Sifu Leo’s Book Launch

Sifu Leo’s Book Launch

Four years ago, in a private tai chi lesson, Caroline Addenbrooke wrote down some notes, as she had been doing for a while, and Sifu Leo Ming said: “You could eventually write a whole book just on this one form!” They were practicing the Yang Short form, and this then sparked something in their minds.

Taiji and the martial arts have been Sifu Leo’s love, so he was excited to make use of a different form of media to express his passion for taiji.  Together with Caroline and her lengthy notes, and with a wonderful team of experts, they created this beautiful book “Yang Short Form. A beginners guide to Taiji Chuan.”

It’s a beginner’s guide, because we are all beginners at different levels, and insight comes in many different stages.  This book is aimed at any level, as insight is in the eye of the beholder.

On Saturday 14th November 2020, the book was launched and a celebration was held in Johannesburg, at the Service Station Café.  We were delighted to have over 50 guests at the launch, mostly Sifu Leo’s dedicated students, with over 20 online in the zoom broadcast, from all over the world.

Caroline joined from her new home in Ireland, and we even had a special guest from New York, Ellen Cheng, the daughter of Prof. Cheng Man Ching, who started the Yang Short form.

“Thank you for your support! I had a superb book launch and it meant a lot to me to have so many special friends, students and mentors join me.” shares Sifu Leo.

“In less than 24 hours we sold out of our first run of my book. We’re organising a second run for those still wanting a copy, (so please contact me if you want to get on the waiting list).  The feedback has been so touching and wonderful about the book, so thank you for your support.”

Some of the feedback has been:

The book is great. Thanks for producing it. It really is a wonderful achievement and you can be very proud of it. Congrats again to all who made it happen!

👏👏👏 Regards Barbara

Dear Leo, I just want to say how much I like your book. I am in awe of the work that you and your team must have put in to create such a beautiful publication. It speaks to the reader on so many levels – technical and historical tai-chi info, your personal insights and your story, context, different levels of application. I can go on and on. I love the photos showing the form and especially the clever colour bar indicating the breathing. All the pictures are really beautiful and the descriptions are so detailed! You have really contributed something unique and bravely personal to the tai-chi world. I can just imagine how proud your daughter must be of you as well! Please let me know when the next batch is available, I would like to buy a few more for my two brothers. Very best wishes to you and Natalie, Zanta.💜💜

Thank you for the invite to the launch. I really enjoyed it. The book is fantastic and very well structured.😊👍🏻
– Ralph

It’s a beautiful book and well done all of you for pulling it together. No mean feat!
– Andrew Joseph

Wonderful !  It is really a Superb book – presentation and contents are outstanding. Especially love the breathing !!  👍😁  Congratulations to everyone involved 👏👏👏 🙌
– Anonymous

Leo, I see I have set myself a phenomenally difficult task. Your book is so exquisite, on all planes, the only way to properly review it would be a haiku. I don’t know whether I’ll even be able muster words, let alone a haiku. But I’m in the habit of gritting through and doing what I say I’ll do. It’ll take time. Thank you for this book. For one thing, with written words, at last I can properly “hear” what I’ve missed in classes. For another, there’s the Tau. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Master. With gratitude. Pam.

Hi Leo, I will be spending most of January and possibly February travelling…. i will take your book with me, it is astounding piece of work, wonderful and I will try to work from it while I am not in classes.
– Heather

Thank you Leo, the book arrived safely this morning. It is everything I had hoped and imagined. Looking at the images, our sessions have come to life again, but I will have to correct a number of the movements within my present form. Val de Vie is an amazing place and practising Tai Chi form here is fantastic. The silence and peace in the morning and at night is extraordinary. Thank for our time together and for the way in which you opened our minds to Tai Chi and the ancient Chinese culture. Good luck for the future,
Kind regard Lance and Pauline

Sifu Leo hopes that “just as a simple thing sparked Caroline to start a journey of a ‘thousand words’, so I hope this book will spark someone who has no clue what taiji is about or how taiji can help transform one’s life, start their journey. As the saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with your first step. We don’t know what lies ahead, but if we don’t make the steps on the path we will only be living in our imagination and not get first hand experience.”

