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NEW RDTC TEACHERS

It is with great pleasure that I can announce two new RDTC Teachers, Andrea Bailey and Helene Bohler. Andrea studied at the Bristol RDTC Centre with Gail Minter, one of RDTC’s foundation teachers. Andrea now teaches her own classes in Bristol and is looking after RDTC’s interests whilst Gail is away on a sabbatical.

Helene Bohler studied with RDTC Teacher Susanne Lin Jensen in Glasgow. She now is the resident RDTC Teacher in Glasgow where she runs her current classes.

Both these teachers represent a new generation of teachers arising out of the current advanced students studying with the School. Not only have they had the benefit of being taught the art of Tai Chi Chuan by their teacher but have stayed long enough to want to take it further both for themselves and by helping others to understand this wonderful art too. In addition they have studied with the School’s founder and principal instructor, Richard Farmer, thus touching the foundation of the School’s teaching by attending in depth residential courses at Poulstone Court. So it can be said that they have studied with all aspects of the School and can represent it fully each in their own way.

POULSTONE COURT AND THE FUTURE OF RDTC’S RESIDENTIAL CENTRE

Since 1992 or so I have been teaching at Poulstone Court. For the past 10 years Marigold (my wife) and I have been running Poulstone as the residential base for the School’s teachings and the central office of RDTC. When I am not using it as a venue for my teaching, many other groups have the benefit of this wonderful space. As many of you know, in recent times we have been feeling the wish to expand our horizons and yet were unwilling to just abandon what we have created here.

A plan is in process which will both honour our wish and enable Poulstone to continue as it does now. This is that Mel Jones, a fine healer and member of the Deeper Community, and her partner Stephen Evans, also a long time member of RDTC with experience of both the Deepening and Form classes, will become guardians of Poulstone Court from April 2007 in the same way that Marigold and I have been for the past 10 years. This solution will ensure that the School continues to have a residential facility for its courses as do all the other organisations who presently come here. As Steve and Mel both know the house well and Mel has an intimate knowledge of Poulstone, both as a participant and through her current work in the office and the house, this is the best possible outcome for all concerned. Good news!

GAIL MINTER’S MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

We all know how difficult it is to attend classes regularly but whether we turn up or not the teacher is always there. Gail has been teaching evening classes continuously in Bristol for more that 20 years. In that time she has taught hundreds of people Tai Chi and midwifed many deeper into their understanding of how to live Tai Chi. In addition she has been instrumental in the development of the teaching syllabus and simultaneously continued to journey deeper with Richard. She has been 100% committed to her art and this School. It is wonderful that she has listened to herself enough to know she needs to take a break and give herself a journey. To take a pilgrimage into the world to see what it reflects back to her about her next step in life. It is so easy to just continue on the rails we make for ourselves and it takes great courage to step off to see what the Tao offers you. She has been to Thailand and Laos and is intending to go to Vietnam. She has been attending 10 day Vipassana meditation retreats in the mountains as well as adventuring in canoes down rushing streams. Bring it on! We wish her well!

DEEPENING COMMUNITY AT POULSTONE

There is now quite a number of RDTC students who have not only completed the Deepening but also its follow-on course, Deeper. For me there is nothing more rewarding than exploring the living of Tai Chi with people of like mind - both to be inspired by where we find it in our lives and sharing this and helping each other with the inevitable stumbling blocks that we face as we meet another part of ourselves that calls to be embraced. This kind of meeting is not about doing something new or even being stimulated by new forms or exercises, but instead deepening our awareness of where we are and where we are not, and being alive enough to bring forward our true self into the moment of life. To this end these students have responded to an invitation I made recently about wanting to journey together in our understanding of living Tai Chi and how it affects our Forms and lives. These communities are meeting under the titles of the Deepening Community Circle and the Deeper Community Circle.

LONG FORM DAY 5th MARCH

I would like to offer a day at Poulstone Court for students of the Long Form. Whether you have completed the form or not, a chance to explore both the physical, mental and energetic possibilities that this next step in Tai Chi evolution offers. See flyer.

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