MMTCA December Newsletter 2025

Grandmaster Wu Jianquan, 4th from left.

 

“Practicing is not only playing your instrument, either by yourself or rehearsing with others - it also includes imagining yourself practicing. Your brain forms the same neural connections and muscle memory whether you are imagining the task or actually doing it.”

~ Yo-Yo Ma

 

Chilly and snowy December greetings! Warm ups, Qigong, Solo Form practice, and cinnamon will help you keep warm.

“Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”

~ Vince Lombardi

 

Classes will continue through to December 23^rd, then we’ll be closed until January 3rd.

“Practice makes improvement, not perfection.”

~ Lauren Bateman

 

I’m looking to hold two painting parties over the break. One to finish the back stairwell, and another to paint the treads. Let me know if you want to party!

 "Practice makes perfect, but nobody's perfect, so why practice?"

~ Kurt Cobain

 

Thanks to two big pains in my backside, I’m now working on a version of the Taiji Cane that mixes using both hands, during the same form. This is not simply switching complete sides, but changing hands at different rows, and then switching hands back again. Seriously, I haven’t been this inspired in quite a while! I’m trying to get it ready for a debut at Chinese New Year, but I still need lots of work. Here is a YouTube clip about working the non-dominant hand, enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVzV0lXNhWY

 

“Practice means to perform, over and over again in the face of all obstacles, some act of vision, of faith, of desire. Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired.”

~ Martha Graham 

 

Professor Zheng Manqing, Bend Bow to Shoot the Tiger.

Book Suggestion= Bong Bo by Paul Eng.

 

 

“Practice makes permanent, not perfect.”

~ Bobby Robson

 

Here is another option,

Secrets of Seven Star Praying Mantis by Lee Kam-wing

 

“Practice is how to turn knowledge into skill.”

~ Anders Ericsson

 

Our monthly Zoom Pushing Hands class will be Monday, December 22^nd 630-730PM.

“When you play, make sure you're honest enough to confront your own deficiencies. That's why practicing is a sign of morality in a musician. It means that you're willing to subject yourself to self-scrutiny of the highest order.”

~ Wynton Marsalis

 

Chinese New Year 2026 is February 17^th, the Year of the Horse. I’m looking at celebrating two days earlier on Sunday, February 15^th. If there be no objections, I’ll reserve the church and start making preparations.

“In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is.”
~ Yogi Berra

 

 

Paul Brennan translation= Collected Mantis Boxing Articles by Wong Hon-fun

https://brennantranslation.wordpress.com/2025/11/03/collected-mantis-boxing-articles/

"Habit is persistence in practice."

~Octavia E. Butler

 

I usually write some kind of year end report or thoughts about the school at the close of the year. I’m doing that with this newsletter, I'm reporting on how I see your practice, both in class and on your own, shining through your Taiji and other arts. I'm glad to see you are practicing outside of class, and that some of you are scheduling practices with partners on your own time, bravo! Keep going!

“The goal of practice is always to keep our beginner’s mind.”

~ Jack Kornfield  

 

I thank you all for your continuing support and appreciation. Thank you for a great 2025, let’s make 2026 even more relaxed, sunken deeply, smooth, rooted, flowing, grounded, all in the spirit and joy of learning ... and practicing!

I bow to the ground,

Sifu Ray

 

“Everything we do is practice for something greater than where we currently are.  Practice only makes for improvement.”

~ Les Brown

 

Contact info

my phone- 1-218-341-9894

 

email= skrayhayward@gmail.com

 

my Patreon page= patreon.com/rayhayward

 

 blog= rayhayward.com

 

website= mindfulmotiontaichi.com

 

Facebook= Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

 

                Ray Hayward Enterprises

 

YouTube= Ray Hayward, the Inspired Teacher

 

                 Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

 

 

my books at Lulu= lulu.com/spotlight/Ray_Hayward

 

 

Instagram= Ray Hayward, or, ataoistsufitemplardruidviking

 

School shirts-        https://www.zazzle.com/single_whip_chakra_tee-235016484610969225

 

