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 pocketand 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 local Neighborhood House which quickly became sometimes a bit too popular and packed out the small room which can comfortably cope with around 15 student.
I now hold classes at a variety of organisations in Melbourne Australia such as Mind Australia in Heidelberg, Balla Balla Community Centre, Croation Elderly Association, Dandenong Oasis (employed by YMCA) and still volunteering at Springvale Neighborhood House 3 classes per week.