Thursday, December 4, 2025

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 23rd, 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 22nd 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 17th, the Year of the Horse. I’m looking at celebrating two days earlier on Sunday, February 15th. 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. 102nd St

#307

Bloomington, MN

55437

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

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

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