Faulk TaiChi

Learn the beautiful, flowing movements for health and relaxation.

Summer Light

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What is special about summer for you? Many of us are eager to be outside, go for long walks by a lake or in a park, enjoy a picnic with our family, stroll through our neighborhood farmer’s market, attend an outdoor concert or a movie night on our lawn chair at a community gathering, watch boats glide along Lake Superior.

What do you like the most? The freedom of walking out the door in shorts and sandals, taking binoculars and camera to watch and listen to the birds, relaxing outside with friends over a glass of wine. All good possibilities. We think mostly about “doing”, being active because we have a sense of freedom to move around and go places when we know it will be light well into the evening.

We are in the season of Yang energy – activity, blossoming trees and flowers, bright colors, heat, light. While we are out “doing” we want to pay attention, enjoy the moment. Take it all in.

Recently my sister and I went to Starved Rock State Park in northern Illinois. It’s amazing to drive across flat terrain, rich farmland filled with corn and soybeans and then. . . huge trees, winding roads going up, up, up to a natural filled park. Looking out over a panorama of green trees as far as our eyes could see, we listened to a variety of singing birds, felt a summer breeze, marveled at small red berries we happened to see because we were still and paying attention to everything around us.


The sun shining brightly highlighted the various shades of green on the thousands of leaves surrounding us. It was mesmerizing, the stillness and calm of those moments. The light outside and how nature took it in, made it beautiful and we, in our stillness took it all in and thoroughly enjoyed the moments.

What moments of summer have made you feel this way?

Celebrating Year of the Wood Snake

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People born in the Year of Snake are said to be resilient and courageous with strong interpersonal skills and leadership qualities. The wood element adds a layer of growth and creativity, because just as the Snake sheds its skin, this year represents the opportunity to renew oneself, embrace new possibilities and leave behind outdated ways.

What a fun, energizing afternoon Tai Chi students and friends had as we gathered on February 2 to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Come with us and feel our positive energy reach out to you.

We began by centering and cultivating positive energy with Michelle Bobier.

Letting go of our to-do lists we focused on standing in good alignment, breathing and stretching, moving our energy to enhance our physical and mental well-being. Ahhh. . .

Sarah Bernauer lead us in a discussion of opening chakras to enhance energy flow. We moved gently to feel the energy come up through our feet into our center and upper body. The image resonated because in Tai Chi we root our feet like a tree into the earth and bring up the nutrients and rich energy the earth provides.

Daniel Thatcher continued leading our energy movement with fundamental principles of Tai Chi — proper body alignment, methodically shifting our weight with intention, moving from our waist and hips rather than the upper body,

relaxing our knees as we stand with our weight equally distributed on our two legs. Look how centered and relaxed everyone is, focusing entirely on the moment and breathing.

In “The Movements of Magic – The Spirit of Tai Chi Ch’uan,” Bob Klein says: “Often in life, we are so caught up in concentrating on the past and future that we miss the present. And truly, the present is all that exists for us. We may think about the past or imagine the future but we can actually deal only with the present. In the present we have power.”

What a wonderful way to celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year, breathing and moving in the present, being mindful of the moment.

Daniel, Sarah, Arlene, Michelle

A big thank you to Daniel, Sarah and Michelle!

Be Like Bamboo

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Our calendars have turned to a new year and we might be looking for some optimism, something to look forward to that will nourish our lives. The daily news hits us hard with natural disasters, ongoing wars, bird flu, and on and on.

I’ve been thinking about what I can do to make a difference, even in small ways, to positively impact my friends, family, my Tai Chi students and all those with whom I might interact. Maybe adopt a word for the year like kindness, patience, smile, listen. All good traits for us to share with people every day. Taking time to make a phone call, send a text, write a note, smile at a neighbor. Slowing down. Taking time for others.

However, I desire to have something to aspire to and it hit me in a flash, what that something could be. Bamboo. Be more like bamboo. Let’s consider together at that might look like.

Bamboo is a symbol for longevity. It always shows strength and grace, bends but does not break easily, is very versatile and flexible. It is a rapidly renewable resource. In Chinese philosophy, the straight stem of bamboo symbolized the path towards enlightenment, the segments of the stem being the steps along the way.

This artist’s painting of bamboo, shows the graceful nature of bamboo with its leaves a work of art, sprouting out from the stalks. The insides of bamboo are hollow, yet it can withstand rain and snow and grow with great vigor.

The uses of bamboo are numerous, from food for the pandas to creating paper from its pulp, to making furniture, flooring, clothing, bedding, fences, baskets and more. It’s versatility and flexibility are admirable.

So I want to be more like bamboo in 2025. Won’t you join me?

Celebrating 25 Years!

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Wow, it’s amazing to be celebrating my 25th year of teaching Tai Chi! It is an honor and so humbling to teach a centuries-old practice that has transformed my life, helped me re-learn to walk, feel balance and stability and has been the main influence for getting off medications I took regularly in my 30’s and 40’s.

I’ve been so inspired by stories of many students, who, with courage and determination have managed pain, arthritis, stroke recovery, anxiety and stress, etc. through Tai Chi practice, coming to class when it wasn’t easy.

Faulk Tai Chi Class

Here’s a class in 2003 where the quiet energy and being in the moment come right through the stillness of the photo.

Chinese New Year Tai Chi

This photo is in the first Heartwood location on Maple and Davis, across from Bennison’s Bakery, (2004, I think)

Faulk Tai Chi

Tai Chi class at Heartwood on Dempster, around 2012, upstairs in what is now the Shrine Room. Our regular classes were in that room before we moved to the Skylight Room.

Chicago Tai Chi Testimonials

Chicago class in 2015 or 2016, dedicated students who shared great Tai Chi energy together at our class in the Fourth Presbyterian Church.

August, 25, 2024 — Celebrating 25 years in Evanston park at Lake and Chicago

After Tai Chi, a wonderful lunch at Chinese restaurant, Peppercorns, in downtown Evanston

At Peppercorns with Nancy Floy, Founder and Co-Director of Heartwood and Larry Akey, Director of Meditation Programs.

Thanks to Nancy for her vision, for bringing Heartwood to life and for leading me to Tai Chi. For all the individuals in these photos and for all others whose lives have crossed with mine through Tai Chi, our energy continues to connect across the miles. It’s a privilege to teach and share Tai Chi with you.

I’d love to hear your comments and memories of Tai Chi and how it’s positively impacted your life.

Yi directs Qi

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A few days ago one of my Tai Chi students told me that her concept and understanding of her energy has been changing through her experiences in class and what she has been learning. “I used to think that I have lots of energy or low energy but really didn’t feel it moving inside me or think about the quality of it. I think about my energy much more often now, reinforced by how I feel in our Tai Chi class, particularly when you ask us to feel the energy moving in our body before we relax after a move.”

With Tai Chi, the Yi (mind) directs the Qi (energy). We relax our minds and focus on one gentle movement at a time, which relaxes the body and puts us into the present moment. Our mind is paying attention to our body alignment, shifting our weight, turning from the hips and waist rather than the upper body.

With practice we tune into our own energy and learn how to relax, center and re-energize in a healthy way.

In the midst of the class I can feel the energy in the room shift. The to-dos, the decisions, the problems we might have had coming into the room are gone for now, for this moment.

Astute comment by the student and important learning. When we pay attention to the quality of our energy and take steps to improve the quality of what we have, our health will benefit. Ask yourself, what am I doing to enhance my energy? If that question is difficult to answer, take a step forward, now, for your energy, for your health.