Hi! I was born November 6th 1953. I first found out about Tai Chi and Qigong in the mid 1970’s from a book in the local library. Of course that was before the Internet and I searched the Yellow Pages and found a “Qigong Master” in Melbourne’s, Sydney Road, Brunswick. When I knocked on the shop front door I was greeted by a Chinese man dressed in black with a long thin beard. I thought to myself “Wow. I’ve found a real Qigong Master”. After entering inside he got me to change into a martial arts uniform with Qigong Masters printed on the back and asked me to pay $80 (a lot of money back then) for the uniform. We then proceeded to a back room where he got me to move my arms up and down and then he left the room. After about 10 minutes of doing this I went to look for him and found him reading a Chinese newspaper. I then changed back into my clothes and left with the uniform, $80 out of my pocket and disappointed that there was no instruction,. I realise now I was doing “raising the arms” which is the commencement of most Tai Chi and many Qigong forms but it was a bit like “wax on, wax off” from the Karate Kid movie.
I couldn’t find another teacher back then and practiced for a short time from some books I found in the library. Then I found a good yoga teacher and attended classes a few times a week on and off for the next few decades. While attending yoga and meditation classes at a local gym I learnt that there was also Tai Chi and Qigong classes there. I tried out a class and soon new that this was for me. From 2013 to 2017 I attended the Tai Chi and Qigong classes sometimes 7 times a week and attended weekend workshops with Master Simon Blow. I read and researched everything I could find on Tai Chi and Qigong and with the Internet found a wealth of information and videos by other teachers and masters. After doing 4 years of intense practice and study I felt confident to teach my own classes and volunteered to teach at the Springvale Neighborhood House which quickly became sometimes a bit too popular and packed out the small room which could only cater for around 15 students.
I now hold classes at Noble Park Community Centre which is my home base.