The Dragon's Head Blog

A 7-day Taoist Retreat in the European Centre helped us see a way to live our lives more peacefully, developing healthier habits through daily practise; not rushing, not worrying, but taking the time to be soft, feel the inside, balance and improve step by step. We were helped to see the importance of a strong […]

We embarked on a seven day journey of discovery, exploring working from the inside with the feeling. We were encouraged and reminded to enjoy the move, and that it was not about the external form. With just a few of the instructions delivered in a gentle way that helped us to let go of the […]

Over a hundred participants came together for the International Retreat in Colchester, UK, the first such event in Europe in this year of celebrating 50 years since Master Moy Lin Shin began teaching us Taoist Tai ChiTM arts. Working from the spine, everyone took the time to engage the coiling, the expansion, and the contraction. […]

120 people from 8 countries gathered in Colchester for a 3-day programme. What are we doing now that’s different from what we did in beginners class? We’re still doing Brush Knee, Wave Hands as Clouds, Partition of Wild Horse’s Mane, Fair Lady Works Shuttles, and so on; but we’re not focused on the 108 moves. […]

We welcomed a  second group of people to the Centre in Colchester who are living with tinnitus, last Thursday. All came along, invited by their hearing therapist at Colchester General Hospital, a strong believer in the power of Taoist Tai Chi® arts for improving health. We had an enjoyable morning introducing them to the first […]

It was a very relaxed October program in Colchester, where over 100 participants from 14 countries came together to play tai chi and become more familiar with the themes from this year’s CIT week in May. Taking our time to really be conscious and pay attention to what we were doing helped us make changes. […]

There was a Tai Chi heatwave in the UK as over one-hundred-and-fifty participants gathered for the five-day International Programme in Colchester.  The heat truly was a friend, as it softened muscles, tendons and ligaments, enabling everyone to work more deeply into their bodies through the danyu and toryu. The heat also worked to slow our brains, […]

To coincide with the Goon Yam Festival being celebrated at our Temple in D’Arcy Street, Toronto, members from England, Scotland, and Denmark, gathered to mark the occasion at our shrine in Colchester, chanting the 10,000 Buddha’s Sutra and the Northern Dippers Sutra, and sharing tea, fruit and stories.

Days 3 and 4 reach that wonderful quietness when everyone has connected more with their centre, and is harmoniously engaging with their tai chi neighbours in the rich and varied life of the programme: Morning chanting …. Tai chi instruction and practise …. Lunch and clear away …. Tai chi instruction and practise, deeper, quieter […]

At our Home in Colchester, GB, a hundred participants gather for a spring 5-day international programme. After breakfast and before the programme starts, a chance to practise chanting, with the 10,000 Buddha’s sutra. The tai chi instruction follows some simple themes to access the internals. Participants put the instructions into practice, with help and guidance, […]

At our European Centre in Colchester, 63 participants enjoyed a Beginner Weekend, supported by 27 volunteer helpers.  Two days of working on finding balance, standing tall, and expansion and contraction.

There’s a 3-day International programme running in Colchester. The second day started with chanting after breakfast and some tai chi. We’re working on using the spine to generate movement, finding the circles in those movements – looking for the feeling, rather than focusing on the 108 moves of our tai chi Set. And we’re working […]

The first of this year’s European Chinese New Year banquets was held on Friday 25 January at our Home in Colchester. Cooking had started the day before; table setting was largely complete by lunchtime – mostly by volunteers who had arrived early for the 3-day weekend workshop, and partly by volunteers coming in to help […]

A small hardworking team gave the Colchester practice hall carpet a good clean, to get the centre ready for a new year’s programme of events. It’s fun working together, and good to refresh our home. –

All wrapped up in time for the festive period – Taoist Tai Chi Society members at the Centre in Colchester support the local food bank again this year, raising over 350 kg of food, lovingly boxed.

Participants from across the UK and Europe are dreaming of circles, after five days of coiling and ‘turning from the spine’ at the International programme in Colchester.     The focus was very much on the *feeling* of the moves, as over one hundred people worked together to connect to the internals in their Taoist […]

A small group of dedicated people, showing great care and respect, gave the shrine in Colchester a thorough clean.  It needed it. The work was satisfying and quite therapeutic and the spirit of the whole building feels lighter and brighter.  

Essex is a county in Great Britain where many people practise Taoist Tai ChiTM arts. On Wednesday participants from South East Essex hired a coach and joined others in North East Essex for chanting and tai chi. Everyone enjoyed meeting up together and sharing lunch. We love to have people visit the Taoist Tai Chi […]

Our beginner weekends are always popular and this one was no exception. 120 new members found balance in the 108 moves and learnt something of our culture. Many new friendships were made and the good-humoured group were great company for all. We hope that everyone will find a local class and enjoy even more benefit […]

After an incredible five days of Taoist Tai Chi® teaching, the 150 participants had much to take away with them and incorporate into their own practice. Throughout the foundations and moves we worked on, there was an emphasis on ‘up-down-same-time’, through the dropping of the elbows and coccyx and the rising of the spine from […]