CURRENT WORKSHOPS • VISITING TEACHER BIOS

Don Miller • Willem de Thouars • Matthew Cohen • Master Duan Zhiliang • Linda Myoki • Ken Cohen

DON ETHAN MILLER
www.mastodonproductions.com
T’ai Chi Ch’uan, Qigong, Push Hands

Don E. Miller, 1995 U.S. Kung Fu Wu Shu National Heavyweight Champion in T’ai Chi Tui Shou (Push Hands), teaches regular workshops throughout the year. Don began studying T’ai Chi in 1970 with Master T. T. Liang, and has continued to study with some of the great martial arts teachers including Grandmaster William C.C. Chen in New York, Chern Chyu-Kuan of Taiwan, Willem "Uncle Bill" de Thouars, Master Duan Zhiliang of Beijing, and many others.

Typical workshops include information appropriate for all levels of experience. Some workshops expect that attendees have some prior experience.

Recent workshops have included:

January 26, 2003
"Authentic" T'ai Chi Ch'uan: In this workshop we will open up our T’ai Chi form work to make it a more authentic expression of self, more in the moment and more truly productive for our own personal development. Giving ourselves the freedom to change postures and movements according to our body’s specific characteristics opens the door to play with different speeds and rhythms, sequences and intents, feelings, ideas and qualities– weaving past and future in the perfect dance of who we are now. Open to people who have learned a complete T’ai Chi form.

March 1, 2002
Form and Formlessness: Although we spend many hours working to perfect our form and imbue it with certain qualities, higher levels of form work derive from a negative or subtractive process—dissolving/deconstructing the form and "erasing" the player/doer. The relationship between formlessness—the absence of structure, idea, intent, even identity—and form can transform one’s T’ai Chi profoundly.

Wu Chi in Push Hands: The great T’ai Chi masters have all had the ability to make their opponents "fall into emptiness." This is not a matter of mere positional maneuvering, but requires becoming void/empty oneself. Further, the ability to become "filled with emptiness," or empty-full is a secret to effortless power and increased chi. We will explore using the empty state to transform our push hands experience.

February 6-7, 2004
Yang with a Touch of Yin: Martial Night: Uncle Bill will train us in “Old School” Kuntao Horse Stance practice, monkey boxing, and weapons. Assisted by Don and Matt, who will blend their understanding of combat T’ai Chi, Mantis, and other martial arts. Bring protective cups, jow, perhaps a notebook, and a sense of humor…and expect to be sore the next day.

Yin with some Yang: Matthew returns from three weeks in Beijing with Master Duan Zhiliang. Expect healing Qigong and the growth of spirit. Don shares the latest discoveries from the Miller T’ai Chi Labs, including some new sacred postures and ways to increase the intelligence of the lower body. Uncle Bill will surprise us once again with his understanding of subtle energies and emptiness.

WILLEM "UNCLE BILL" de THOUARS
www.kuntaosilatdethouars.com
Kun Tao-Silat de Thouars

Bepak de Thouars, also affectionately known as "Uncle Bill," has created the martial arts system of Kun Tao-Silat de Thouars, and is considered the Father of Kun Tao/Silat. Uncle Bill has spent his life studying Indonesian and Chinese fighting styles, including both internal and external systems, as well as other combative arts including fencing. Uncle Bill brings that unique experience to his teaching, challenging students to understand the power of his system, and to bring new understanding to their own martial arts practices.

Recent workshops have included:

January 26, 2003
Fencing and Applications to Kun Tao/Silat de Thouars: As a connoisseur or perhaps gourmand of high quality martial arts, Uncle Bill has studied with a vast range of inspired free-spirited martial masters. One significant influence on Kun Tao/Silat deThouars has been Francois LeGrande, a champion fencer in Belgium and France during the 1930’s and 1940’s. Uncle Bill studied with Monsieur LeGrande on and off during the 1950’s. In this workshop, we will explore basic fencing footwork and fencing parry and strike techniques. Uncle Bill will then relate his fencing training to stick, knife and open-handed techniques. Uncle Bill described Monsieur LeGrande as a free style and realistic fencer. As with all of Uncle’s teaching, this workshop will connect fundamental techniques with a freedom of expression.

May 12, 2002
Qigong for Health and Martial Arts: Two hours of energy cultivation using various styles and methods.

