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A Special Summer Solstice

June 29, 2016 By Arlene Faulk Leave a Comment

PDX Chinese Gardens 2

A moment of silence, of stillness. That is how I started my day on Summer Solstice last week, in Portland, Oregon. At the Lan Su Chinese Garden. My friend, Barb and I met there before attending a busy day of meetings.

Portland Chinese Gardens

Immediately upon stepping through the front entrance, we felt the wonderful energy of nature and architecture in balance. Nothing is struggling. Nothing is in conflict. Nothing is out of alignment.


Everything is taking its natural course — the water, the orange fish, the trees, the designed stone walkways, the curved bridges, lily pads – all support one another, effortlessly. Effortlessly.

Every day most of us put in a lot of effort, to do a good job, to be a good parent, to run a good race, to be a good citizen. We feel that the more effort we put in, the better the results will be. Yes, we need some effort, to try our best, but we also need to take a lesson from nature. Nature does not try harder. It functions with ease. It has its still moments and it has its drama.

PDX Sky Reflecting in Water

Looking at the peaceful water, brought stillness into my being. The clear, blue sky reflected in the water. I looked up at the sky, then back down in the water. What a beautiful reflection of that morning sky in the water. It is in the few moments of stillness and reflection that we can find balance within ourselves and with nature.

PDX Sky

What will you do today to find a few moments of balance?

Filed Under: Arlene Faulk, Change, Changing Seasons, Energy, Light, Mindfulness, YinYang Tagged With: allow, balance, nature flow, OR, Portland, summer solstice

Starting to Relax and Let Go

April 15, 2015 By Arlene Faulk Leave a Comment

“Bring your attention into the room, focusing on your body, standing here, right now. Feet are hip-width apart, with knees soft (not locked).” That’s usually how I start my Tai Chi classes, sometimes adding, “be aware you are breathing, naturally.”

tai chi master

Slowing down and starting to relax can be a challenge for many of us. Learning what ‘relaxed’ means in our body can take time and come in tiny increments. I remember an ‘ah-ha’ moment for myself in Rancho La Perta, Tecate, Mexico a few years ago. The teacher said relaxing is not something we need to do or add. It’s letting go of something we’re already doing.

Letting go is a life-long journey. We have so many things we want to hang on to – family responsibilities, job deadlines, worry about money, concerns about health, wondering what others will think, etc. Our go-to response is to try harder, do more, push ourselves more and more.

When we start to let go, particularly on expectations for ourselves, we not only start to relax, but also create more space for the things and people that are important in our lives.

Even with Tai Chi we can put pressure on ourselves, to learn and remember moves, to keep up with others in the class, to feel like we’ve accomplished something. A different thought — come into class thinking “I’m going to enjoy myself; I’m going to go with the flow. I’m going to just ‘be’ for now.”

t'ai chi ch'uan

“Letting go is a basic, if not THE basic principle of T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan. it is said that a student’s progress is determined by how much he is willing to let go of — tension, emotional programming, fear, thinking, defensiveness, etc. The natural being is already powerful and wise. You must let go of your interference with the body’s power and wisdom.”
~ Bob Klein, Movements of Magic, The Spirit of T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan.

How might you start letting go?

Filed Under: Energy, Inner Balance, Listening to our Body, Tai Chi Tagged With: allow, body wisdom, creating space, journey, letting go, relax

Finding Oz

January 6, 2013 By Arlene Faulk Leave a Comment

Do you carry around little stories, phrases, life sayings that are good reminders for keeping a good perspective? I was cleaning out a drawer, with Tai Chi forms and principles that I’ve developed for class. In that drawer, I re-discovered a piece that I’ve been referring to for at least 30 years. It’s so good for the start of a new year, so I want to share it with you. I don’t have a date but I do have the author, Wanda Cavanaugh, at Tandem Computers when she wrote it:

Finding Oz

“When I hear the line ‘Oz never did give nothing to the Tinman that he didn’t already have,’ I think about what I learned from the childhood classic. It’s been stated in a dozen different ways, but the main point is that the person with the ability to change and control our lives is ourselves.

Be it problem solving or happiness, we often don’t know where to look or how to find what we want unless some outside event or person enlightens us. It may be a friend asking ‘why’, overhearing a chance remark, reading an article or anything else that starts our minds thinking along new lines and removes the barriers that have kept us from seeing these possibilities before, but usually it comes from the outside.

If I were to give advice to someone looking for a new career, a new idea, a new plan for something, a new hobby, I would say three things:

  • The answer is in you
  • Look for the thing that will help you discover it
  • Be ready for it

Like the Tinman and Dorothy, we won’t get anything we didn’t have the ability to get before. Like the Tinman and Dorothy, we may not have recognized these possibilities in ourselves. Diplomas and red slippers are marvelous devices for giving us the courage to try things we might fear to try. Even intangible things can help such as a pat on the back, a passing comment, allowing your mind to wander, or a deadline that makes you charge a little harder. The real key is to be like the characters from Oz, to be ready to receive.

Life is like a trip through Oz where you must let yourself hear and accept the ideas as they come to you or you will never get a heart, a trip to Kansas or Oz, a brain, or whatever it is you’re looking for.”

Filed Under: Change, Mindfulness, Paying Attention Tagged With: allow, be ready, courage, happiness, live big

Arlene Faulk

Arlene Faulk

After a years-long struggle to understand and conceal debilitating symptoms while I ascended the corporate ladder, I found comfort and healing through Tai Chi and Chinese Medicine.

