When the Student is Ready the Teacher Will Appear

The peaceful courtyard at the was the perfect setting for an introductory class in Tai Chi one recent Saturday afternoon.

A demonstration, history lesson and guided movement routine was led by Tai Chi instructor Kathy Brenner.

“I’m here to spread the joy of Tai Chi,” said Brenner, who travels throughout the state leading seminars and giving Tai Chi lessons to people looking to further their knowledge about the Chinese  martial art.

Originally, the movements in Tai Chi and one of its other forms demonstrated by Brenner, called Qigong, were created to fight an opponent. Over the years, warfare changed and the practice of Tai Chi became a health benefit. Its slow movements and meditative counterpart along with conscious breathing make for a prescribed therapy for ailments in the Eastern culture.

“Tai Chi is very health giving,” said Brenner, who was a skeptic when she first learned about Tai Chi. A friend suggested she give the practice a try to help her “chill out,” but the educator who was trained in science didn’t buy it.

But she decided to stay with the lessons and over time began to notice life changing transformations. Brenner had suffered from a double knee injury in a car accident and has made an excellent recovery because of, she believes, the combination of Western and Eastern Medicines.

Chinese medicine believes that injuries and illness are the result of a blockage of chi, the body’s life energy. Practicing Tai Chi helps release these blockages. And the body can be blocked anywhere.

“I think my biggest blockage was in my head,” joked the martial art instructor.

The draw in Trumbull to learn about this ancient practice was quite apparent shortly after the class announcement posted on the library’s website and quickly filled to capacity. Twenty-six attended the free class which was held outside among the singing birds and flowering trees.

Qigong can be practiced by all ages and can even be done while seated. There are many other styles of Tai Chi such as Yang and Chen, but all tai chi movements are choreographed to flow perfectly from one into the next and is a very gentle form of exercise.

Brenner led the group at the library through a series of warm up movements that focused on releasing tension in all of the joints in the body. Then the group participated in a variety of Qigong movements. Afterwards they were invited to take a short break for a library provided snack and refreshments. 

For the last part of the afternoon program, Brenner demonstrated all 24 movements of the Yang style as well as a series of movements from the Chen style of Tai Chi.

Due to the popularity of the class, the Trumbull Library is considering holding an eight-week series with Brenner in the summer. Email Reference Librarian Linda Panovich-Sachs at lpanovich-sachs@trumbull-ct.gov to express interest in this class.