My address,

5140 W. 102^nd St

#307

Bloomington, MN

55437

#rayhayward#taiji#taijiquan#taichichuan#bagua#xingyi#sword#qigong#yichuan#wudangsword#qinna#northernprayingmantis#southernprayingmantis#standingmeditation#taoistmeditation#taoistlove#semenretention#masterttliang#wailunchoi#mindfulmotiontaichiacademy#rayhaywardtheinspiredteacher#rayhaywardblog#sanshou#tuishou#pushinghands#karambit##pushinghands#fajing#imsak#rosslynchapel#druidry#knightstemplar#freemasonry#lulubooksrayhaywardauthor#patreonrayhaywardtheinspiredteacher#youtubetheinspiredteacher

 

My first Xingyi and Bagua teacher, Master BP Chan, showing perfect balance.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMTCA November Newsletter 2025

Prof. Zheng Manqing, showing the perfect foot and navel alignment for Golden Rooster.

“What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.”

~Richard Bach

 November is upon us, the days grow short and nights are getting longer, and darker. A good time for reading, meditation, and going deep inside yourself with your practice. You are a seed, deep in the Earth…

Thank you to my subs during my Delaware Seminar, I always get good reports back on your teaching, and I’m grateful. Thank you, Margo, Julie, and Fred.

Thursday Hybrid classes start November 6^th. Here is the link and you will find the links regularly on my Patreon Page. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82282055017?pwd=La4FMOBq15lNbKJurldJNKFTUh7JbW.1

 It is with a heavy heart and a grateful spirit that I inform you of the passing of my classmate, brother, friend, and medicine man/shaman, Robert “Bob” Klanderud. Bob used to drive me to St Cloud for class with Master Liang in the early 80’s. Bob was generous in sharing his knowledge about Native American healing and spirituality. I’ll see you on the other side Hoka Hey!

No classes on Thanksgiving, Nov 27^th , but there will be classes Saturday, Nov 29^th.

People have been asking me about astrology and getting their charts read. I recommend Karen Barton, my astrologer for many years. Call Karen and make an appointment to have your chart read, get a deeper understanding of astrology, and find out some amazing things about…YOU! 

Karen Barton 612-819-8943

 

Paul Brennan translation= The Study of Xingyi Quan by Sun Lutang

https://brennantranslation.wordpress.com/2015/05/01/the-xingyi-manual-of-sun-lutang/

 

 I don’t usually share videos of clips in the newsletter, but this one is pure gold! It gets to the difference between pushing and punching, something we’ll be exploring in Willow #4.This is from Joe Lewis, the pioneer of full contact karate and kick boxing, and a teacher par excellence. Grandmaster Joe Lewis founded American Karate and catalogued his extensive career as a professional fighter in a system that is being taught today, years after his passing. Learn and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eYK7wtGi2wQ

 

Book suggestion= I’ve recommended this book many times. If you don’t own it, you are in for a treat! If you already have it, take it out and give it another read, you’ll be surprised! My suggestion is,

Tai-Chi Chuan and Meditation by Da Liu

https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=31353852039&dest=usa&ref_=ps_ggl_18382194370&cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_Shopp_Trade0to10-_-product_id=COM9780805240115USED-_-keyword=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17190383930&gbraid=0AAAAAD3Y6gvl-V55XTS72D_-SBNTc5BKL&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq7HIBhDoARIsAOATDxATLcSPmYGSnyOWpgNy3i6HNcw67fN7hxgdlB0bRzgV41C22xW2W2waAnP8EALw_wcB

 

The monthly Pushing Hands Zoom class begins Monday , November 24^th. I’ll send out an invite closer to the date. If you haven’t been receiving an invite, and want to be included, email or text me.

Niu Chunming, right, student of both Yang Jianhou and Yang Chengfu.

Thank you all for journeying with me on the inward path to relaxation, awareness, and self-discovery, otherwise known as Taiji.

-Sifu Ray

 

“Help us to be ever faithful gardeners of the spirit, who know that without darkness nothing comes to birth, and without light nothing flowers.”

