Another informative and fun monthly Zoom in the books. Whether you were there or missed it, here is what you need to know. Big Announcements 📣 The SOHMA website is launching imminently with a graduate directory so paid teaching opportunities can flow directly to you. Make sure your profile is up to date. Email Kelly at [email protected] to submit your graduate profile and picture updates. Continuing education credits are now approved for licensed acupuncturists in California (12 CE hours). Chiropractic approval through the PACE program (nationwide) is in its final stage. More to come on physical therapy. California Meetup: August 9th, Heartwell Park 📍 If you are in or near Southern California, this one is for you. I will be out at the park to review forms, give personal feedback, and of course have fun! We will wrap with an informal potluck. Come ready to practice. Community Wins 🌟 Certified Instructors Zola and Odie landed a paid corporate Qigong event that came directly through the SOHMA pipeline and successfully negotiated their rate up before the final agreement. This is exactly what being part of this school makes possible. The opportunities are real, they are coming in, and they go to our certified graduates first. 🌟 Certified Instructor Herbert is in conversations about a city contract in Newark, Delaware covering both adult and youth after-school programming. Ricky is building strong momentum with 15 students per week at the Rec Center and 8 at the YMCA, with a growing Facebook group of 17 members. Melody is averaging 8 students per week and has been invited to launch a senior center program. Rogelio has been cleared as ready to test for certification. 🎓 Key Teaching Reminders 📝 A few things discussed that apply to everyone: When setting your rate, base it on the value of your time including drive time, not on what a rec center typically pays. Your identity and connection with students adds value that goes beyond Tai Chi proficiency alone.

Please join me in extending a global congratulations to our newest School of Healing Martial Arts Certified Graduate, @Luciana Gassi! 🇮🇹✨ This past weekend was incredible with high energy and amazing people from all over Europe in attendance. We started with the final test on Friday, followed by the Tai Chi Master class on Saturday. The day before our big event, Luciana and I met at the stunning, world-famous cliffs and shores of Polignano a Mare in Puglia for her official, in-person practical examination. Moving through the forms with the Adriatic Sea as her backdrop, she demonstrated beautiful alignment, deep grounding, and a true command of the internal arts. The next day, she was officially presented with her credentials as a certified SOHMA Tai Chi Instructor in Bari, Italy, right at the conclusion of the Master Class seminar hosted by Kairopia! Luciana, watching your journey culminate in such a beautiful setting was an honor. Your commitment to the art, your dedication to embodying these healing principles, and your love of sharing as a masterful community organizer shine through. You already are an incredible practitioner and instructor for your students in France, Italy, and beyond. Welcome to the graduate circle, Instructor Luciana! We are all proud of you. Let's leave some love and congratulations for Luciana in the comments below! 👇🎉

Dear SOHMA Community, We have officially landed and settled into the first leg of our European journey! Our family travels went incredibly smoothly, and we are already having a wonderful time exploring and finding inspiration at every turn. Of course, we are keeping our practice alive wherever we go. ☯️😃 We’ve been enjoying practicing Tai Chi in some beautiful places. Check out the photos, including a special one of my daughter practicing Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg on a very small surface area. This was her idea and then her little brother and I had to do it too! 👇 A major highlight of the trip was finally getting to meet the wonderful @Luciana Gassi in person! 🤩 Luciana has been an incredibly warm and gracious hostess. We’ve just wrapped up our first set of classes today and her students have learned so much. We can't wait to share more details once we arrive in Bari, Italy! As we navigate new cities, we can’t help but notice how the core principles of Tai Chi are ever-present throughout our travels. From letting go of a rigid agenda to truly going with the flow and embracing the joy of the moment, the journey itself is a beautiful extension of the practice. Sending you all our best, and we look forward to sharing more updates from Italy soon!

Happy Monday, everyone! Wow. Our Live Session this past Friday was incredible. We had a beautiful mix of brand-new students, seasoned practitioners, and certified graduates tuning in from all corners of the globe, including the US, Europe, and Africa! It is profoundly inspiring to watch our community come together to share real-world teaching breakthroughs, discuss challenges, and support one another in the craft of instructing. Here is a high-level summary of the golden nuggets, breakthroughs, and actionable takeaways from our time together: 💡 Key Teaching Insights & Takeaways - Slowing Down the Mind: Several instructors noted that one of the greatest hurdles for modern students is simply slowing down and quieting a racing mind. We discussed using targeted breathing exercises, walking meditations, and sensory grounding work right at the start of class to help students drop into their bodies before moving. - The "Slow and Steady" Approach: A great question was raised about supporting a 500-lb student looking to reclaim his health. The collective wisdom? Meet students exactly where they are, celebrate their sheer presence at class, and anchor them in the idea that slow and steady wins the race. - Managing Mixed-Level Classrooms: We heard an excellent strategy from our instructor in Zimbabwe, who runs separate beginner tracks but seamlessly integrates new students into main group classes using heavy repetition, clear narration, and pairing up veterans to help guide the newer flows. - Adapting for Seniors & Limited Mobility: We celebrated a beautiful story about a 90-year-old student performing a modified form elegantly.  - Seated Tai Chi: We touched briefly on how the ischial tuberosities (your sit bones) serve as the vital root and foundation for power when a student cannot stand. - Trusting Body Memory: A newer student shared the common challenge of remembering sequence transitions. The veteran instructors on the call reminded all of us to stop trying to intellectualize the form. Tai Chi is built on repetition, relax, let go of the thoughts, and trust your body's muscle memory.

Weekend practice in Long Beach with fellow Instructors. Good times.