President's Report
Hello Members,
The June 8th 2012 TCAA Open Tai Chi Competition went very well, and it was very pleasing to see the standard of performance going ever higher. This year’s competition had the support to the Confucius Institute of the University of Sydney, and it garnered a strong participation from the Chinese speaking community of Sydney.
Victoria State’s Control Of Weapons Regulations 2011, required to support the operation of the Control of Weapons Act 1990, is being updated and will soon be approved and published in the Government Gazette. TCAA is a listed organization whose members may seek exemption for swords under the Act.
A major condition in the new Regulations is that the exemption must be specifically sought by each person, ie the exemption is not automatic merely by being a member of TCAA. The member must agree to comply by the Regulations and further needs to make a statutory declaration that s/he is not a “prohibited person”. TCAA will then issue/re-issue a membership card indicating the exemption. The Committee is working on the documentation.
Non-Victoria residents should note that if you enter Victoria to practise or compete with a sword (whether yours or a borrowed one), you must have an exemption.
Remember also that we try to post events of interest to members on the
What’s On in Tai Chi page. You are recommended to visit the page often by following the link on the TCAA website:
www.TaiChiAustralia.Com.
Best wishes for your health
— Ken
NCAS Instructor Accreditation
Members seeking accreditation that is recognized Australia-wide, and giving access to insurance cover for teaching a martial art, ie your classes include contact and self-defence, are informed to regularly check up on AKWF website for the course schedule. The link is
http://www.akwf.com/accreditation_dates.php. Your may also access via the AKWF website, or via a link in the TCAA website:
www.TaiChiAustralia.Com - NO Au!
2012 Oceania Kung Fu / Wushu
Championships ~ 2nd September 2012
This event is organized by the Kung Fu Wushu NSW branch of the AKWF. It will be at the Hall of Legends, State Sports Centre, Homebush. Tai Chi forms and weapons are included amongst the Kung Fu and Wushu styles. It is open to TCAA members, and even open to those not being members of AKWF or TCAA.
Closing date for entry forms and fees is Monday, 6
th August 2012. For
Rules and Regulations, as well as
Entry Forms, go to
http://www.akwf.com/news.php?news_id=0118, or email
events@akwf.com or tel Alice Dong on 0414 281 098.
Competition Photos
FREE Push Hands Workshop - NSW
The next FREE NSW workshop will be held for TCAA members on the 29
th September 2012 (Saturday) starting 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at St. John's Hall, 64 Bland Street, Ashfield NSW. The three facilitators Roman Czerniawsky, Ken Goh, and Todd Huang will again be available to initiate the discussion. Please come on time as late joiners confuse the facilitators.
We are limited to 20 participants, so please reserve your place by 27
th September. Reservations may be made by email to
gohkeny@gmail.com or text to 0404 462 657, or message left at (02) 9528 3357.
Take advantage of your membership!
The Tai Chi Sword
"Softness triumphs over hardness, feebleness over strength. What is always malleable is always superior over that which is immovable". Lao Tzu
Last week I received from my dear friend and teaching partner Scott, a Tai Chi Sword - a beautiful Jian (the Chinese name for this type of sword, double-edged straight sword with a red tassel) At once, the sword took the attention of my practice. New questions have popped up: where shall we keep the sword, away from the long fingers of the children, or should we hang it up on the living room wall?
Here are a few facts I had to tell the children, about the sword and why did I receive a sword. Although the Sword is traditional ancient weapon, it has preserved itself as a wonderful tool for enhancing the Tai Chi practice. The sword form teaches us graceful, flowing movements, depicting martial arts movements such as neutralising attacks and redirecting the opponents’ power.
Practicing with the sword, we are taught to be precise, quick and very light, while developing calm and focused mind. Through the swords sequence and applications, we develop unprecedented flow of Qi, and a new level of control over our energy.
Apparently, each Tai Chi style has it's own variety of Sword forms, certainly the Yang, Wu, and Chen Styles, which have adapted the Sword as the Key weapon that every practitioner should practice. The Chinese Jian Sword is also used by Wushu and Wudang, and often performed in events and competitions.
It's been a while since I have practiced with the sword and now it's a call up to place serious time and effort in brushing up my skills, improving and mastering my new sword. Seems like a task that can take a lifetime, but in ancient China they recommended that it should take one year only.
So if you already own a sword, I suggest revisiting the practice, and working on the precision, harmony and agility of your Qi flow, while calming and relaxing your mind. But if you don't have one, zip over to the local China town, or jump onto the Internet and order a double-edged straight sword, together with an instructional DVD, and start to brush up your sword skills.
Wishing you all a happy Sword practice.
Gadi
GAD LEVY-GOLAN
