Dimitri Granovski, a Russian immigrant to Canada, says that after 20 years of chronic migraines, he's become painkiller-free by practising these arts for only three months. Samantha Albert of Stratford, Ontario, says they help her deal with the effects of a critical blood disorder called amyloidosis. Helen Gaunt a wine producer in Margaret River, Australia, attributes her smooth recovery from thyroid and breast cancer to their practice. Klaartje Timmerman, of Holland, was stiff and afraid to move due to the pain from a herniated disk - she is now more flexible, more bold, and no longer suffers constant nerve pain in her leg, thanks to the practice of these arts.
They all praise the Taoist Tai Chi(TM) internal arts of health. And the above are just a handful of stories from the 40,000 members of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society who reap the benefits to health and well-being afforded by their regular practice. Most stories are not about recovery from critical conditions - the majority of members just enjoy staying fit and managing every-day aches and pains.
"People come to our Society for various reasons, most often initially just to learn the 108-move Tai Chi set," says Dr. Karen Laughlin, president of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society, "but, behind everyone who stays, there is a story of improved health and enhanced quality of life."
Celebrating 40 years around the world
Founded in Toronto in 1970 by the late Master Moy Lin-shin, a Taoist monk who immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong, the International Taoist Tai Chi Society is the world's largest nonprofit Tai Chi organization with branches in 26 countries. The Society is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.
To celebrate this important anniversary, thousands of members around the world -- including in many cities in Canada -- will simultaneously complete the 108 moves of the Society's Tai Chi set on August 14, at 2 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time (10 a.m. EDT).
Sure, one can always do the set alone, but completing it with others- whether in regular classes or at various festivals and workshops throughout the year-is an integral and powerful part of the Society's practice. August 14th promises the largest group in the history of the organization to be completing the set at the same time.
Research and education
Master Moy refined the instructional methods of the arts he had mastered from his teachers in the East to maximize the health-promoting qualities. Today the Society continues research into the healing effects of the Taoist Tai Chi internal arts of health on the body and mind.
The Society's medical advisor, Dr. Bruce McFarlane, contributes a regular series of articles explaining the anatomy and physiology in relation with these arts on the Society's popular blog, www.thetigersmouth.org.
In addition to maintenance of general health and well-being, the Society offers a robust program of health recovery classes for people whose quality of life is seriously compromised by illness or injury at its main campus near Orangeville, Ontario, and at other locations in its global organization.
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