Last summer's inaugural Big Sky Tai Chi Retreat in the Black Mt Hills of eastern Wyoming was a resounding success. Of course, that’s just my opinion. You can read comment volunteered by others about their BSTCR experience and also view photos from last summer’s event by visiting
www.jfkungfu.com.
Retreat Info
I’ve already confirmed the use of our Eden-esc facility, Ranch A, for next summer. Mark your calendars for Aug 6-13, 2007.
Ranch A (not the most cowboy-like name for a ranch), actually turns out to be a perfect location. Even before our arrival at the ranch itself, just driving the several miles down Sand Creek Canyon road, with an exposed geology (part of the Minnelusa Formation dating back 360 million yrs), with deer bounding about and flocks of wild turkeys visible along the roadside, a feeling of wonder and timelessness begins to set in. The ranch itself, nestled amongst towering hills and cliffs, is majestic with lawns that look to have been manicured just for our Tai Chi purposes.
For those who missed out last summer’s event, our curriculum, ostensibly, covered the first 3rd or so of the traditional 108 move Yang form. I say ‘ostensibly’ because the number of moves covered was quite secondary to our in-depth exploration of Tai Chi’s most defining principles. The moves of the form simply served as a pretext for a much deeper Tai Chi experience. Last summer’s participants ranged from Novice to Teacher level. Regardless of level, all left feeling themselves much improved at Tai Chi. Our 2007 curriculum will entail reviewing and refining what we learned last summer, and then proceeding from there with a double curriculum. We will continue on learning additional moves to the 108 Move Tai Chi Form, again with an eye to in-depth details and applied principles. In addition to the 108 Form, I will teach attendees the first part of the Tai Chi Broadsword Form, a much rarer set than the Tai Chi Gim. Students can bring their own sword or make arrangements in advance to purchase a sword at the Retreat. I carry very good quality spring-steel broadswords for anyone who needs a sword.
What If You Missed Last Summer’s Retreat?
No problem. If you’re already experienced at Tai Chi, you can join in next summer and get ‘caught up’. If you’re less experienced you’ll pick up from last summer’s curriculum what you can and ease into our process-oriented approach according to your own ability.
Our Basic Plan
Everything went so well last summer that our ‘basic plan’ will remain the same. Big Sky Tai Chi Retreat is an opportunity for you to sink back for a week of very focused, very intensive training with fellow Tai Chi students and teachers who, like yourself, are committed to getting the very most from their practice. This will be an opportunity for you to fully immerse yourself in Tai Chi and explore what-all its implications are for truly enhancing your life on all levels.
As my particular understandings of Tai Chi and teaching methodologies have disseminated far and wide via my books and magazine articles, and now my recent DVD, quite a number of Tai Chi’ers have asked for just such an opportunity as this. Ranch A presents an ideal venue to offer a week of Tai Chi immersion studies in an awe-inspiring location. It is the perfect setting for Tai Chi with good feng shui - great weather and strong but mellow environmental energy - plus good earth ethics. I’ll tell you more about the venue I’ve chosen shortly.
First though, a bit more about our curriculum, one designed to help you get more, lots more, out of whatever Tai Chi you practice. Each day of our retreat will start with early morning body-opening and Chi Kung practice, followed by time off for breakfast and settling in. During the day we’ll meet for two 2-hour training sessions, morning and late afternoon. In between training sessions you’ll have ample free time to rest, reflect on and practice all you’ve learned, explore/ hike the local trails, or engage in lively Tai Chi discussions with fellow attendees from around the country. Our basis for training will be a traditional Yang form, We will approach it in a way that emphasizes Tai Chi’s deepest and most natural connections... no matter if you already practice a different form or style, this study will enrich your understanding of Tai Chi at its core. Throughout the week there will be lots of opportunity for personalized attention. My promise to those who attend is that you will emerge from your week of training with a better understanding of Tai Chi’s nuances and a fresh perspective on how Tai Chi can help you to optimize your own human potential. You’ll finish up your Tai Chi retreat week considerably more knowledgeable and self-aware than where you started (see testimonials from last summer’s attendees).
Most evenings will be designated for structured activities, including discussions about Tai Chi principles, 2 person practices, how to live your Tai Chi in a manner that is congruent with the values intrinsic to Tai Chi, and more. I’ll also introduce instruction in Hanna Somatics bodywork exercises to enhance your proprioceptive literacy (this was very popular last summer). These unique exercises will provide you a means by which you will find relief and release from habituated and amnesiac muscle patterns wherever they might be hiding in your body. It is exactly the patterns of stuckness addressed by these exercises which prevent most people from advancing beyond a certain level of skill with their own Tai Chi.
Now more on our venue.