For more info about the book, go here.

To purchase the book, go here.

Four years ago, in a private tai chi lesson, Caroline Addenbrooke wrote down some notes, as she had been doing for a while, and Sifu Leo Ming said: “You could eventually write a whole book just on this one form!” They were practicing the Yang Short form, and this then sparked something in their minds. …

Tai Chi Retreat 2019

Tai Chi Retreat 2019

Whether learning something new, or practicing it for many years, there is such value in focusing one’s efforts for an extended period of time on that activity.

Retreats offer just that kind of opportunity, and so the tai chi retreats offered by Mings Martial Arts is a yearly, and sometimes even bi-yearly, event, for those students wanting to deepen their practice.

The cat stalking the disinterested chicken, at the tai chi retreatThis year’s retreat in September was enjoyed by a range of students, who came to not only learn more about martial arts, but also get away for a weekend from the hustle and bustle of daily city life, and enjoy some tranquil time in the pecan nut orchard, amongst nature.

There was a mix of favourites like the Short Form, and the qigong exercises, which feel powerful under blue skies, with fresh air and birds singing, and the loving dogs of the Melody Hill Retreat Centre joining in the energy.  Even the young cat felt playful, exploring the lines of students breathing and moving as they connected to their chi.

Sifu Leo Ming taught a new Broad Sword form, affectionately dubbed by the students the “Melody Mings Form”, which he choreographed.  It is a short, feisty form that challenged and brought laughter from the students.

Sifu also had the students balance water bottles on their heads, which brought a most useful awareness to the energy bow lines and body posture, that is developed during tai chi forms.

For Brenda, this quote best sums up the retreat weekend:

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” – WB Yeats

Horse with foal, at the tai chi retreatTony shared his reflections of the weekend, saying:

“Dear Sifu… had a day to reflect on the wonderful retreat we had.  The new broad sword form is beyond incredible. Poetry in motion… aggressive powerful majestic riveting…. The company was wonderful… The location manifesting nature’s rebirth flowering into a beautiful young foal on the farm next door. I’ve grown as a person through the experience. Thank you, Tony”

Ralph added his thoughts:

“The tai chi weekend is always a highlight during the year for me. I always look forward to practicing the new forms and improving on sections of the ones I have some familiarity with. It is also a great opportunity to socialize and spend time with my fellow tai chi class mates.  The setting is also wonderful and I find it very relaxing and contemplative and one just feels so much closer to nature with all the bird calls to listen to and with the opportunity to take the odd walk between the pecan nut trees. 

The new sword form that Sifu has taught us is magnificent and so graceful and I can’t wait to practice more with my new broad-sword. Thinking back, I think the highlight for me was the exercise of attempting to balance the water bottle on one’s head while attempting the short form. This practice immediately highlights so many of the teachings with respect to balance, posture and flexibility. All I can say is that I’m glad the bottle was filled with still water and not carbonated as it may have burst with all the times it went crashing to the floor. 😊”

With scrumptious, healthy vegetarian food shared amongst old and new friends around the wooden, long tables, and the ample down time to read and reflect, everyone enjoyed the weekend and got to recharge, ready to head back to city life.

Will you join us at next year’s retreat?

Contact Sifu Leo Ming to find our more information about upcoming Tai Chi Retreats in Johannesburg, by calling 0833780468.

Tai Chi Retreat in Johannesburg

(Photos courtesy of Brenda and Tony)

Whether learning something new, or practicing it for many years, there is such value in focusing one’s efforts for an extended period of time on that activity. Retreats offer just that kind of opportunity, and so the tai chi retreats offered by Mings Martial Arts is a yearly, and sometimes even bi-yearly, event, for those …

Why attend an 8 week self defense course?

Why attend an 8 week self defense course?

We asked one of Sifu Leo’s tai chi students, about why she wants to do a self defense course with Leo, and the reasoning behind asking for an 8 week course.

Here are her answers:

Q: Why have you asked Sifu Leo to offer this type of Self Defense course?

A: Unfortunately, I too have experienced crime and unwanted attention from men (#metoo).  Recently I got to a point where I said enough! and then spoke with Leo.

