SPECIAL EVENTS/ CLOSINGS
CLOSED Labor Day Monday September 4, 2017
Autumn Moon Festival- October 4, 2017
THE SYMPOSIUM FOR INTEGRATIVE HEALTH TAI CHI RETREAT
On the weekend of September 8-10, 2017 this Symposium is being held at the Maris Stella Conference and Retreat Center in Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island, New Jersey. This year is the inaugural event which seeks to examine the literature, scientific documentation, and peer reviewed studies on the connections between a wide range of health benefits and the practice of Tai Chi Chuan. On Friday published literature, study results and published research papers will be presented. On Saturday and Sunday, the days begin early with qigong and moves throughout the day, working various elements of Tai Chi form, energy cultivation, theory application, push hands, and self- defense.
Experienced teachers from all over the US will be presenting the various mini-workshops with push hands being a central point of connection throughout the weekend. Si Fu Paul Ramos will be teaching one segment on Wudang Qigong as well as a second block on Internal Self-defense Technique. It promises to be a fun and informative weekend of Health, Tai Chi, and camaraderie. Those of you who cannot make it should check next month’s Newsletter for a piece on how it went. Info may be obtained at http://syihtq.org/
US OPEN TOURNAMENT IN NYC SOON
The US Open Martial Arts Championships will again take place at Queens College in Queens NY, this year on October 1, 2017. The event is sponsored by the World Fighting Martial Arts Federation. The event is open to all styles of Martial arts from every country and displays forms, weapons, and multiple person divisions. As its name implies, it features a multitude of different application and sparring events to include point fighting, continuous contact fighting, ground fighting, weapons sparring, Wing Chun Chi Sau, Tai Chi Push Hands, and Mass Attack divisions. Paul will return as a judge in various internal forms and weapons divisions as well as in Pushing Hands. A few of the WST family may go to judge, compete, or to spectate although a list is not available at present. We will report back next month to give the review.
More information may be obtained at www.wfaf.org/en/championship/
AUTUMN MOON FESTIVAL
This year on October 4, 2017 the asian celebration of the Autumn Moon Festival takes place. Traditionally a holiday period of about a week that commemorates the end of growing season and a chance for people to get together and eat, drink and be merry. It also celebrates ones ancestors and the friends who have passed on. Customs include parties, banquets, family gatherings, Moon watching, eating Moon cakes, and making and flying paper lanterns. We at Wu Shen Tao generally have a Saturday afternoon lunch gathering where we gather to talk, tell stories, and to enjoy each other’s company outside of class time. We will inform students when the date, time and location are finalized.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS
Symposium for Integrative Health Tai Chi Retreat- September 8, 9, and 10 held at Maris Stella Retreat Center, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island, NJ
US Open Martial Arts Championships – Sunday October 1, 2017 -Queens College NYC www.wfaf.org/en/championship/
US Challenge Tournament. Saturday October 7th from 8:30 AM to 5 PM at the Marriott Washingtonian Center, Gaithersburg MD http://www.uswushuacademy.com/index.php/en-us/events/us-challenge/schedule sponsored by US Wu Shu Academy
SEPTEMBER SWORDPLAY CLASS
We will meet for sword basics and application class this month on Wednesday September 13, 2017 from 7:30-9 PM. Bring a sword, eye protection and groin protection (optional). All students are encouraged to attend regardless of experience.
WEB SITE CONTACT PAGE IS UP- PLEASE SIGN IN!
Our newly designed web site is up and running at present. Although most of the information has been set up; small additions to text, video, and pictures will be added to make the school’s curriculum and goals more accessible. New elements to the site include a sign up contact page for those wanting to receive our newsletters and announcements, we’ve also added more videos to give examples of the various arts that we teach. Schedules of our Takoma Park as well as our Gaithersburg locations are now online. We plan to get the members only page set up soon. This page will allow members access to areas of the site where one may find articles, videos and archival information concerning the programs taught as well as historical information related to internal martial arts. Active members may obtain password to Vimeo account in class only. We also plan to have online payment options available for those persons seeking to sign up for introductory classes, or to buy uniforms, books, or to pay for classes. We also humbly accept suggestions as to how we may improve the site so that it may be easier and more usable to current and future members.
FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -
Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD. It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions. The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts; therefore guard accordingly.
-Marcus Aurelius
Experience is the child of thought, and thought is the child of action.
-Benjamin Disraeli
Education is the mother of leadership.
-Wendell Willkie