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                                                       The Academy’s Beginning


     In November 2007 Vic Basten moved from Newcastle NSW to Pottsville NSW to retire.  Vic set up a Tai Chi class in Pottsville  under the banner of The Australian Academy of Tai Chi.  At Newcastle for eight years, Vic was trained by Grandmaster Gary Khor and other senior instructors in Khor style / Yang Style Tai Chi form, also weapons including the Yin Yang Sword, the Phoenix Dragon Fan, the Immortal Silver Flute and the Pole.

After four years of intensive training Vic became a qualified instructor with the Academy and set up classes in
Belmont and Swansea NSW, teaching three days a week for three years before moving to Pottsville. Vic also    received Tai Chi training in the UK and China.









                                  Instructor Vic Basten training with one of the monks at the Shaolin Temple China April 2007

In February 2008 a new class was opened at Kingscliff and in July 2008 Vic parted company with The Australian Academy of Tai Chi with much gratitude and many happy memories. After registering the name “Tweed Valley Tai Chi” we now teach the original Yang style Tai Chi form for health and relaxation.  In October 2008 a new class was opened at Tweed Heads. October 2009 saw a new class open at Murwillumbah. With four venues and six classes operating, around sixty five students are learning the wonderful benefits of Tai Chi in the Tweed area.

March 2009 saw the inaugural session of the Instructor Training Programme for our young academy. Nine trainees will enjoy two years of intensive training before becoming qualified instructors.
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                                               The Purpose of Tweed Valley Tai Chi

At Tweed Valley Tai Chi, we strive to teach a high standard of Tai Chi and introduce its many wonderful health benefits to people living in the Tweed area. The more people playing Tai Chi, the better the health in the community.  Tai Chi helps in the treatment of arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, and in the prevention of falls in the elderly. It not only enhances the immune system, it also reduces both stress and the ego.

Ego separates us from the universe. all of the environmental problems suffered by planet earth can be attributed to man's ego.

Hopefully, in two years at Tweed Valley Tai Chi, we will have many more Instructors running more Tai Chi classes, bringing health to both our community and our Planet.

We will continue to conduct training programmes to produce qualified Instructors, so that the ancient art of Tai Chi with all of its benefits will flourish in the future.

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                            Welcome to the Wonderful World of Tai Chi

Congratulations on discovering Tai Chi; you have taken the first step on a wonderful journey that with practice will help to improve your health and increase your longevity.  Translated, Tai Chi means Grand Ultimate or Universe; in other words, the way of nature.  The Tai Chi that we practice is actually called Tai Chi Chuan. Chuan means fist or hand, so now we can see that Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art based on nature.  The roots of Tai Chi go back some five thousand years but modern Tai Chi as we know it started around five to six hundred years ago.

There are several styles of Tai Ch; however at “Tweed Valley Tai Chi” you will be learning the Yang style which was founded by Yang Lu-ch’an in the mid 1800’s.
So Yang refers to a family name not to be confused with Yin & Yang!  Yang style Tai Chi has become the most popular form due to its slow graceful movements, bringing health and relaxation to both the young and seniors alike.

Sometimes Tai Chi is called moving meditation because it is done with mind intention.   While thinking inside the body, outside influences are prevented from causing stress. Stress is a major contributor to illness in our society today. Tai Chi helps to calm the mind and encourage the flow of Qi (chi)  Qi is the energy that animates the Universe;  it is found in all living things;  we get Qi from the air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink. In Chinese medicine needles are used in acupuncture to unblock the flow of Qi.  You might say that Tai Chi is like acupuncture without the needles, it helps in the treatment of arthritis, diabetes, and in the prevention of falls.

In the West, exercise is often seen as work that can become boring, Tai Chi however is never boring, you will be learning something new every week.  We will begin by learning eighteen movements of Shibashi which are movements taken from Tai Chi by a Chinese doctor. Shibashi will help to prepare you for the Yang form, made up of one hundred and eight movements, by improving your posture, balance and breathing, and helping you to relax.

To become proficient at anything we need first to be interested, learn and then practice. One hour per week will not give you all the benefits of Tai Chi that are available. Please see over the page for help on getting the best out of your class.

I look forward to playing Tai Chi with you in the future and helping you on your Tai Chi journey.

Vic Basten
Chief Instructor
Tweed Valley Tai Chi 

                      
                                   Chief Instructor Vic Basten is a member of:  “The Tai Chi Association of Australia”