A Time for Tai Chi

Tai Chi in the morning? Don't mind if we do.

A while ago a good friend, Jacqui, told us of a 6 week course of free Tai Chi classes being held every Wednesday morning at Somerset House's beautiful Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court. Having always been intrigued by Tai Chi and because we love learning new skills (especially for free), we decided to pop along and give it a go.

After dragging ourselves out of bed for the 8.45 am (!) start we gathered with the other 30 ish people who like us had wanted to try out the Chinese Martial Art. The stunning surroundings of Somerset House's open-air courtyard, with the glorious morning sun glowing down on us, was the perfect setting. There were 5 instructors, one at the front taking the class and the others were dotted within the eager pupils. The class was 45 minutes in length with a very well planned lesson. We learnt lots of varied movements from within the different areas of Tai Chi. A personal favourite was the 'happy move' which incorporated deep breathing (like most of the moves) and a controlled wide arm movement that opened up the chest and could be felt all the way down through the body. Doing this movement 3 times each morning will surely make us ready for anything life throws at us!

It was especially great to see such a variety of people there. There were both men and women, young and old, clear novices (like us) and the odd person who seemed in their own rhythmic trance. People were there in their 'gym class' clothes, everyday outfits and even a couple in full suits enjoying a relaxing 45 minutes before starting their working day.

And what a perfect way to start the day (especially when the sun is out)! It definitely comes recommended by us. Life can be so stressful nowadays, especially the fast-paced, hard working industry we have decided to throw ourselves into. It is so important that you STOP, take time out and concentrate on yourself, your body, your breathing, your every slight movement.


Here are a couple of photos from our second class when the sun came out to shine down on us again..

And the overall verdict? It was fantastic! We hope to find a local club so we can continue to learn Tai Chi and take some time out to concentrate on us.

The classes were taken by Lishi who combine techniques from Yoga, Tai Chi and Kung Fu. This is what they say about themselves on the website:

'At the core of Lishi is good physical alignment, breathing and energy (Qi) work. All the movements and dances can be done slowly (Yin) or faster (Yang). It's about getting loads of energy and using it to get your life on track, where you want it.'

As a side note if you have a second we also suggest you check out what else is on at Somerset House this summer. It is a great venue that supports a varied selection of arts and culture.