Our retreat will be held at an expansive ranch setting in beautiful Sand Creek Canyon in the Northern Black Hills of eastern Wyoming. That’s Big Sky country. The ranch is situated on 600 acres of pristine land, which includes a blue-ribbon trout stream, and is in proximity to Deadwood, Devil’s Tower National Monument, Spearfish Canyon, and the Vore Buffalo Jump. The main ranch house, built during the 1930’s, was constructed of massive pine timbers by the finest woodworkers and artisans of the day. It has comfortable accommodations for 75+ people and a large indoor common room. Excepting the caretakers and our chef, we’ll have the place all to ourselves. The grounds outside the ranch house include 5 acres of mowed lawns, perfect for our daily Tai Chi practice. Accommodations are multiple occupancy with shared baths and single beds. I am unable to guarantee private rooms for couples, but anyone opting for privacy is welcome to bring a tent and sleep out amongst the bears (just kidding about bears).
Our retreat will be held from Aug 6 - 13, 2007. The cost for retreat attendees is $1000 pp, with savings up to $100 for those who register early. The fee includes all training and accommodations, plus 3 healthy gourmet meals/day. Not included are airfare, transportation to and from the airport (though we’ll be offering scheduled pickups/drop-offs for folks flying in/out), local travel, and meals off site.
What to do now...
Your skill level or experience at Tai Chi is less important than your enthusiasm and a desire to learn. Part of my teaching philosophy is that people move at their own pace and learn what they’re ready to learn when they’re ready to learn it. Our training will be serious (fun serious, not stern serious), but open to different levels of experience.
I am now accepting registrations. Free to pass this along to other Tai Chi enthusiasts you know who may be interested.
Best Tai Chi regards,
John Loupos
Your host and teacher for this event...
Sifu John Loupos, M.S. Psych, is the owner/ founder of Jade Forest Kung Fu/ Tai Chi/ Internal Arts. John has been teaching martial arts since 1968 and practicing Tai Chi since 1975. His internal arts experience covers a wide spectrum. He is also trained in Classical Homeopathy and Hanna Somatics (in which he maintains a private clinical practice). He is the author of “Inside Tai Chi...”, “Exploring Tai Chi...” and “Tai Chi Connections...”, and of the recently released, “Advancing Your Tai Chi” DVD. His articles have appeared in Taijiquan Journal, Inside Kung Fu magazine, and the Journal of Asian Martial Arts. John has also been a featured presenter at the 2005/ 06 Zhang San Feng Festivals and other venues.
John is guided in his role as a Tai Chi teacher by his beliefs that:
- Tai Chi Chuan can be more than something we do, rather it can become an indelible part of who we are,...
- The essential principles of Tai Chi are universal, regardless of the style,...
- Tai Chi is a mind/body discipline that can help us optimize our human potential as ‘self-masters’,... and
- Tai Chi should be as much fun as it is work.
Hope you’ll be able to join us.
Additional event information
To help you plan well ahead, attendees should arrange travel plans to arrive at our retreat location (the Ranch A Education Center lodge - details to follow on registration) between noon - 6 pm on Mon, 8/6/07. Departure will be the following Mon morning, 8/13/07, after early morning workout and breakfast. If flying, your flight destination will be Rapid City Airport. Please note that the airlines serving Rapid City are American, Skywest/Delta, Frontier, Great Lakes, Northwest/KLM, and United. Ranch A is an easy and scenic 1 hour drive from the airport. Some of my students in Rapid City will be offering courtesy shuttles between the airport and ranch. On the in-trip, there will be two shuttle trips (at least), one leaving RC early/mid-afternoon and a second one departing later in the afternoon. Once registrants have provided me with their flight info we’ll do our best to plan shuttles around arrival and departure times. Cars can be rented at the airport, or if you prefer to pool on a rented car with other attendees let me know and I will try to put like-minded people together. Once you are confirmed registered, or for anyone arriving late or preferring to make their own transportation arrangements, driving directions/maps will be made available, as well local cell phone’s for our shuttle drivers. Please let me know your preference on this no later than 5/1/07.
I am now accepting reservations for the Big Sky Tai Chi Retreat.
Fees are as follows:
Payments
- Payment by or before: 12/1/06 @ $900
- after 12/1 but before: 2/15/07 @ $950
- Payment rec. after 2/15/07 @ $1000
Cancellations/refunds
- by - 4/15/07 100% less $50
- before: 7/15/07 50%
- Cancellations after: 7/15/07 no refund
Instructor’s note: In response to several inquiries, if you are an Instructor wanting to bring students of your own to this retreat you are eligible for an additional discount. For each of your students who prepays by 6/1/07 (space permitting) you will receive a rebate in the amount of $50, to be administered at the retreat.
To register you may send payment in full at this time or a deposit to hold your space. Applicable discounts apply according to discount deadlines. Checks may be made out to Jade Forest. Mail to:
Jade Forest,
130 King St,
Cohasset, MA 02025
Once you are registered I will notify you to confirm your space. Further information will be sent out to help you prepare for a successful event.
I don’t think I could have been more pleased with last summer’s Big Sky Tai Chi retreat. Our 2007 retreat is already shaping up to be a memorable and unique experience for all who attend.
Best regards, John Loupos