Enough because I was reminded of the Jennifer Lopez movie “Enough” where she hired a trainer to help her prepare to defend herself.  What struck me in the scene was the intensity of her training, so that the self defense moves became instinctive to her.

The incident that lead to me recalling this, was when I was chatting recently to the store owner of one of my favourites shops, with another friend, and all of a sudden this stranger came up from behind me and put his arm around me, made some crude comment, and then walked off.   My friend and the gentleman I was talking to looked as shocked as I felt.

It was only a few minutes later that I remembered that my Sifu Leo had shown us a move in one of our tai chi classes, which would have been the perfect self defense move for this situation.  But I could not recall it at the time- not even after the incident.  The move, if it had been in my muscle memory, would have been appropriate for the situation, and I could have then told him that what he did and said was not ok.

Instead, I was left feeling vulnerable and powerless to another predator.

Q: What do you mean by “in your muscle memory”? What about this being instinctive is important?

A: The more we practice something (whether it be a physical move – like the perfect golf swing or self defense technique- or a certain mindset or attitude), the more it becomes our way of being.

Our muscles learn that movement, and so it comes more easily to us when we need to perform that movement.  The same can be for self defense moves.  I have attended a few self defense classes over the years, mostly 2 or 4 hours in length, in a once-off format.  Yet there are very few moves which I can now, years later, recall how to do.  And I wonder if in the moment of stress, if I would recall them with enough clarity to defend myself.

When learning, we go through four stages:

  • First, we are unconscious that we don’t know, what they call “unconsciously incompetent”.
  • Then we become aware of what we don’t know, we become “consciously incompetent”, and this is what often prompts us to seek out to learn something- if it is a priority to us.
  • As we practice and learn, so we can reach the next stage, which is where we are “consciously competent.”
  • And for sustainability, we aim to make this learning instinctive. We want it to be a muscle memory, where we are now “unconsciously competent”.

This is how we reach towards mastery of a skill.

So what I would like to learn now, is to have a few moves that I am unconsciously competent at, so that I can feel more empowered, and stronger, and know that should I ever need it, I can and will defend myself better and escape a threatening situation.  Because let’s face it, in today’s world and especially in my country South Africa, crime is way too rampant.  I want to more prepared to protect myself.

Q: Why Sifu Leo?

A: From speaking to Leo about this, he is willing to teach me – and others who want to learn with me – some of the techniques to protect ourselves, and in a way that we develop the muscle memory of them, so that they become our instinctual responses when under stress.

From having taught these techniques for many decades, and from his thorough immersion in martial arts (spanning over 40 years), I know that he is not only unconsciously competent in the techniques, but is also aware of how to teach them by breaking them down into steps, and taking us through the drills needed to learn them properly, to develop the muscle memory and have them as lifelong skills.

Leo also has a gentle and caring disposition, and from my experience in his tai chi classes over the last few years, I know that he can also push his students when needed (in his compassionate way) to help them grasp the ideas, stretch themselves, and learn what they want to gain from the practice of martial arts.

And importantly, I feel safe in his classes so that I am in a better state for learning, and feel safe to ask questions when I need to.

Q: Anything else to add?

A: My hope is that other women will join me in this course, so that we can become stronger together, not only in our ability to defend ourselves and escape harm, but that we then also take that and grow our inner strength to speak up more for ourselves, and for what is right and good in our worlds.

DETAILS

8 Week Self Defense Course for WomenFor information and dates of the next 8 Week Self Defense Course for Women in Johannesburg, see this Events Page here.

Contact your Self Defense Instructor Leo on 0833780468 for any questions you have about this course, and if you want to speak to this student about this course to decide if it is the right option for you.

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We asked one of Sifu Leo’s tai chi students, about why she wants to do a self defense course with Leo, and the reasoning behind asking for an 8 week course. Here are her answers: Q: Why have you asked Sifu Leo to offer this type of Self Defense course? A: Unfortunately, I too have experienced …

Tai Chi Retreat – October 2018

Tai Chi Retreat – October 2018

For a weekend we practiced chi gong and tai chi under the pecan nut trees, listening to the arrow marked babblers and African grey hornbills chatter away to each other.

