The Dragon's Head Blog: Together Again in Wellington, New Zealand

Wherein a continuing instructor reports on an international workshop of Taoist Tai Chi^® arts held in Wellington, New Zealand, March 16-20, 2016.

Arriving early on the first day of the international workshop, I was thrilled to meet up with old friends and acquaintances from past workshops and other tai chi events. There is a real feeling of family among us and it’s great how we all enjoy each other’s company and work together to make a successful workshop.

This was my third five-day international workshop and I was excited and a little apprehensive about the amount of work we would all be doing in the coming days. But, by the end of the fourth day I was lamenting that it would soon be over and I was truly ready to carry on for another five days!

So, what happened in the days between? In three words, it was awesome! The event was a full of fun, work and learning from programme leader Tony Kwong, who demonstrated for and then corrected individual members of the New Zealand Instructor Co-ordination Committee.  They then had to demonstrate the changes and correct the group leaders.

My group leader taught us very well and and I’m very appreciative. I hope I can, over the next few weeks and months, put into my tai chi what I have learned, and, as I instruct others I want to be able to pass this on to others and help them with their health.

It was great to see friends from other areas of New Zealand and abroad and to meet and make new friends, all having an interest in improving their health through the practice of Taoist Tai Chi^® arts, with many wanting to pass this new-found knowledge to others. I have made so many good friends through practicing these arts that there is a wonderful feeling of family togetherness when we meet at events and workshops.

We were also privileged to have FLK International President Marsha Eberhardt at the workshop, and one afternoon she took some time to talk with us about the Fenway project and I gained more of an appreciation of what it means to all of us.

The organization is growing worldwide at such a rate that the international centre facilities at Orangeville north of Toronto in Canada are under pressure with the numbers of people wanting to visit and attend activities there.  The Fenway, an entire city block in Dunedin, Florida, including a run-down hotel building and many other buildings, was bought as an additional and alternative training venue to support Orangeville.  With the advent of this second international centre
• It will allow the Taoist Tai Chi^® arts to grow internationally
• The number of people able to attend workshops will increase
• These people will take their training/learning back to their home countries and enable others to practise tai chi and improve their health
• Because there is such a feeling of family, the Fenway will become a hub of learning and teaching for ”tai chi-er’s” into the next generation and beyond

Each year a number of New Zealand participants travel to Orangeville in Canada in order to learn more and then return and  pass on to us what they have been taught.  The Fenway is another place that people will travel to and gain knowledge to pass onto others worldwide.

The wisdom and foresight of the international board in purchasing and developing the Fenway is a gift to all of us.