T’ai Chi Master Coming to Woodbury

On Sunday, March 4, New Zealander Ed Ware will lead a workshop and introduction to T’ai Chi Wu Style Double Edge Sword Form.

Longtime Woodbury resident and T’ai Chi/Chi Gung teacher Lynn Mayo will host the workshop at the from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 4.

A follow-up workshop will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 24, at the Barn Club.

The cost of the one-day workshop is $100 for the entire day or $80 for the morning session only. The follow-up workshop is $60. Organizers urge early registration, as class size is limited.

About Lynn Mayo

As a young professional in New York more than 20 years ago, Mayo was seeking a way to exercise without stress or negative impact on her body. She found that yoga and T’ai Chi fit the bill.

Mayo studied T’ai Chi Chuan, as it is formally known, with Sophia Delza at her Carnegie Hall studio.

With her background as a dancer, Delza discovered the ancient practice of T’ai Chi was a natural outgrowth of her art.

When Delza died in 1996, Lynn continued her study of T’a Chi forms with Master Edward Ware and added the practices of Chi Gung (brief warm up exercises), Bagua (fast moving circular walking exercise), Energy Gates (balancing and centering), and T’ai Chi Swords to her skills.

Mayo has brought her skills as a teacher to the and to . She also maintains a teaching schedule in New York City.

"I love the work because I can practice anywhere," said Mayo. "I don’t need any fancy equipment or weights, just a quiet corner, indoors or out. It makes the discipline of exercise fun and interesting. There’s always more to learn, it’s never boring, and there’s a special energy you get from studying or practicing in a group."

The workshop will focus on the Double Edge Sword Form with its martial techniques and its emphasis on refined twisting and spiraling. The course will concentrate on issues of health, vitality, mental focus, and other aspects of T’ai Chi.

"The sword form has given me the kind of energy I felt when I was a teenager," said Mayo. "It’s fun and really gets the juices flowing. Even absolute beginners can benefit from this workshop because Mr. Ware’s unique teaching skills allow immediate understanding of this exercise that embodies thousands of years of experience."

The morning session of the workshop will be spent working on the foundational aspects of the Sword Form, such as connecting the Yin and Yang parts of the body, rooting and connecting to the earth, handling the sword, exploring it's relationship to the body and the beginning of the form.

In the afternoon, the course will continue with the more detailed process of actually learning the structures of the Sword Form and how to thread them together into a seamless whole.

The workshop offers an unusual opportunity to access a body of Tai Chi knowledge that is not readily available and to do so in an energizing and supportive environment, according to the press release.

About Edward Ware

Master Teacher Edward Ware has being practicing and teaching Taoist Philosophy and martial arts for more than 25 years. He studied extensively in New Zealand, United States, Canada and China. After graduating and amassing sufficient experience, he co-founded Vita Arts and continues to teach in New York, Barcelona, and Brazil.

Mayo will follow up the workshop with an ongoing series of weekly classes so those who attend can confidently develop a stable practice. The Sunday afternoon classes are from 3 to 4 p.m. and the Tuesday evening classes are from 5:30 to 6 p.m. All classes are $60 for a series of four.

Those interested in signing up for Mayo's classes may call Mayo at 203-586-9020 or e-mail TaiChiMayo@gmail.com.