~ May Sarton

 

 

Contact info

my phone- 1-218-341-9894

 

email= skrayhayward@gmail.com

 

my Patreon page= patreon.com/rayhayward

 

 blog= rayhayward.com

 

website= mindfulmotiontaichi.com

 

Facebook= Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

 

                Ray Hayward Enterprises

 

YouTube= Ray Hayward, the Inspired Teacher

 

                 Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

 

 

my books at Lulu= lulu.com/spotlight/Ray_Hayward

 

 

Instagram= Ray Hayward, or, ataoistsufitemplardruidviking

 

School shirts-        https://www.zazzle.com/single_whip_chakra_tee-235016484610969225

 

My address,

5140 W. 102^nd St

#307

Bloomington, MN

55437

 

 

#rayhayward#taiji#taijiquan#taichichuan#bagua#xingyi#sword#qigong#yichuan#wudangsword#qinna#standingmeditation#taoistmeditation#taoistlove#semenretention#masterttliang#wailunchoi#mindfulmotiontaichiacademy#rayhaywardtheinspiredteacher#rayhaywardblog#sanshou#prayingmantis#karambit##pushinghands#fajing#imsak#rosslynchapel#druidry#lulubooksrayhaywardauthor#patreonrayhaywardtheinspiredteacher

Grandmaster Wang Ziping teaching his grand daughter the sword.

 

Another question and answer for # 8 of Master Liang's "musts."

 

Hi Sifu,

I'm curious about the explanation for number 8, "You must invest in loss".

I only have a vague sense for what this refers to. It feels broadly related to the concept of yielding and not focusing on/expecting immediate benefits. Is this the right line of thought? Is there a way to apply this "must" in the context of practicing the solo form for instance?

Thank you,

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your question. At first look I was going to give the simple answer of yes, Master Liang was referring to Pushing Hands and all that we gain from our losses and failures. He always said in the beginning, it was better to lose and stay relaxed, than win and be tense. My upcoming book on Pushing Hands goes into great depth on this concept. Now, your addition was most profound and unlocked insight into a deluge of losses in my Solo Form!

How many times have I lost my place? Forgot where I was in the Form sequence, or transitioned to a different/wrong section or part?

When and where have I lost my balance? When was my step heavy and uncontrolled, or I had to ground my foot without fully kicking? When did tension rise up quickly, cause me to gasp, and make me "fall up?"

Where did I lose my breath, or hold my breath, or interrupt my breath? When did I override my wise breathing center to force an exhale when my body wanted to inhale? At what point did I let my breathing become short, shallow, uneven, and in my chest?

What made me lose my flow, my smooth movement, my reeling silk? When did I stop, splice, or disconnect, forgetting to use my whole body?

When did I lose my meditation, my focus, my intuitive movement? What made me “wake up” and say, where am I?

Here’s one that really threw me, which forms, practices, techniques, training methods, and even styles, have I lost? I used to know the required 10 Hand Forms of Northern Shaolin. Now they are gone…

So, with all this loss, what’s my investment? When I lose my place, I try to find out what made me lose focus, or shift from meditation and intuition to conscious thought? I see if I lose my place at the same part of the Form, or what external distractions call me from my meditative state.

Losing balance, I can check to see if my alignment was off, or if I hurried before I was ready.

Using breath as a gauge or meter, I can see when my movement is harmonious and my breath becomes automatic and perfect, or if my postures are disjointed, jerky, and bothering my breathing.

The times I’m not smooth, flowing, or effortless, I can learn from them and see what is off in my balance, mechanics, concentration, etc. and make corrections and refinements.

I have now learned what meditation, focus, and intuition FEEL like, through those times I lost it in my Solo Form. I noticed how my sight changed from when I was in a meditative state and then came out to my rational, analytical mind. When I stopped looking inward, lightly gazing at my surroundings, to when I switched to actively seeing, identifying, and naming what was outside me.

As far as the forms, techniques, and skills I used to possess, I know they are deep inside and still inform my body, mind, and spirit in some way. I just might not be able to show or explain as clearly as I can my main practices and skills.

Thank you again for your question, feel free for a follow up!