A mix of beginners, intermediate and advanced tai chi students from Johannesburg and as far as Cape Town, enjoyed the tranquil property of Melody Hills for the October 2018 tai chi retreat, led by Sifu Leo Ming.

“Retreats give us ‘time’ ” reflects Leo, when asked why he holds retreats for his students.

He shares further that “we often feel time is moving at a rapid pace. We ‘didn’t have time to do the task.’ We were ‘short’ of time to finish the job. Time went by so quickly and before we knew it, ‘it was over’. ‘What time is it because I have another appointment in 30 minutes’. ‘This time round I am going to do it differently/ properly.’”

“The retreat ‘gives’ us a different sense of time. We spend the day doing one thing- properly and thoroughly – and without rushing to make the next item on the list.”

“Here, at the retreat, there is no next item. The ‘next thing’ is actually the first thing, or the previous thing’, which become the present doing. We learn about being present; about bringing mindfulness into the present moment. And in this case with tai chi, the present movement or non-movement. We learn that non-action gives rise to action.”

“Getting away from our busy lives and having a renewed self perspective is important or else we tend to lose ourselves in the material world. What is important is self, and the breath. By self I don’t mean being selfish, but rather our true self. The natural grounded and stillness which embodies all of us. Returning to the one,” further explains Leo.

During this retreat we all learnt from each other, as we focused on the Yang straight sword traditional 55 form, and had theoretical and philosophical discussion sessions in between.

The laughter and story telling entertained us over scrumptious vegetarian meals and sitting around fires in the evenings.

We also explored the labyrinth maze as a walking meditation, as well as the options of a gong therapy session and kahuna massages for those wanting some extra elements.

“Each and every retreat is so different and so unique. I think they are all highlights in my academy. I think having students who share a commonality and have a desire to learn from me is a personal highlight” reveals Leo humbly.

Leo hopes that his students leave a retreat being emptied out, in a sense.

“If they are able to leave their baggage behind for that period of time, it would be a successful retreat. If they understood a philosophy that they could use in their daily life, it would be successful. If they could integrate this, it would be a success.”

We hope you will join us at next years’ Tai Chi Retreats in Johannesburg, and experience this kind of success with us.

To  join your Sifu Leo Low Ming for a complimentary introductory class and be invited to the next tai chi retreat, contact him on 0833780468.

For a weekend we practiced chi gong and tai chi under the pecan nut trees, listening to the arrow marked babblers and African grey hornbills chatter away to each other. A mix of beginners, intermediate and advanced tai chi students from Johannesburg and as far as Cape Town, enjoyed the tranquil property of Melody Hills …

Retreating back to the present moment

Retreating back to the present moment

By Brenda Ryan, Student of tai chi

Retreat (N) ‘An act of moving back or withdrawing’ is what one typically does when wanting to escape… and who among us can say we don’t want or need to escape from time to time?

This past weekend afforded a group of students just such an opportunity. I was fortunate enough to secure a place on the Taiji Retreat with Sifu Leo Ming held in the beautiful, tranquil setting of Melody Hills in Magaliesberg.

Our time there was spent practising the healing art forms of qigong and Taiiji. Reconnecting with Mother Earth, and being present in the moment, truly appreciating the beauty around us that in the course of our daily lives we so often take for granted.. And later, under a beautiful starry sky, we sat around the camp fire, tired but content, and grateful for all the blessings of the day.

On our last day we had the privilege of participating in a gong meditation session with our wonderful host, Tejbir and her lovely dog, Pono.

Our time on retreat was very special.. and it is with a greatful heart that I thank Sifu Leo Ming for bringing me, and I’m sure my fellow students, back to the moment… as Mother Theresa once said:

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.”

 

(Photos courtesy of Brenda Ryan)

To  join your Sifu Leo Low Ming for a complimentary introductory class and be invited to the next tai chi retreat, contact him on 0833780468.

