MMTCA June Newsletter 2021

"A pilgrim travels differently. Always in a pilgrimage is a change of mind and a change of heart." -John O'Donahue 

 Welcome June! The weather has been great already and outside practice is calling you! Speaking of outside practice, we have done a month of classes in the park and out side of some sprinkles and mist, we had perfect training weather. Come out and join us! I'm at East River Flats Park Friday night from 6:00-8:00PM. Also Saturday morning 9:00-10:00AM .

 Our rain alternative is further up East River road to Elliot Hall.

 As the Covid restrictions lift, I am thinking about partner work beyond two-person weapons. If the trend continues then in late June we will start to add applications and pushing-hands to our classes. If for any reason you feel unsafe, or you are not vaccinated, or have any concerns, feel free to refrain from any and all partner practices.

Book Suggestion= Kung Fu Tai Chi Sabre for Self-Defense trans by Captain Tom Marks

I will be out of town June 9th -16th. Feel free to still meet to practice with your classmates or take time off for yourself! I'll be back at class June 19th.

Thank you for your continuing support! Check out my Patreon page, Ray Hayward The Inspired Teacher.

Wishing you a wonderful Summer,

-Ray

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — 'Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.” 

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

contact info:

my phone (new)- 12183419894

address= 1721 Jefferson St, Duluth, MN 55812

email= skrayhayward@gmail.com

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

my books on Amazon= amazon.com/author/rayhayward

my Patreon page= patreon.com/rayhayward

Instagram= Ray Hayward, or, ataoistsufitemplardruidviking

A Short Meditation

Something for you to contemplate, ponder, meditate on, etc. In the 64 Mother Palms Pa-Kua Form there is a posture called The Fierce Tiger Leaves The Cage. In Pa-Kua Sword there is a posture called The Black Tiger Leaves The Cave. What is the difference? How or why is leaving a cage different than leaving a cave? I'll post my answer next month!

MMTCA May Newsletter 2021

 

   “T’ai-chi expert Zhang Qinlin Laoshi takes a group photo to commemorate his students, April 30, 1941.”

                                                                          

"By creating space in our homes, we put the focus back where it should be: on what we do, rather than what we own."

-Francine Jay

Happy May! May the 4th be with you! Finally we can train outside and meet for classes!

Starting May 7th, I'll be holding outdoor classes at the East River Flats Park. I have an alternate for rain. Bring your swords, sabers, staves, canes, and masks! Covid responsibility is on you whether you want to stay far apart or wear a mask. I am only asking you don't do hand to hand training just yet. I will be reviewing and teaching Wu-Dang Sword fencing, Tai-Chi Saber fencing, and Tai-Chi 13 Spear throughout the Summer for partner work. Here is the basic schedule, Taoist time and care being applied!

Friday 600-830PM

Review =Hsing-Yi Spear, Karambit, Man Chiang Hung.

Learn =64 Mother Palms, Tai-Chi Saber Fencing, 

Saturday AM 900-1000= Medium and Fast Form review and refinement

               1000-1100 =Weapons including solo and two person sword, saber, spear, cane, double saber, fan, catapult, blowdart, etc                  

                1100-1200 Hsing-Yi Lightening Hands, 64 Mother Palms, Pa-Kua Sword

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/east_river_flats_park/

Book suggestion- Peking Story by David Kidd

https://www.amazon.com/Peking-Story-China-Review-Classics/dp/1590170407

All my books are now available at Lulu.com

Thank you to all my students, classmates, and friends who supported me and this art throughout the pandemic. There have been some dark days but I feel there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I just don't know how LONG that tunnel is!

As always, if you have any questions or just want to chat, call, text, or email me.

-Ray

"There is a saying in the (armed forces) community-slow is smooth, and smooth is fast."

-John T. Mainer

Here is a note from Julie Cisler who is now teaching all new and beginner Tai-Chi students,

Hi-

It's time to move some of my classes to an outdoor setting. I am also opening my classes to new students. Exciting!

At first, I thought that I would do the same as last year, and simply move the Monday class to the park. But to give new students more options, I am going to teach two classes outdoors, and continue my indoor class at the Black Forest Inn's Banquet building. TAKE NOTE: Saturday's class time will change slightly. Here's a complete schedule:

Monday: 11:30am-1:00pm Outdoors in Thomas Lowry Park, on the west side of the park. I will include a Zoom option for this class.

Tuesday: 6:30-7:30pm, Black Forest Inn Banquet Building. This will also have a Zoom option. Please wear a mask for indoor practice.

Wednesday: 11:30am-12:30pm Zoom class

Friday: 3:30-4:30pm Zoom class

Saturday: 1:00-2:00pm Outdoors in Thomas Lowry Park, on the west side of the park. I will include a Zoom option for this class.

Thomas Lowry Park is just south of the Walker Art Center. There is plenty of street parking, and a porta-potty on the east side of the park. Here's a link:

https://www.minneapolisparks.org/parks__destinations/parks__lakes/thomas_lowry_park/

If you attend the Black Forest Inn class, there is parking available on Nicollet and 26th Street, as well as in the restaurant's parking lot.

This new schedule won't start until Monday, May 10.

Thanks!

Let me know if you have any questions.

Julie Cisler

juliecisler13@hotmail.com

612-876-7915

Thanks!
Julie

Zhang Zhirou, daughter of Zhang Qinlin demonstrating a perfectly single-weighted Single Whip.

(Zhang family photos courtesy of big brother Danny Emerick)