“I would highly recommend attending Zabeth’s Tai Chi classes as she is an amazing, humble teacher with many years experience.
I look forward to and thoroughly enjoy her lessons and only wish I had found her earlier.”
Lynne
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“I really enjoy my Tai Chi class with a friendly group of people. Zabeth is a really excellent teacher and breaks down each move to manageable chunks while learning, gradually building up to finally be able to do the whole form.”
Julia
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“I joined your Tai Chi group in March 2017. I am a psychotherapist and was looking for something that would resource me and bring me back to my body if that make sense.
I found it! I really enjoy the classes with Anne and Zabeth although this year I was not able to attend so regularly.
Trained by Masters you are both an inspiration and hopefully I will get there!”
Liz
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“I love the tai chi and I find it really uplifting to be learning that the movements are all about the energy and life force within myself.
Letting myself absorb the words of the tutor to the extent I can almost see the clouds I am pushing away or feel the ball within my curved arms and hands. I go home so happy.”
Muriel
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“Since having a series of strokes at age 40, I have struggled with balance and coordination. Tai Chi made a real difference that was observable in the first week, and obvious by the end of my first term. Because my brain is having to learn the use of my affected side from scratch, I have found myself noticing movement from tai chi in everyday life, and I fall over a lot less! The class was very welcoming, too, and moved at a beginner’s pace for a beginner like me. I never felt bad because of my brain injuries and bad balance, instead I was buoyed up by the positivity of the class and the forms we studied. Daily practice, however short, has made a palpable difference in my quality of life.”
Alexander
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“After practising yoga for many years, I had to stop doing many of the postures due to ill health, mainly fatigue and joint pain. I was keen to keep up exercise of some kind. I tried aerobics and ‘keep fit’ but both caused pain and by the end of the session I had very little energy. Then a friend recommended tai chi, I decided to give it a try, and joined Zabeth’s class. The session start with gentle warm up exercises and chi-kung to really get the energy flowing. These are followed by an hour of tai chi, I found that not only did I have to apply my body to the moves, but engage my brain to remember the sequence of moves. I have now been practising tai chi for two years; I have so much more energy, less stiffness and joint pain, and in some way seem to be much more in tune to nature and beauty around me. Zabeth has a way of teaching that does not make you feel silly if you have difficulty mastering the moves at first, she gently encourages you. I am now thoroughly hooked and would encourage anyone with health problems that might benefit from exercise to give it a try”
Linda
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After living in SE Asia and seeing groups of Chinese people practising Tai Chi in the mornings, I always hoped that one day I would get the chance to learn Tai Chi myself – and 3 years ago Anne gave me the chance when I joined her class in Sherborne and began my own Tai Chi journey.
Tai Chi is a slow and gentle ‘martial art’ that you learn at your own pace and when you have mastered the ‘10 form’ you know you are on your way – learning more movements seems to become easier and more rewarding and the next ‘form’ you learn is the ‘24 form’ which is the one you see everyone doing all round the world.
Anne’s class starts with a 10 min warm-up, and continues with 20 mins of QiGong, which is a series of gentle stretching and bending movements that help improve your breathing and posture. It also makes you feel relaxed and ready to do some Tai Chi.
And as Anne says Tai Chi is something you keep learning and improving no matter how long you have been practising – it becomes part of your life. Each ‘form’ is a series of slow flowing movements, and Tai Chi is one of the most effective mind/body exercises in the world.
So do what I did 3 years ago, take a deep breath and join Anne’s class and start learning this amazing exercise that expands your mind and lightens your heart.
Janet
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“As an older person Tai Chi improves my balance and general well being. Anne’s classes are informative and fun with a nice group of people. Anne has a depth of knowledge of Tai Chi and explains and demonstrates the moves well, she helps us all at our individual levels to improve at our own rate”.
Diane
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“I started tai chi with Zabeth in September 2002 and it was one of the best decisions I have made. It helps me to relax and sleep a lot better. Also I enjoy the camaraderie of people enjoying the same interest as myself. I would recommend it to anyone of any age”
Doreen
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“I look forward to Zabeth’s tai chi class every week. It has helped me to centre my mind and become more flexible and generally improve my well being”
Jane
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I have been learning tai chi for over 7 years; I started because I wanted to keep fit, but found it was much more than an exercise class. Although I find it difficult to remember the forms to practice at home when I do tai chi in class I can sense the energy in my body and it makes me feel great. I also enjoy the company of other students in the class.
Margaret
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“Since joining Zabeth’s class over a year ago, I have noticed an improvement in my balance, suppleness, memory and general well-being. When lacking in energy or feeling stressed, tai chi is always a great help, and I particularly enjoy being part of a group of like-minded people”.
Carol
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“Apart from a marked improvement in my physical health and well being – more suppleness, less joint pain etc., I find that I am mentally calmer and more in tune with myself; although if I miss a session, I find my stress levels go up, tai chi has certainly helped a lot”
Brenda
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“I have found my tai chi classes with Zabeth very beneficial – both physically and mentally. Even though I have only attended classes for 7 months, I already feel far more grounded and healthier”
Elizabeth
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“Learning tai chi with Zabeth has helped me to keep fitter in a friendly atmosphere. Among the benefits of establishing a regular tai chi exercise regime have been a lessening of arthritic pains and stiffness, and a general feeling of well-being. At the age of 71 it is extremely important to keep the joints and the mind moving smoothly and tai chi goes a long way to achieving this.
Sandy
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“I have been learning tai chi for two years, and am at last remembering the sequences of the different forms. I enjoy tai chi very much, and feel so much better for it. My blood pressure is the lowest it has ever been in my life, and I have hardly any aches or pains in my joints. I am 93 years old, so age is no barrier to learning tai chi.”
Our oldest member who has since then past away.
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“I have been practising tai chi for many years now, it helps me relax and be calm. It has helped me to become focused, because in tai chi you have to remember the sequence of movements during the different forms. I can sense that my body becomes tenser if for some reason I have to miss a session of tai chi”
Bev
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“When I first ‘had a go’ at tai chi back in ’92, I was bowled over by how quickly my energy increased over the duration of the weekend, and was keen to do more. Unfortunately work commitments at that time made it impossible to do regular classes. When I eventually started in ’06 the effects were more gradual but are long-lasting. And there have been several other fitness benefits – my lower back pain has disappeared (possibly due to better posture) and my balance is much, much better (I can now ride a bike with reasonable confidence that I won’t fall off). I have also succeeded in losing weight, which I think is largely down to my newly-acquired substantial reserves of energy, which lead on to feeling stronger and more positive emotionally. Tai chi is, in my opinion, the best way by far of improving one’s overall sense of well-being.”
Monica
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“Having started Tai Chi with Zabeth, way back in 2006, I have been one of those slightly daft individuals to progress through a variety of gradings with her wonderful support and I now teach for Bao’s Lung Fei Tai Chi. This has taken a number of years of training and understanding and I’m happy to say it’s one of the best things I have ever done. It certainly helps to keep my life in balance with a calm nature, to be able to deal with whatever life throws at me, and of course to continue learning as I go along”.
Anne
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“From my very first experience of tai chi, I knew that this was something really special and that it would be with me for the rest of my life. Many inspiring and pleasant hours have and still are regularly dedicated to tai chi, exploring the diverse and fascinating aspects of this ancient art. I took my training to teacher level so that I could share with others the experience and benefits I was getting from it”.
Zabeth
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