Write a commentWith the stress in the world today, it has come to my attention that we need to de-stress.
According to the Mayo Clinic, stress can cause anxiety, depression, digestive problems, headaches, muscle tension, pain, weight gain, sleep problems, memory issues, trouble focusing, heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, and stroke. Those are some serious side effects of something that may be managed with simple activities- one of which may be Tai Chi.
Tai Chi translates to “meditation in motion”. It is an ancient Chinese medicine practice that helps the body and mind to slow down. In fact, students of Tai Chi state that the slower you are, the better the results. Susan Mayer is a Tai Chi instructor who leads classes at the Fulton YMCA and at the Fulton Public Library. She says, “Let the force be with you is a pretty true statement. Energy is all around you.” She explained that connecting with the energy around you can heal you. Your slow movements and slow breathing relax the body- calming both the body and the mind.
Mayer teaches on the lawn of the library, weather permitting, or in the children’s room of the library a few Saturday mornings a month. She has over 20 years of experience teaching physical fitness classes such as yoga, tai chi, and zoomba. Some she teaches at the YMCA Fulton branch. On the Fulton Library Facebook page, you can find 52 classes that she taught virtually during the pandemic for fitness at home. Her next free classes are outside at the library on August 3 and August 10 at 11:30 am. If the weather is not cooperating, class will be cancelled. For future dates look at the Fulton Library calendar at https://fultonpubliclibrary.org/my-calendar/ . To inquire about other classes taught at the YMCA, go to https://fultonymca.org/index.cfm/schedules/ to find a time that is set for you. And let’s de-stress together!
