He practiced external martial arts for many years as a teenager and into his early twenties but wanted to learn something that included a strong healing and meditative aspect. This led him to Tai Chi and the Master Ding Academy. At first, the basic gentle exercises – such as simply standing and meditating and slow smooth movements – seemed too simple and easy, however he gradually learned that there is great depth in those movements and postures.
“I found it very interesting the way we do partner work with others, trying to merge and work with their energy rather than confronting or trying to force things. I struggled with that idea for a while as I was coming from a hard martial arts background. Ultimately I discovered that this softness was the key to using Tai Chi for self-healing and even self-defence.” – Mark BradyMark finds Tai Chi excellent for relaxation of the Body and Mind, and the standing meditation and movements strengthened his legs to such an extent that persistent problems with his knees disappeared.
Mark felt that he wanted to share what he learned with others and had heard instructors say many times that teaching something was also one of the best ways to learn. So he trained as an instructor under the tutelage of Master John Ding (profile below). Now, as an instructor, he has felt his confidence grow as he has become able to demonstrate and pass on the various elements of Tai Chi.
- The Master Ding Academy has been operating in Ireland since 1993 and has a team of instructors: five in Cork, five in Dublin and one in Maynooth. It is now introducing its first ever Open Instructor Training Programme for those outside the organisation who wish to develop/teach Tai Chi: https://masterdingacademy.com/
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2. Profile of Master John Ding, 6th Generation Traditional Yang Style Lineage Holder: Master Ding Teah Chean (John Ding) has accumulated vast experience and understanding of internal and external Kung Fu systems through a lifelong study of martial arts. Master Ding has been coming to Ireland for over 30 years to nurture the development of Tai Chi Instructors and students. Click for full profile: http://www.