My new memoir, Walking on Pins and Needles, is the story about the power to control our lives and move in the direction of possibility. Read more...

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FROM TAI CHI STUDENTS

Tai Chi makes me feel calm, yet energized. Because of my practice, the small irritants of life affect me less.

Tai Chi student

I had back surgery, was in pain and had little range of motion. Tai Chi practice at Heartwood has helped me increase flexibility, my range of motion and my overall stamina.

Tai Chi student

Arlene teaches the Tai Chi form in such a gentle and connected way that many movements now feel utterly natural and healing.

Tai Chi student

I've even shared some of the exercises with my bike club to help reduce injuries. They really work!

Tai Chi student

I've always been a klutz and have regularly lost my balance and fallen when walking outside. Arlene taught me how to stand and walk properly through Tai Chi. I really can't believe it: I haven't fallen in four years since I've been taking Tai Chi with Arlene!

Tai Chi student

I love Arlene's Tai Chi classes. She helps us understand not only what we're doing, but also why we're doing it. That really helps me take what I learn in class and apply it to my daily life.

Tai Chi student

I'm really inspired by what Tai Chi has done for Arlene. She is a great teacher, who is calm and very patient. She has really helped me not to be so hard on myself.

Tai Chi student

I play golf and had a lesson after school, on the same day we had Tai Chi class. My coach commented, 'Your posture is amazing and all of the balance issues that we have been fighting for so long seem to have just taken a vacation.' I mentioned to him that I thought it was due to Tai Chi.

Tai Chi student

Tai Chi relaxes your entire body and promotes peace and proper breathing. The more I manage to breathe properly while doing any activity in my life, I generally tend to do a lot better at it. I benefited from Tai Chi because it managed to help me with my breathing skills even more.

Tai Chi student

Tai Chi really gives my body strength to put up with the pains of my breast cancer and back problems. Tai Chi is 'sneaky'. You don't think it's helping, but eventually you realize it's helping you.

Tai Chi student

For me, Tai Chi brings comfort and quiet amidst all the chaos and change.

Becky, Tai Chi student

In just a few months, the practice has become perhaps the most nurturing element in my life during COVID times, when sustaining a commitment to anything else has been challenging.

Barb, Tai Chi student

The community Tai Chi has provided has been a gift. With so much we can now do whenever we wish --- with an app, YouTube video, or streaming service --- meeting weekly (via zoom) in real time, live, to practice Tai Chi creates true community.

David, Tai Chi student

I really enjoy our time together and I've found Tai Chi a great way to "keep moving," not only during this pandemic but also as a regular practice with a wonderful integration of mind, body and spirit.

Martha, Tai Chi student

Tuning into the class and seeing familiar faces of the other students brings a nice sense of community and connection during this time of separation and isolation.

Julia, Tai Chi student

I love the walking practice because it helps me slow down and focus only on the moment.

Tai Chi student

Tai Chi has made me aware of how I’m standing and where my weight is. My balance is improving.

Tai Chi student

I hear Arlene saying to listen to my body and only do what I can do. That helps me relax.

Tai Chi student

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Tai Chi Class Calendar

October 2023

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
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  • Tai Chi Level II
    Tai Chi Level II
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 2, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Tai Chi class for experienced students (3+ years)

    More details...
•
3
  • Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 3, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Beginner’s Class - no experience needed

    More details...
•
4
5
  • Tai Chi Beginners
    Tai Chi Beginners
    Starts: 5:15 pm
    Ends: October 5, 2023 - 6:15 pm

    Location: Gratz Center at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut Street, Chicago


    Description:

    Online class for continuing students

    More details...
•
6
7
8
9
  • Tai Chi Level II
    Tai Chi Level II
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 9, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Tai Chi class for experienced students (3+ years)

    More details...
•
10
  • Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 10, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Beginner’s Class - no experience needed

    More details...
•
11
12
  • Tai Chi Beginners
    Tai Chi Beginners
    Starts: 5:15 pm
    Ends: October 12, 2023 - 6:15 pm

    Location: Gratz Center at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut Street, Chicago


    Description:

    Online class for continuing students

    More details...
•
13
14
15
16
  • Tai Chi Level II
    Tai Chi Level II
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 16, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Tai Chi class for experienced students (3+ years)

    More details...
•
17
  • Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 17, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Beginner’s Class - no experience needed

    More details...
•
18
19
  • Tai Chi Beginners
    Tai Chi Beginners
    Starts: 5:15 pm
    Ends: October 19, 2023 - 6:15 pm

    Location: Gratz Center at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut Street, Chicago


    Description:

    Online class for continuing students

    More details...
•
20
21
22
23
  • Tai Chi Level II
    Tai Chi Level II
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 23, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Tai Chi class for experienced students (3+ years)

    More details...
•
24
  • Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 24, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Beginner’s Class - no experience needed

    More details...
•
25
26
  • Tai Chi Beginners
    Tai Chi Beginners
    Starts: 5:15 pm
    Ends: October 26, 2023 - 6:15 pm

    Location: Gratz Center at Fourth Presbyterian Church, 126 E Chestnut Street, Chicago


    Description:

    Online class for continuing students

    More details...
•
27
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30
  • Tai Chi Level II
    Tai Chi Level II
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 30, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Tai Chi class for experienced students (3+ years)

    More details...
•
31
  • Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Faulk Tai Chi Class
    Starts: 5:30 pm
    Ends: October 31, 2023 - 6:30 pm

    Location: Heartwood Center, 1818 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60202, USA


    Description:

    Beginner’s Class - no experience needed

    More details...
•
20 Years Faulk Tai Chi

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