Varieties of Defense in Kun Tao/Silat: Unlike "hard" and "soft" arts which typically use only one type of blocking or neutralizing method, Kun Tao/Silat de Thouars is known for its incredible variety of defense energies.

Ask Uncle Bill: Bring your questions about martial arts and Qigong for Uncle Bill’s wide-ranging and unusual perspectives. After we hear and question and the answer we will have a chance to put Uncle’s ideas into action.

February 6-7, 2004
Yang with a Touch of Yin: Martial Night: Uncle Bill will train us in “Old School” Kuntao Horse Stance practice, monkey boxing, and weapons. Assisted by Don and Matt, who will blend their understanding of combat T’ai Chi, Mantis, and other martial arts. Bring protective cups, jow, perhaps a notebook, and a sense of humor…and expect to be sore the next day.

Yin with some Yang: Matthew returns from three weeks in Beijing with Master Duan Zhiliang. Expect healing Qigong and the growth of spirit. Don shares the latest discoveries from the Miller T’ai Chi Labs, including some new sacred postures and ways to increase the intelligence of the lower body. Uncle Bill will surprise us once again with his understanding of subtle energies and emptiness.

MATTHEW COHEN

Matthew Cohen has committed most of his life to ancient martial and healing arts. This includes 15 years of therapeutic massage, 13 years of Yang style T’ai Chi, 24 years and 5th degree black belt in Shaolin Kung Fu, 9 years with Willem de Thouars Kun Tao/Silat, and 13 years in Taoist and Hatha Yoga. Matthew is also a student of Don Ethan Miller.

Recent workshops have included:

January 25, 2003
Synergy of T'ai Chi and Yoga: This unique workshop will explore the marriage of two ancient healing and spiritual traditions: T’ai Chi Ch’uan and Hatha Yoga. In the pursuit of self-healing and rejuvenation, many people practice either T’ai Chi or Yoga, but few people integrate the two practices. This workshop will demonstrate the value of complementing one with the other. T’ai Chi - perhaps the more yin system - cultivates roots, releasing, stillness, and pliability, and a clear pathway for energy cultivation. Yoga - perhaps the more yang system - offers functional strength, range of motion, multi-directional spatial awareness and flexibility. Using back bends, forward bends, twists, balancing, rooting and releasing tension we will learn about heating and cooling the body, detoxifying, joint opening, and strengthening the tendons. All this will help us find greater awareness, a calm nervous system, greater connection to the earth, and an open heart.

November 1, 2001
Ancient and Progressive Breath Techniques: The old masters often considered the breath to be an essential tool for drawing in life source energy or "chi" and for releasing excess or negative chi. The workshop will explore with us breathing techniques for a variety of healing purposes such as stress reduction, calming the nervous system, courage, detoxification, compassion, and balancing and restoring the body’s chi.

The Expression of the Hand: The hands are generally the most common point of physical connection and expression of ourselves into the world around us. Starting with "commencement" or "lifting and lowering the chi"—the first movement of Yang style T’ai Chi—this workshop will explore the projection of energy of the mind/body as expressed and transformed by the hands.

Projection Through the Foot: The feet are generally utilized as the root of the body’s physical and energetic structure, while projection and expression takes place elsewhere in the body. This workshop will explore how T’ai Chi also projects energy up and out through the unweighted leg or foot, to cultivate self-healing and self-defense.

February 6-7, 2004
Yang with a Touch of Yin: Martial Night: Uncle Bill will train us in “Old School” Kuntao Horse Stance practice, monkey boxing, and weapons. Assisted by Don and Matt, who will blend their understanding of combat T’ai Chi, Mantis, and other martial arts. Bring protective cups, jow, perhaps a notebook, and a sense of humor…and expect to be sore the next day.

Yin with some Yang: Matthew returns from three weeks in Beijing with Master Duan Zhiliang. Expect healing Qigong and the growth of spirit. Don shares the latest discoveries from the Miller T’ai Chi Labs, including some new sacred postures and ways to increase the intelligence of the lower body. Uncle Bill will surprise us once again with his understanding of subtle energies and emptiness.

MASTER DUAN ZHILIANG
Taoist Adept, Chinese Doctor, Qigong Master, Martial Artist

Master Duan, from Beijing, China, is, at 94, the heir to a long family tradition of medicine and martial arts that traces its spiritual foundation back to the first millennium. His grandfather passed on to him the family practice of medicine, and his father, a personal bodyguard to the last emperor, first transmitted the ways of martial arts while Duan played as a child within the palace walls of the Forbidden City.

