Recommended  reading for Bonsai Tai Chi students
	One problem with traditional styles of teaching tai chi is that there is an awful lot of 'what' but very little 'how'. Scott Meredith tells you 'how'. While the book may be a hard concept for beginners Meredith gives you not only the theory of energy but also gives you exercises to help you develop yours. After I recommended Juice to one of my tai chi 'buddies' she told me: "This is what I always thought about tai chi but no one would tell me."
	Zhan Zhuang roughly translates as 'standing like a stake'. It is the standing meditation that we do before each class (and every morning after we get up - don't we?) Mark Cohen describes various standing positions and goes deeply into what it is all about. If I have any criticism at all it is that when Cohen talks about how to relax he gets a bit anatomical. Not something you normally associate with tai chi so, unless anatomy is your thing, ignore that bit and learn to relax the more traditional way.

All images and text: Copyright © 2023 John Roper