Video: Imperial Yang Family Tai Chi

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Imperial Yang Family Tai Chi warm up
Healing through a gentle, body mind integrating, muscle-tendon changing exercise

*Video has been moved to DIY Relief*

In 2012 I had rotator cuff surgery. After that, my life became what I'd seen literally hundreds of my patients lives become...pain filled. I felt pain 24/7 and it was poorly controlled at best. Within 1 year of surgery I tried to return to work. That didn't go well, within 5 months I ended up in the ER. My neck and shoulder had become locked in severe muscle spasm causing C-spine nerve compression. I was not able to return to my position. The neck and shoulder have never been the same. I've lost count of the amount of money I've spent and number of visits I've had to PT, massage therapy, acupuncture, etc...since the surgery. Early September I had another ER visit with the same symptoms. Now it really seems, I've lost my career field, years of training and work I love. Hope lives though...

Late September 2015, after having tried everything, I realized I hadn't actually "tried everything" and I joined a Yang style Tai Chi class. Half way through the first class I realized I had completely lost my sense of body awareness. I was holding my arms up in front of my body (so I thought). Sufi Michael walked over in his calm manner and while still talking to the class, slightly moved my elbow to a new position then returned to the front of the class. No biggy right? Well, as a former gymnast, former yoga practitioner and career Therapist (who emphasizes body mind integration for healing), this was literally startling. I have AWESOME body awareness...eh mm...no longer true. I had no idea my elbow was raised so far up & out to the side of my body. No wonder my shoulder and neck were repeatedly in spasm! Constant "bracing" of muscles (what our system does to protect nerves) had become my normal state of being. 

Since starting Tai Chi, I have more upper body endurance, more upper body range of motion and less pain in my neck and shoulder (Tai Chi helps improve body awareness which helps to soften muscles and connective tissue). When I do have pain, it's nothing like the episodes I described above (because muscles are softened, compression on blood vessels and nerves decreases which improves circulation and helps normalize nerve conduction.) 

An unexpected joyful result: For the past 15 years, loud unexpected sounds ALWAYS create a major startle reflex and honestly, the yelling out of inappropriate words (result of being in the house when it was struck by lightening and caught fire). I had no control, it was a reflex that sent me into a startle and made me speak in tongues (just ask my son's)! The state of anxiety and nervousness would sometimes last 45 minutes after any given episode. About 6 classes into Tai Chi, I was in a restaurant when outside of my visual field, a waiter dropped a large, water filled glass carafe. It was about 5 minutes later when I realized that I while I did hear the crashing sound, I had no response at all...none (Tai Chi balances the nervous system resulting in a quieting of the fight/flight/freeze response and allowing the relaxation response to express itself). Thank goodness I didn't speak in tongues as there was a family with 2 small children sitting at the table next to us! I had done what "normal" people do, looked back to see what had made the sound.  I can't describe the sensation of freedom,

Tai Chi is a moving mindfulness meditation. It reminds me repeatedly and gently, to live out the words from one of my favorite R.E.M songs: "Stand in the place where you are" (more on that later!).

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