NOVEMBER 2017 NEWS
SPECIAL EVENTS/ CLOSINGS
Closed Thursday Nov. 23- Saturday Nov.25 for Thanksgiving Holiday
UPCOMING EVENTS AND TOURNAMENTS
China Trip for Sifu Paul and members of the Wudang Dragon Gate Sect. November 12-22, 2017.
CHINA TRIP 2017
Sifu Paul Ramos has been invited by his Wudang Masters Liu Xiao Ling and Gao Tie Niao to attend the 2017 Liu He Ba Fa conference on the auspicious year of Grand Master Wu Yi Hui ‘s 100th anniversary of his birth. GM Wu brought this art, also known as Water Boxing, out of secrecy and out to the martial public. This art has characteristics similar to Tai Chi, Xing- I Chuan, and Bagua Zhang. It also has rising and falling movements rarely seen in other styles. It is however, its own art and not a synthesis of these arts as some have stated. The conference, which is now a yearly event draws practitioners from all over the globe to share, compare, and to refine their skills. Paul will be part of a group demo with some of his Kung Fu brothers and sisters and will most likely perform his solo form as well.
Paul will leave on Nov. 13 and will be back to teach the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. All classes will be covered so students should attend as usual. He looks forward to spending some time with GM Gao his co- Wudang Master (along with GM Liu), and seeing how much Shanghai has changed since his last visit, a while ago. He will also enjoy bonding with his son who is also attending this trip.
CANCER AWARENESS MONTH INTERVIEW
We have been approached by Ms. Kuo, a journalist with the Chinese International TV, America division, to do an interview concerning the health aspects of Tai Chi Chuan as it relates to Breast Cancer. She wonders if we have any current students who find benefit by doing Tai Chi while they are experiencing this illness. I am not aware of anyone who fits this requirement at present although students in the past have had various forms of Cancer and other ailments which they said had been mitigated by their Tai Chi training. If anyone is currently in this situation, knows of anyone in this situation who does Tai Chi, or is willing to begin Tai Chi to explore its benefits please let me know. They’d like to interview them, myself, and take video during class time. November is Breast Cancer Awareness month so we have some time. Let me know ASAP so we can schedule something, preferably before I go to China.
VIDEO SERIES BEING PRODUCED FOR INTERNET
Paul Ramos has decided to increase his internet presence through the creation of 3-5 minute videos which shall be available on You Tube, Facebook, the WST website, and other internet locations. The purpose is to expand the depth and content of available info on the internal Martial and Health Arts. Many have cited that there is much misinformation, disinformation and flat out erroneous information available which is then taken as truth by the general public. In an effort to combat these problems these videos will be made in short but informative packets so that other options and understandings may be shared by the general populace. A Wu Shen Tao free subscription page will host old and newer video which will start with Tai Chi fundamentals and then slowly progress to more subtle and advanced concepts of health and other internal martial arts. Comments and questions are welcomed and hopefully we all can gain more knowledge and understanding from the videos and the comments that they elicit.
NOVEMBER SWORDPLAY CLASS
We will meet for sword basics and application class this month on Wednesday November 8, 2017 from 7:30-9 PM. Bring a sword, eye protection and groin protection (optional). All students are encouraged to attend regardless of experience.
WEB SITE CONTACT PAGE IS UP- PLEASE SIGN IN!
Our web site is up and running at present. Although most of the information has been set up; small additions to text, video, and pictures will be added to make the school’s curriculum and goals more accessible. New elements to the site include a sign up contact page for those wanting to receive our newsletters and announcements, we’ve also added more videos to give examples of the various arts that we teach. Schedules of our Takoma Park as well as our Gaithersburg locations are now online. We also humbly accept suggestions as to how we may improve the site so that it may be easier and more usable to current and future members.
FREE COMMUNITY PUSH HANDS -
Our weekly Community Tai Chi and Push Hands Open workout is alive and well (25 years and counting). We hold the Free Community Workout, 3 blocks away, at the Roda Movement Center which is located at 7014 Westmoreland Avenue (just off Carroll Avenue) in Takoma Park, MD. It is located just behind the Gazebo located on Carroll Avenue and across from the House of Musical Traditions. The workout takes place on Thursdays from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Feel free to contact us at longmen987@gmail.com if you have questions or concerns.
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
There’s no limit to what a man can achieve, if he doesn’t care who gets the credit.
-Laing Burns Jr.
Vision is the art of seeing things invisible.
-Jonathan Swift
Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.
-William Feather