The Dragon's Head Blog: Volunteer Weekend at the National Centre in Bayswater, Australia

The National Centre in Bayswater was a hive of activity across the weekend of September 23 and 24, 2017. The centre got a head-to-toe spring clean. Members were popping in and out both days, volunteering their time to assist with rehanging, cleaning, clearing, and preparing surfaces for painting the guest bedrooms.

On Saturday afternoon Peter Turner, who is visiting from Costa Rica, gave a fascinating presentation on physiology and tai chi. He provided some Western explanations for how  tai chi actually works on the human body. Suddenly the importance and relevance of turning on one’s centre and other familiar recommendations from our instructors become crystal clear. Even the simple act of kneeling for chanting is beneficial — especially for the knees! Our bodies are truly amazing.

On Sunday, as he painted the ceiling in the hallway, Peter demonstrated how the tor yu can help painting be a comfortable experience, even for someone like himself, who had had his neck vertebrae badly damaged.

Lunch and dinner were prepared by volunteers in the kitchen.  Some members stayed in the centre overnight, and were up bright and early to take part in some chanting before getting stuck in to some more work around the centre.

As happens after every spring clean there is now plenty to do to dispose of items that are no longer needed, and there is more painting and tasks to be done.

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