Cost is $175, which includes a wooden broadsword. Registration and a non refundable deposit of $50 secures your place in this special workshop and the purchase of your wooden broad sword. The Chinese broadsword is about 31 inches long, curved like a sabre. With one sharp edge its martial art applications are primarily cutting and slashing. The broadsword allows students to learn how to use the spine, spiralling and turning it to make the arm motions. This gives the internal organs massage and opens up energy pathways.

The Broadsword Tai Chi set is a way of cultivating energy and is part of the internal systems from China. We will also focus on raising their energy up the spine into the head, especially from heart to head using special exercises for this. Participants will learn how to increase and harmonize energy. Along with the Chinese Broadsword Tai Chi set participants will be taught some of the internal alchemical exercises offered by the School. This course is suitable for men and women. Indeed women are encouraged. There were some famous female pirates! It is a good way to see what knowledge is available in the School while having ancient fun with a broad sword. The wooden broad sword you will use is not heavy.

This is an ancient form of Kung Fu dating to the 12th century. There are several styles. We teach the five element and animal form. Although it is also a fighting discipline our school teaches it as a way for strengthening the body and cultivating energy. It has been David's experience that it is an excellent way of stretching the spine into a punch, thus allowing energy to move along spine to fist. Its particular half step applies a sort of squeeze to the body that thrusts energy from feet to fist. It gives great flexibility to the spine and co- ordinates feet and hand movements. It is a wonderful way of opening up the spine. The silk reeling movements also open up the heart area and massage the internal organs. Absorbing the quality of the animal into a particular move gives this form a unique feel. Students will be taught the San Ti Shi (standing posture) as a way of cultivating body/mind unity, developing "sung", relaxed sinking, with energy coming from feet to hands to head.) and some Hsing I Nei Gong exercises to keep the body healthy. These exercises allow the student to maintain health and cultivate energy even when, as in winter, there is no space at home for the actual set.

Students will be introduced to the concept of "Wuchi". Wuchi means without polarity. When you stand at the start of the set in Wuchi, everything is rounded, singular and complete. Then, as you form the intention, from Xin (emotional mind, heart) and Yi (thinking mind) Yin and Yang begin to express themselves. Yang, offensive, extending, rising, hard, and Yin, defensive, closed, sinking and soft. The set is then done trying to balance the Yang and the Yin, keeping the awareness, to the extent possible, in the empty/full state of Wuchi. Like Tai Chi Broadsword but with its own distinctness it is a wonderful way to discover and cultivate internal Power. The more Power the greater the sense of well-being and health and the more assured and serene the awareness.

All these forms complement each other and each one has a uniqueness and certain value that the others don't. For well-rounded development it is useful to practice more than one form. They are all taught as a way to reconcile the opposites.

David is thinking of having a regular weekday evening class devoted to Dayan Chi Kung and Hsing I. Put your name on a list of interested people!

It consists of 128 graceful moves, which work the whole body and exercise all the joints. It is a wonderful system for health maintenance. But it is more than that because the moves aid the student to get an awareness of internal energy. It is an easy way to feel energy, without any of the dangers of attempting this forcefully as some Chi Kung exercises can do. By moving the body and feeling the moves awareness is lead inside. The moves also promote the movement of energy along the channels and meridians allowing the student to innocently cultivate energy. When done with feeling it allows the heart to connect with the pulse of life and fill the body with this delightfully loving energy.

David Fiske teaches this form firstly as a way to improve health but more importantly he guides the student to become aware of inner flows that might escape the attention of those who aren’t yet connected with the way energy moves. It takes understanding to take a physical form of movement and cultivate a broader view of the body and one’s connection with the sea of energy that surrounds us at all times.

David was taught by Jing who learned it in Beijing from Yang Mei Jun who is the modern proponent of this art and over 100 years old. He has since researched it and developed his knowledge by assiduous practice and watchfulness. As his background is in meditation he has brought to the Taoist Arts he practices all the awareness of Silence, Light and Bliss that meditation gives. He does not merely pass on second hand knowledge. Most of what he teaches has the stamp of authenticity based on years of experience and much of this is original, not simply the repetition of someone else’s words, unowned and unassimilated ballast.

You will find it a fun form to learn and, as it imitates many of the movements of a wild goose allows you to become childlike in your appreciation of movement as delight. It encourages you to connect with the earth energy and uplift your spirit to the sky. You will feel embraced by your own joy of being alive and feel the ecstacy of larger and greater energies flowing into you and filling you. It is also EXERCISE and you will feel that too.

If there is enough interest he will teach the set over four or more Saturdays. The workshop will focus on internal energy, how to cultivate it and how to expand awareness. As an alternative to a workshop he would like to begin an evening weekday course devoted to teaching Wild Goose Chi Kung. Put your name on a list if this interest you.