HEALTH AND HAPPINESS
Live longer? Probably. Enjoy better quality of life? Definitely!It’s not all the same…
Columbia Tai Chi Center was founded by Wesley Adams, a fully certified instructor and lineage student under Master Eric Sbarge, founder of The Peaceful Dragon Chinese Cultural Center in Charlotte, NC, where he was a senior instructor for many years before moving to Columbia, SC.
Sifu Adams is dedicated to helping people live happier, healthier, more balanced lives by teaching traditional, lineage Tai Chi. In this day of “cardio Tai Chi” workouts and one-day Tai Chi instructor certification seminars, there is a strong need for authentic instruction in the real, complete art of Tai Chi.
If you’re just looking for an occasional “drop-in” Tai Chi class, then Columbia Tai Chi Center may not be for you. If you are looking to really change your life for the better by learning and practicing the art of Tai Chi, then we are the right school for you! All classes are held at 2761 Rosewood Drive.
At Columbia Tai Chi Center, you’ll cultivate balance within yourself and in your life
I know it might be hard to believe that by simply learning and practicing Tai Chi you can gain one of the most important and sought after things in life: Harmony of mind, body, and spirit for greater balance in life.
Perhaps you have taken yoga, meditation, or martial arts classes in the past and felt that, although they were good, they were somehow not exactly what you were looking for.
That’s how it was for me. I had taken various Yoga classes and courses, meditation classes and sessions, a few different types of martial arts, and even a whole year of Tai Chi classes. While I enjoyed and benefited from them all, none of them had the really deep impact on my life that I was looking for.
But then I got lucky and had the opportunity to study complete, authentic, traditional Tai Chi under Master Eric Sbarge—the founder of The Peaceful Dragon, the Carolina’s premier center for Martial Arts, Zen Meditation, Tai Chi, and Yoga in Charlotte NC. I had finally found what I was looking for.
In our day of celebrity Tai Chi videos and cardio-Tai Chi workouts, it’s hard to find authentic instruction in the complete, traditional art of Tai Chi the way it was meant to be taught–rooted in the Chinese philosophies of Zen and Tao and based on Tai Chi’s true principles. These philosophies and principles are the very heart of Tai Chi, and without them, you will most likely never really get the mental, physical, and spiritual benefits that people come to Tai Chi for in the first place.
We are lucky in our day and age that there are still at least a few places where you can find complete training in Tai Chi so that you can attain the full life-enriching benefits of the art. Columbia Tai Chi Center is one of the best Tai Chi training centers you could find—anywhere.
Classes at Columbia Tai Chi Center are a comprehensive training program if you want reduced stress, relaxation, abundant energy, a stronger immune system, mental and physical wellness, lower body fat, long life, spiritual awakening, self-defense, better physical stability and mobility, and a balanced lifestyle.
Live longer? Probably. Enjoy better quality of life? Definitely!
The programs here at Columbia Tai Chi Center are likely to lengthen your lifespan, but what really matters is how much more you will enjoy the time you have.
You never know what the future holds, so the real question is, “am I truly enjoying my life right now?” Columbia Tai Chi Center programs help you cultivate greater Mindfulness—the quality of being fully present in, content with, and grateful for each moment.
The longer we live, the more we come to realize how precious little time we have here on Earth, and we start to see how truly important it is to make the most of every single moment of our fleeting lives.There is an ancient Zen parable that helps us understand the proper attitude of mindfulness—being fully present in and grateful for every moment of life:
An old monk was walking along in the woods when he ran into a man-eating tiger. The monk ran as fast as he could, but lost his way and ended up at the edge of a sheer cliff. The tiger was close on his heels, so the old monk made the only choice he could—he jumped! Just before he jumped he saw a stout vine hanging from the cliff not far below and was just barely able to catch it as he fell past. He looked down and saw another tiger snarling below. Then, he watched as a small mouse skittered down the vine he was hanging from and started to gnaw it through a ways above him. As he looked around, he noticed a wild strawberry bush clinging to the cliff nearby. He smiled, reached out for a nice ripe wild strawberry, and exclaimed, “Ah, how delicious.”
The old monk’s predicament may make us laugh, or make us feel sad for him, but is it so different than our predicament right now? With the past gone and the future uncertain, shouldn’t we learn to treasure the one thing we have right now—the present? Tai Chi classes at Columbia Tai Chi Center help you cultivate a state of peaceful presence that leads to real enjoyment of this moment in life.
The benefits of quality Tai Chi classes may seem miraculous, but just look at the facts…
There is an overwhelming amount of current medical research that supports the ancient reputation that Tai Chi and Qigong (Chi Kung) have for greatly improving overall mental and physical wellness. Just read:
- “Tai chi reduces stress responses, lowering the incidence of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and general mood disturbance.” (Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 1989 Vol 33(2) 197-206)
- “70% of all doctor’s visits are due to stress.” (Stress Management & Relaxation Technology, 1997)
- “Research directly comparing the practice of martial arts with other physical activities suggests that martial arts training produces positive psychosocial changes that are greater in magnitude and diversity than those produced by many other physical activities.” (Brad Binder, Phd., 1999,2007)
- “Tai chi boosts the immune system.” (Prevention Magazine v.42 May 1990, p. 14-15)
- Like yoga, tai chi can “Slow the aging process…” (QiGong, The Art & Science of Chinese Energy Healing, Kenneth S. Cohen, Ballentine Books, NY, 1997)
- Authentic tai chi “Improves postural control, while stretching toning, and relaxing the body in a cumulative way that no other exercise can achieve.” (American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 1992 Apr Vol 46 (4) 295-300)
While the depth and breadth of benefits that practicing Tai Chi offers may seem miraculous, no one practice can take care of all of your mental and physical health needs. Here at Columbia Tai Chi Center you will also learn how apply the principles of Tai Chi to your whole life to achieve a balanced, healthy lifestyle. This will help you understand how to make better life decisions in every area –from diet to relationships.