Credentials
I have been an instructor member of the Tai Chi Internal Arts Union, one of the larger umbrella organisations in the country, since 2011, and I am now a senior instructor. I am fully insured for the teaching I do (click here to download my insurance certificate) and have a current enhanced DBS check. I last renewed my Emergency First Aid at Work training in November 2024 and have recently done Mental Health First Aider training.
The masters of Elephant Mountain and the Elephant Mountain method
I lived, learnt and practised for a long time in Sedbergh at the foot of the Howgill Fells, Wainwright's famous 'sleeping elephants'. I have been lucky to share the town with two experienced and inspiring teachers, and most of what I know they taught me. I began studying and practising qigong and taiji in 2002 with Ian McPherson, and I taught within his classes from 2008. I studied Wild Goose and Daoist Slapping Set qigong with June Parker in Sedbergh for ten years.
I also worked on Sun style taiji with Hazel Hunt of Lakes Tai Chi, studied taiji partner work with Dee Swift and John Bolwell who run Lakes Tai Chi, and have taken several shorter courses and push hands workshops at various times with a number of the country's top teachers. I trained in Peter Ralston's Cheng Hsin method between 2013 and 2019 alongside June Parker - she is much more skilled but I served as training partner and co-explorer of this demanding and rewarding art. I trained in floor work with John from 2016 to 2019 and learned staff with him from 2017 to 2019. I am currently learning traditional Yang style taiji with Larry Jones in Lancaster. I have been teaching independently since 2011, always trying to learn how to teach effectively, and I concentrate on transmitting the principles of the art as far as I understand them.
Ian and June shared their interests as they explored, I would say, rather than passing on the fixed syllabus of one school. I have ended up with my own blend of approaches, created in the situation where I lived and learned - so, the Elephant Mountain method. I bow to the chain of teachers and students who have preserved the arts, often under difficult conditions, and transmitted them to me and others. I hope I can pass them on to you.
The chain of transmission
Cheng Man-Ch'ing (Zhèng Mànqīng, 鄭曼青) developed his form after years of studying the traditional Yáng family style with Yang Chengfu (Yáng Chéngfǔ, 楊澄甫). After the Second World War, Cheng moved to Taiwan and taught, among others, Dr. Chi Chiang-Tao (Qi Jiangtao) and Liu Si-Heng (Liu Hsi-heng). Chi and Liu taught Toyo and Petra Kobayashi in Taipei and Vancouver. Back in Germany, the Kobayashis set up a taiji school and one of their students was Kajedo. Ian learnt the form from Kajedo when they were both living at Findhorn, and Ian taught me.
I have also studied the Cheng Man-ch'ing form with others, notably Jean and Dave Haines in Wigton, Cumbria; they are long-term students of Patrick Kelly, who was a student of Master Huang Sheng Shyan (Huáng Xìngxián 黃性賢), another of Cheng's students in Taiwan.
What it's all about
I know I'm never going to be an amazing qigong practitioner or learn all the secrets of taiji - even if I'd had the talent and focus, I started too late I think. But I do okay. My hope is to offer a safe, relaxed space where people new to the arts can explore and learn and those with experience can practise and maybe get a different perspective on what they do, and to support people through the occasional uncertainties that learning something new can bring.
'Qi' (pronounced 'chee') works in Chinese a bit like 'energy' works in English, and can be as vague. 'Gong' (pronounced halfway between 'gong' and 'kung') is something like 'work', 'practice' and the skill that a particular practice gives. A good first translation of 'qigong' would be 'energy work' or 'energy art'. It's a wide range of exercises using the body, breath and mind to promote relaxation, perseverance and balance.
Taiji (pronounced 'tie' (like a knot) 'tchee', more fully 'taijiquan' ('chwan') or 'great ultimate boxing') is originally a martial art but most people practise it as a deep and gentle body-mind workout.
Both qigong and taiji share the outlook of traditional Chinese medicine and philosophy. On Elephant Mountain we learnt some qigong before the taiji ‘form’ or sequence of moves to give a grounding for it.
You don't need special clothing, just something comfortable. The same goes for footwear (we generally practise standing up so wear shoes you like if you want to wear shoes), although I think flat-soled shoes or pumps work well.
Qigong and taiji together can be a lifetime's study encompassing bodily toning, stretching and relaxation; good posture and efficient movement, leading to improved balance; deep, relaxed breathing; integration of mind and body, mental relaxation and an accepting, focussed state of mind; meditation; the Chinese conception of energy, well-being and the cosmos; elegant sequences of movements; and partner work leading to full-on martial art.
The purpose of all this stuff is to change your mind's model of your body and show where it is inaccurate and then help reprogramme your body to move in a relaxed, efficient and more enjoyable way. The relaxation then helps you address physical, mental and emotional habits that are in your way. This takes a while, but if the approach resonates with you you can expect to enjoy it and get something out of it from the beginning. I teach the detail, but when it can do most good rather than all at once.
Why all the different spellings?
Spoken Chinese isn't easily written in Latin script, and there have been a number of attempts at systems of romanisation over the years. I use the most recent, pinyin, as it is the standard in mainland China, Taiwan, the UN and with the ISO. Older romanisations, e.g. 'chi kung' for 'qigong', are still common in the West so I have given those too so people know what I mean and to help with search engines. Until you learn pinyin's conventions, the older systems give a better idea of what the Chinese words sound like, too. When you see accents over the Chinese words, these give the 'tones' which are a vital part of the words' pronunciation.
'Taijiquan' and 'taiji' are the same thing; 'taijiquan' (pronounced 'tai chi chuan') is its full name, but most people call it 'taiji' day to day.
I have put one or two Chinese phrases and names in Chinese characters too - I hope I've got them right - because YouTube will let you search on Chinese characters - if your browser shows them, just highlight them on this page, copy them, and paste them into the YouTube search box. It probably works on other video sites as well. To add to the madness, some Chinese characters have simple and traditional forms. I've mixed them up before now but I'm trying to stick to one sort these days!