Tai Chi every Saturday in Amsterdam

In person, every Saturday at Moychay, Amsterdam. Classes are held in English.

Chen style Tai Chi - the earliest form of taijiquan, the one all the others grew from. Slow, attentive, built on the structure of the body. For people who would rather move than sit still.

Meditation in movement

Sitting practice teaches you to hold attention in stillness. Tai Chi teaches you not to lose it in movement - which, honestly, is harder. You step, you turn, you shift your weight, and all the while you stay inside yourself rather than inside tomorrow's to-do list.

We practise the Chen style - the oldest of the taijiquan styles. Its signature is alternation: a long slow movement suddenly becomes short and gathered, then opens again. That alternation is what keeps the practice alive and stops the body from switching off.

What happens in a class

Opening and preparing the body. Feet, pelvis, spine, crown of the head. Without this, Tai Chi becomes elegant arm-waving; with it, it becomes work with your inner structure.

Activating the lower dantian. The centre movement comes from in Tai Chi. Once you find it, the body stops moving "with the arms" and starts moving as a whole.

Silk-reeling exercises. The spiralling movements Chen style is built from. Taken apart slowly, one at a time, until the body understands them on its own.

The short form of Lao Jia. Gradually the separate movements come together into a sequence you can practise on your own.

The tradition

Chen style tai chi within the Daoist tradition as transmitted by master Jie Kong (Oleg Cherne, studen of Chen Xiaowang, the 19th generation lineage holder of Chen-style tai chi).

What it gives you

• Stability -both literally and otherwise
• Softer, more mobile joints and an unloaded back
• Coordination and a deeper connection with the body
• Attention that holds in movement, not only in stillness
• A calm state afterwards - not gym-tired, but the way a good walk leaves you

Who it's for

• People who sit all day.
• People who find still meditation difficult.
• People who want a gentle practice for the body, with no strain and no records to break.
• Age and fitness don't matter -the pace is slow and nobody is racing anyone.

Practical information

• When: every Saturday, 10:00–11:00
• Where: Moychay, Amsterdam [Rozengracht 92H]
• Language: classes are held in English
• Level: beginners, no experience needed
• Group size: up to 10 people - so it's better to book ahead
• What you need: loose, comfortable clothing and shoes with a thin sole that let you feel your feet
• Please arrive 10 minutes early to change and settle before we begin

This practice is intended for general wellbeing and personal development and does not replace medical care. If you have a health condition or an injury, please check with your doctor.