Master Duan, whose own health is a testimony to his teachings, leads an active life caring for the sick at his clinic in Beijing, while teaching qigong and sparring with his students.

LINDA MYOKI LEHRHAUPT, Ph.D.

Dr. Lehrhaupt is a specialist in Crane Qigong and has directed a European teacher training program in it since 1996. She learned it with three different Chinese Masters, beginning in 1986. Her background as a Tai Chi and Qigong teacher, as well as a teacher of Zen meditation, has helped her to develop a deep appreciation of both the health-giving and meditative qualities of Flying Crane Qigong.

Recent workshops have included:

November 7-9, 2003
Flying Crane Qigong: This Qigong form traces its roots back to the animal exercises developed in the 3rd century A.D. by Hua Tuo. The elegant and flowing movements strengthen our natural energy (Chi) and create harmony among the internal organs. They also help to loosen the joints and to stimulate the flow of fluids in our body. There is a lightness and wonderful quality of spaciousness in the movements and at the same time a rooted sense of connection to the earth.
In this weekend workshop we will learn part of the Flying Crane Qigong form, along with auxilliary exercises to deepen the health and meditation aspects of the form. Diagrams of all the movements are available for further study at home.

T’ai Chi Sword Workshop: In this workshop we will intensively review the sword form of Grand Master William C.C. Chen. Linda will pay particular attention to developing the flowing and at the same time rooted qualities of the form. In addition, Linda will introduce a series of exercises, both solo and in partner work that will enhance the body-understanding of sword form. There will also be exercises in two-person sword-play (a kind of “Pushing Swords), partially influenced from the teaching of Professor Cheng Man-Ching (Master Chen´s teacher). Lastly, we will learn some of the so-called “Thirteen Sword Secrets,” which include solo and partner exercises based on the main movements present in the form. In this workshop we will focus on 1) Jiao (stirring), 2) Xi (washing), 3) Dian (pointing) 4) Beng (pulling up) and perhaps one or two more when time allows.

KEN COHEN
www.qigonghealing.com

Kenneth Cohen, M.A., M.S.Th. winner of the Elmer and Alyce Green Award for Innovation in Energy Medicine, is an internationally renowned health educator, China scholar, and Qigong/Taiji Master. He has more than thirty-five years experience. Ken's work has been sponsored by the American Cancer Society, the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, and numerous universities. One of nine "exceptional healers" studied by the Menninger Clinic, Ken is considered a world leader in the dialogue between Eastern wisdom and Western science. He is the author of The Way of Qigong (Ballantine Books), and Honoring the Medicine: the Essential Guide to Native American Healing (Ballantine Books), and more than 200 journal articles.

Recent workshops have included:

May 20-26, 2004
Promordial Qigong: Health, Longevity and Wisdom: An extensive multi-day event encompassing an introductory lecture on the philosophy, principles and science of Qigong, a Taiji Sword workshop, a teacher training workshop, a full 2-day hands on Primordial Qigong workshop, pot luck dinner, Taiji push hands, Eight postures...and even a talk and booksigning.

March 17-22, 2005
THE WAY OF QIGONG: Philosophy, Principles, and Science of an Ancient Healing Practice from China: An extensive multi-day event encompassing an introductory lecture, and workshops on External Qi Healing, Coiling Silk Qigong, Bagua Zhang, and Primoridial Qigong.

March 30-April 10, 2006
THE WAY OF QIGONG: Health, Longevity, and Wisdom: Workshop titles included: Qigong for Cancer; External Qi Healing, How to Heal Yourself and Others with Life Energy; Bagua Zhang, The Power of the Circle; Bone Marrow Cleansing & the Six Qi Method

May 2-7, 2007
QIGONG FOR STRESS: THE PRACTICE OF INNER BALANCE: Stress is a maladaptive response to any demand made on the body – a heart that races in response to traffic, high blood pressure at tax time, weakened immunity because of long work hours. Sometimes, stress becomes prolonged, maybe for a lifetime; the sympathetic nervous system is on overdrive – from Chinese viewpoint, too much yang not enough yin. You know the cliché: we have become human doings not human beings. In this lecture internationally renowned Qigong master Ken Cohen will discuss the Chinese philosophy of stress, including its causes, detrimental effects, scientific foundations, and most importantly, what can be done about it.