Training Tips

Greetings. I have been writing and sending these out since 2015, and for you who have just joined us, welcome to the Gilman Studio Training Tips. These Tips are a result of my desire to share my life’s study and teaching in the area of Internal Arts and human potential.

I have taught Tai Chi and Qigong since 1973 and shared with thousands of people, and yet feel limited, as I live in a small community in the northwest corner of Washington State. I wanted to reach a larger audience on a regular basis. Thus, the Training Tips was born.

Most books on Tai Chi are written by an instructor to share his or her form. They are meant to teach the movements. They also, usually include short chapters on history and philosophy, but that is usually limited. I have written two Tai Chi books and now these Training Tips, not as “how to” books, but as “why to” books. Most people who are attracted to Tai Chi seek relaxation, focus, balance, health improvement, and a very few, martial skills. What most people need to carry on with their studies is motivation. That is what these Tips are all about. I want to encourage students to continue to practice, and continue looking deeper into this marvelous art form, and that only comes from regular and continuous practice.

I hope you read through all of these and maybe one or more will stimulate you to stay with your initial interest and enthusiasm. You can bookmark the ones you like to go back to in the future. As you grow and change, the meaning of these Tips will change, and hopefully you will find you understand them in your body, mind and spirit. If you aren’t already receiving these in your mailbox, subscribe and it will come as regular as clockwork on Monday mornings. The Gilman Studio never shares your information.

I sincerely hope you enjoy these and share them with your friends. You will make me happy. Thank you for your interest in our beloved art.

Archived Training Tips – 11/13/17

Archive Training Tips Greetings Friends, I feel so good at the moment. Since the new web site is up, I have learned how to post the old Training Tips, so they will all be available to people who are just joining us now. Before this upgrade, people had no way to see...

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Tai Chi And Qigong Reading List – 11/6/17

As I said last week, most people who start Tai Chi classes never finish. They don't see immediate results so they give up. They need motivation to keep going - that is the value of books on Tai Chi and related subjects. Stephanie Morrell has put together a list of her...

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Tai Chi Education System – 10/30/17

Tai Chi Education System Learning Tai Chi is similar to moving through our educational system. Let me explain what I mean. Pre School: A majority of new students come to Tai Chi with only the most rudimentary idea of what it is. They have heard about the many health...

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Three Philosophies of Tai Chi Chuan – 10/9/17

Three Philosophies of Tai Chi Tai Chi Chuan developed in China over the course of thousands of years. First there were the mystical seeking exercises of the Daoists, who developed the idea that the body is the temple of the soul. If you wanted to liberate the Spirit,...

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Seeing is Believing – 10/9/17

I went to the wharf early this morning and it was one of those perfect, early Fall days here in Port Townsend. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, the water like a lake, the mountains in all directions nice and clear. What a place to practice Tai Chi. I use the word...

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Wrapping – 10/2/17

One of the skills of the internal artist is called wrapping. A perfect example of this is a spider as it wraps its live prey in a silk cocoon, or a snake that wraps its own body around the victim, both of which render the prey helpless. As a martial artist, I need to...

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Increasing the size of Your Brain – 9/25/17

Increasing the Size of Your Brain Try this simple exercise. Take a finger, and touch something solid. Anything. Now where do you feel this? Do this before you go on. Next, touch something solid with another part of your body, say your forearm. Where do you feel this?...

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Three Dantiens and Soup – 9/18/17

Three Dantiens and Soup So enjoyed my morning practice. Lots of low lying fog, high clouds with sun breaking through. Warm enough not to wear a jacket, yet cool enough to be quite comfortable. I decided to work on the three dantien moving meditation. After a brief...

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Three Dantiens – 9/11/17

Three Dantiens Those of you who follow the Monday Morning Tips, are familiar with my interest in the Three Dantiens and their importance to one's Tai Chi practice - the lower dantien (physical center), middle (emotional center), and upper (mental/spiritual center)....

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YouTube Comment – 9/4/17

“This is like your own version of the Yang Family Tai-Chi. It is not as taught by Yang Jun, who is 6th generation Yang Family. Sorry, I don't like your style.” I love hearing from people who view my offerings on YouTube. Mostly they are very supportive and offer...

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