Attain Balance & Joy Through Movement

(Reprinted from the Lifestyle section of the Herald Review)

By Diane Jones, TOWN, AZ

The practice of T’ai Chi Chih is catching on in the Sierra Vista area as a way to obtain many overall health benefits. … T’ai Chi Chih is a series of 19 movements and one pose that together make up a moving meditation. It balances the vital energy within the body, which the Chinese call Chi, an idea that has been around for more than 2,000 years. T’ai Chi Chih is easy to learn and beginners are taught all the movements in an eight week class series. Because all the movements are slow and gentle, it is geared to people of all ages and ability levels, including those in wheelchairs. No special clothing or equipment is needed.

Many people are aware of T’ai Chi, which is actually an ancient martial art. Although T’ai Chi Chih may look similar, it is actually quite different. Rather than concentrating on the martial arts and its principles, T’ai Chi Chih focuses on circulating, developing and balancing the chi, aiming for attaining joy through movement. Many people who practice T’ai Chi Chih report reduction in stress, tension, blood pressure and improved energy levels.

Dan Richter, a local T’ai Chi Chih instructor, started practicing T’ai Chi Chih 13 years ago, when he was a cancer patient trying to deal with his illness and also his problems with alcohol. It helped him focus, quit drinking and get his health back. He went on to become a teacher and currently holds classes at Health2O Medical Fitness Center in Sierra Vista. Over the years he has seen many cases of people making significant progress toward better health. “There are so many stories,” he states. “One student in my class recently has had strokes, and I already see improvement.” Another of his students, Suzanne Kemerly of Palominas, has benefitted from the meditative aspect of T’ai Chi Chih, even losing weight in the process. “T’ai Chi Chih helps me better deal with stress and focus more clearly.”

Perhaps one of the greatest success stores comes from Sierra Vista resident, Gayle Dragoo. “T’ai Chi Chih gave me my life back,” she says. In addition to suffering from multiple sclerosis, she has a fused spine, with rods and screws implanted in her back. For the past four years, Dragoo had been using an oxygen tank 24 hours a day, along with a wheelchair, electric scooter and walker. In January of 2009, she decided to get out of the house and do something that might improve her health. She signed up for T’ai Chi Chih and after seeing some progress after the first set of classes, decided to take it again. Within 3 months, she was walking with only a cane for support, and after six months, walked entirely on her own. She no longer needs her oxygen tank.

“When I walked into my neurologist’s office after not seeing him since I had started T’ai Chi Chih, he was speechless,” says Dragoo. The extent of her recovery was nothing short of miraculous, and the doctor was so impressed that he is now recommending T’ai Chi Chih for many of his patients. Western Medical research shows that T’ai Chi Chih may improve both physical and mental health. In addition, a recent Mayo Clinic Newsletter recommended T’ai Chi Chih as very beneficial to overall health.