By Brenda Ryan, Student of tai chi Retreat (N) ‘An act of moving back or withdrawing’ is what one typically does when wanting to escape… and who among us can say we don’t want or need to escape from time to time? This past weekend afforded a group of students just such an opportunity. I …

Agility as a Team Building Theme

Agility as a Team Building Theme

When asked by a corporate to help with a team building exercise, or fun and yet informative day, Leo uses tai chi as an analogy to highlight the points needed to work together effectively.

Leo had the opportunity recently to enjoy a day with the team at Fulcrum, which was organised by the advertising company Van Damm.  The MC was Bongani Bingwa and a fellow presenter was Chef Benny Masekwameng, also known as Benny the Chef.

Constitution Hill in Johannesburg was chosen as the venue, as it is a place full of history from our country South Africa, allowing a sense of perspective reminding us of memories of the past and dreams for the future.  When we understand our place in the present from this perspective, we gain a useful vantage point.

The themes from Fulcrum that they were exploring at this corporate event included: excellence, trust, relationship, agility and progress.  Leo focused on sharing thoughts on the agility segment, around how to alter your course without changing your destination.

Using tai chi at the metaphor, and with getting the audience moving and involved in the discussion, Leo shared how knowing yourself is true wisdom.  Strength comes when we can master others, whereas true power is developed when we are mastering ourselves.

“When all the team are moving, practicing a tai chi pose together and moving as a unit, it is a very powerful energy” explains Leo.  “Using tai chi to relax the body, and focus the mind, one can get the best out of your whole unit, as each person is moving as one unit.”

“I enjoyed teaching them the skills and the benefits of having the right base and platform from which to work from.  A base of tranquility, strong focus, and a clear mind to make better decisions.”

To find out how tai chi can be used as a metaphor for your teams growth, contact your Sifu Leo Low Ming, on 0833780468.

When asked by a corporate to help with a team building exercise, or fun and yet informative day, Leo uses tai chi as an analogy to highlight the points needed to work together effectively. Leo had the opportunity recently to enjoy a day with the team at Fulcrum, which was organised by the advertising company …

Employee Engagement Sessions

Employee Engagement Sessions

Everything we do is with and through people, and even more so in the corporate world. It’s the people of organisations that make up the business, and the businesses success is based on how well those individuals are, and also how well they work together towards achieving the common goals of the organisation.

Thus for a productive workforce, we need productive healthy and happy people. And a trend in companies is to bring their staff together in small team buildings, or larger conferences, where they management can recognise the contribution of their people, and also communication the next steps of the business strategy.

A great way to spice these events up to keep employees engaged, is to slow them down!


Leo’s corporate wellness events do just that. He brings an element of inner health to the conference by teaching tai chi principles, like that of flow, and slowing down to gain clarity. As well as offering a team building exercise in that the group together have an experience of the practice of tai chi, developing a common memory to bring them together and build relationships.

Old Mutual offered this recently to their Ace Winners at a Durban in-house conference. Leo enjoyed taking the group through some qigong and tai chi, and brought a nice break and something different to the pace of the work meeting.

Laughs were had, a moment of solace was gained, and staff went into the next session feeling more refreshed.

 

To learn more about adding a tai chi break-away session to your next corporate event, contact your Sifu, Leo Low Ming, on 0833780468.

Everything we do is with and through people, and even more so in the corporate world. It’s the people of organisations that make up the business, and the businesses success is based on how well those individuals are, and also how well they work together towards achieving the common goals of the organisation. Thus for …

October 2017 Tai Chi Retreat near Johannesburg

October 2017 Tai Chi Retreat near Johannesburg

A time of reflection, of going within, of practicing our art of taiji, of restoring our minds and bodies, a time of laughter and friendship and so much more was had at this Octobers Tai Chi Retreat.

Melody hill welcomed us, and fed us with nourishing and o-so-yummy vegetarian food, and kept us warm around a fire at night.

The setting has become our favourite, as the green grass under the walnut trees is a soothing and invigorating space for tai chi classes.

This year we also had the privilege to learn from the psychologist Dr Ken Jennings. He spoke with us about viewing our life through our own personal lenses. He unpacked four lenses for us that are most helpful in helping us to still see the beauty in our lives, even when we are experiencing pain.

