how to register or offer support, as well as booking private lessons online, easily seeing available days and times.

I’m excited to be sharing practice with you, even if we are not together in person, I feel grateful for this connection through shared practice, building and maintaining good health and vitality.

Please stay safe and take good care.

Patience, peace & practice,
Viola
————————————
SUMMER SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
Day and Class
MONDAY
Qigong 7:30am
Chen Taijiquan 8:45am
Tai Chi for Seniors 10:30am
Chen Taijiquan 6pm
TUESDAY
Yang Tai Chi 8:30am
WEDNESDAY
Qigong 7:30am
Chen Taijiquan 8:45am
Burien Tai Chi & Qigong for Immunity, Wellness, Vitality 10:45am
SSC Yang 24 for Beginners 5:30pm
SSC Qigong, Health of Body, Mind & Spirit 6:30pm
THURSDAY
Yang Tai Chi 8:30am
Tai Chi for Seniors 2pm
Chen Taijiquan 6pm
FRIDAY
Adv. Chen Taijiquan 8:45am
SATURDAY
Spiral Qigong 9am
Chen Taijiquan 10am
Tai Chi Weapons 1pm, at Pratt Park
 
 Please note that classes through South Seattle College & Burien Community Center require registration directly with them and are not included in the Wise Orchid Unlimited registration.

Reminder about Paying for tuition, support & tipping:
 Our Square store is easiest if you prefer to pay by credit card. (please note that a 3.5% transaction fee is charged) Please note that there is now a tip option on our square store. This is completely voluntary and an option if you’d like to provide extra support.

We also have a donation option on the square store now if you are interested in making a separate contribution. The contributions help us pay for our Studio lease and the additional expenses in bringing your online content. Please let me know if you have any questions and know that no amount is too small and any amount is completely voluntary and deeply appreciated.
 Other ways to pay:You are welcome to use one of the following free apps.
Zelle: https://www.zellepay.com/
Venmo https://venmo.com/
All you need is my phone 206-321-0613 or email: viola@wise-orchid.com 
The money comes directly into my account without a transaction fee on either side.

Check: feel free to mail a check to: Viola Brumbaugh, 1311 12th Ave S B201, Seattle WA 98144

And lastly, other support you can offer:
We have a Patreon account set up if you’d like to make a monthly contribution. You can choose any amount and set yourself up for auto-payment, and cancel it at any time. Become a Patron!  
 Private Lessons: Now available in person (at a distance) or online!
In order to deepen your practice, sometimes you need a closer look at your practice. I am now offering private lessons in person outside following safety guidelines as well as online via Zoom. I’ve set up a calendar where you can find a time and book a lesson based on what’s available. Check it out here:book a lesson here!

Summer 2020 Newsletter

And now it’s Summer…

  Hello everyone, this is our summer newsletter where I will share with you a whole lot of information:
-First, an update about the pandemic and plans for our summer sessions,
-The end of our Spring Sessions and our two-week break ahead that includes some FREE CLASSES
-The Spiral Qigong fundraising workshop, standing in support and solidarity with Black Lives Matter
-Info on registration, payment, support & tipping
-Private lessons and how to schedule them, why they are valuable
-AND, a survey to help us make good choices going forward. Your feedback is most valuable
Join us for Summer Sessions Online!

Below is a list of the current schedule of ONLINE classes set to begin July 6th. We have our first Burien Online class continuing on Wednesdays.

And, I’m looking into collaborating with South Seattle College to continue bringing you the Wednesday evening Yang 24 and Qigong classes (not yet listed). Let me know if you are interested in these classes and I will let you know if they’ll be happening through the college or if we will be running them separately this quarter and what dates they’ll start.

NOTE: the Saturday Tai Chi Weapons class will be in person and is therefore limited to 5 participants.View playback of classes for more practice!

By the way, did you know that all our online classes are recorded and available for playback for at least 30 days after the class! You can repeat the class as many times as you like!

Here is an example of a Qigong class, enjoy!



Summer Break Free Sessions & Spiral Workshop

Everyone is welcome to these classes, so please share this info with friends who you think may be interested. Please email me to RSVP so that I know you’ll be coming and can let you in. This will help prevent zoom bombing.
Saturday, June 27th, 10am I’ll be offering a Spiral Qigong Intensive Workshop by Donation to Support Black Lives Matter-Seattle. 

I want to help fight against racial bias, systemic racism, and oppression of the Black community. If you are actively letting your voice be heard, please stay safe (follow this link for tips on how).

If you are confused by the demonstrations here in Seattle and around the world, I encourage you to stay informed regarding the Black Lives Matter movement and make a difference in your community and our country. Follow this link for Resources and learn more, get active, be safe, and help one another.

Paying for tuition, support, tipping, how to

 Our Square store is easiest if you prefer to pay by credit card. (please note that a 3.5% transaction fee is charged) Please note that there is now a tip option on our square store. This is completely voluntary and an option if you’d like to provide extra support.

We also have a donation option on the square store now if you are interested in making a separate contribution. The contributions help us pay for our Studio lease and the additional expenses in bringing your online content. Please let me know if you have any questions and know that no amount is too small and any amount is completely voluntary and deeply appreciated.

 Other ways to pay:

You are welcome to use one of the following free apps.
Zelle: https://www.zellepay.com/
Venmo https://venmo.com/
All you need is my phone 206-321-0613 or email: viola@wise-orchid.com
 
The money comes directly into my account without a transaction fee on either side.

Check: feel free to mail a check to:
Viola Brumbaugh, 1311 12th Ave S B201, Seattle WA 98144

And lastly, other support you can offer:
We have a Patreon account set up if you’d like to make a monthly contribution. You can choose any amount and set yourself up for auto-payment, and cancel it at any time. 
Become a Patron!  

 

Private Lessons!

In order to deepen your practice, sometimes you need a closer look at your practice. I am now offering private lessons in person outside following safety guidelines as well as online via Zoom. I’ve set up a calendar where you can find a time and book a lesson based on what’s available. Check it out here:

book a lesson here!



Eventually we will meet again and share practice in person again whether in the Studio, Burien, South Seattle College, West Seattle, or Costa Rica.

In the meantime, I welcome you to my living room/dining room in a space where no matter how far apart we are, we can be together. I’ve struggled to feel a connection in this new platform, so I always appreciate seeing you, hearing your voice, getting your thumbs-up 👍 , and questions when you’re not clear.

So in that regard, I ask you to please help me improve and know what is working and where you’d like to see this going by linking here and doing this short survey.

LINK HERE TO TAKE THE SURVEY!

 

Rage & Gratitude — the Yin and Yang of our time

I find it hard to articulate the range of emotions and thoughts I have regarding this time we are living in. There is a spectrum that is very yin and yang and reminds me that, like our practice, it helps to work my way back to the middle where there is balance. I find relief from my anguish over all the loss of life from the joy of baking and the magic of nature.

I am full of grief and rage for the loss of Black lives and the systemic racism, violence & oppression in our country and yet I am hopeful about the future and the beauty of the protests and art being created, the conversations being had, the eyes and hearts beginning to open. 

I hope that you too are finding balance. Let your rage fuel your action for positive change and look to gratitude for healing. I say this to you and to myself. 

I am ever grateful to be joined by you and am honored to share this practice. Thank you for what you’ve taught me this last quarter in all the feedback and participation in classes.

Patience, peace & practice,
Viola