Tai Chi Chuan is a Chinese martial art based on the principles of softness and relaxation overcoming hardness and tension. In these sessions we will study the Chan Ssu Gong or “Silk Reeling Exercise,” using the principles of softness and relaxation, to build a foundation for our forms and to bring these principles into our daily lives.

The group meets weekly, or sometimes every other week when a “big” book is up for discussion. We read contemporary fiction, and sometimes nonfiction and classics. When possible, we choose books from the Seattle Public Library’s book group list, so we don’t have to purchase all the books we read. First book for Fall is Tender is the Night.

We will savor a mix of poetry that moves us, emphasizing shorter contemporary pieces that we bring to read aloud and share. Poems by American and international writers - some light, some serious - who speak to our love of language and open minds. We enjoy and learn a little about the poets and a lot about life and ourselves along the way in a relaxed, non-academic atmosphere.