Dr Jennings outlined the four lenses into:

  1. The co-operative lense, which explains how the nature of our relationships act as a mirror to help us.
  2. The expansive lense, which is about how we evolve and grow, so that we keep learning and unlearning as we go.
  3. The perfect life lense, which is about acceptance and points to our attitudes of gratitude and appreciation, and…
  4. The random lense, where life throughs us curveballs and it’s our creative responses and ability to embrace change that helps us.

[Read more about this in Dr Jenning’s article here.]

Having gone deeper into the taiji form known as Chen, which we were currently practicing in class, this retreat yet again took our practice to our individual next level, as well as gave us a break from the daily grind of life.

We all enjoyed our time out at Melody Hill, and look forward to the next Retreat in 2018!

A time of reflection, of going within, of practicing our art of taiji, of restoring our minds and bodies, a time of laughter and friendship and so much more was had at this Octobers Tai Chi Retreat. Melody hill welcomed us, and fed us with nourishing and o-so-yummy vegetarian food, and kept us warm around …

Cape Town Wellness taiji workshop with Sifu Leo

Cape Town Wellness taiji workshop with Sifu Leo

Sifu Leo spent a few days in the mother city, Cape Town, running corporate Wellness workshops, about the many beneficial aspects of tai chi for stress relief, and to bring the concept of flow into work, and teach some self-defense techniques.

 

Here are a few clips sharing some of the points covered:

For more info on workshops for your team building or wellness days, contact your Sifu, Leo Low Ming, on 0833780468.

Sifu Leo spent a few days in the mother city, Cape Town, running corporate Wellness workshops, about the many beneficial aspects of tai chi for stress relief, and to bring the concept of flow into work, and teach some self-defense techniques.   Here are a few clips sharing some of the points covered: For more …

Johannesburg Tai Chi Retreats

Johannesburg Tai Chi Retreats

Sifu Leo holds retreats in Johannesburg often, where the focus is on the practice of qigong and taiji, while relaxing and centering oneself in beautiful surroundings, eating wholesome food.

As tai chi practitioner Ashley describes his experience of the retreats:

Push hands exercise demo at Tai Chi RetreatOur Tai Chi retreat is a beautiful way to escape from the demands of everyday life, and experience an uplifting and inspirational weekend cocooned in a lovely setting.

The weekend unfolds in the spirit of Tai Chi – no rush, no deadlines, no bootcamp mentality. Instead, genuine connections with like-minded friends, delicious relaxing meals, philosophical discussions, swimming, gong meditation. Oh, and some Tai Chi too!

I come away feeling grounded and centred, my body supple, my mind clear, and my spirit free.

Retreat Highlights

Sifu also brings new aspects to each retreat, like guest speakers and creative ways to learn about the philosophy of tai chi.

In the most recent retreat in October 2016, Sifu held one of the sessions in the swimming pool, to emphasise the learning of flow and resistance.  It was not only refreshing in the summer heat, but gave students an experience of weightlessness and groundedness at the same time.

Benefits of Tai Chi Retreats

Tai Chi retreats are tailored for the students who participate, and so are for all levels of tai chi, from beginners to advanced.  The focus is on foundation building, on key concepts in tai chi, and on technique.  From this base Sifu builds to the level of the group, including:

  • Beginners get a strong foundation, further getting in touch with themselves and their bodies. Their  left and right hand co-ordination improves; developing more neural muscular signals and helping integrate mind and body.
  • Those with injuries, scoliosis, arthritic conditions benefit from retreats for therapeutic reasons, and the learning the useful exercises.
  • And those more advanced in taiji, improve their body alignment, perfect the foundation skills, aligning their technique with the correct breathing, and gain refinement of their taiji moves, both mentally and physically.

To attend the next Tai Chi Retreat in Johannesburg, see our Events Page or contact your Sifu, Leo Low Ming, on 0833780468.

Sifu Leo holds retreats in Johannesburg often, where the focus is on the practice of qigong and taiji, while relaxing and centering oneself in beautiful surroundings, eating wholesome food. As tai chi practitioner Ashley describes his experience of the retreats: Our Tai Chi retreat is a beautiful way to escape from the demands of everyday life, and …