It is my pleasure and privilege to offer a carefully selected range of courses,  based upon proven traditional systems, designed to  fit your lifestyle and provide an accessible and progressive  way of discovering  the  benefits of internal alchemy  for yourself.

 Each course has been carefully designed to develop essential skills, knowledge, and understanding, appropriate to its level. I have chosen subjects that can be continued through self study supported by excellent learning aides, through membership of a local club, or simply by attending a residential course at the next level.

  Whichever course you choose you can be sure it will be delivered with the attention to detail  it deserves, and the personal attention you deserve.

•    Understanding and using Yin Yang theory
•    The principle of `Wu Wei´in practice
  
•    Understanding `Inward Looking´ 
•    Using Chi not strength
•    Achieving Silk Reeling Energy                                                                               

Classical Equitation? What’s that got to do with Internal Arts?

Many years ago, when not training in the internal arts, my life revolved around horses, English thoroughbreds to be precise. Meeting Gloria introduced me to the fascinating Lusitano breed, and classical riding, and revived my interest in horses, it is in part why we moved to Portugal.

If one examines the `Tai Chi Chuan Classics´ and the works of such luminaries of equestrianism as Nuno Oliveira, it soon becomes apparent that both disciplines exhort the development of similar skills from their
practitioners. Phrases such as “using lightness” and “moving from the centre” are common to both, while the ”independent seat” of the classical rider is not so far removed from the Tai Chi practitioner’s
caveat of “let the waist turn like a millstone” all require a finely developed kinesthetic awareness, and the ability to move the body-parts independently, yet with full coordination.. Perhaps over and above all this is the need for an independent, observant yet calm mind, lively enough to respond to the changing emotions of both self and partner, empathically, and maintain focus on the training goal.

I designed the Qigong for Classical Equitation programme for a number of reasons

• To explore the similar qualities in personal development in the higher levels of Classical Riding, and the higher levels of Internal Martial Arts.
• To benefit classical riders by providing a customised programme that develops the key elements of fitness (strength, stamina, flexibility) bodily awareness, and a concentrated, alert yet calm mindset, without requiring extensive time in non riding activities.
• To inform those who practice the higher levels of Internal Martial Arts of the opportunity to challenge themselves with a different form of bio-feedback through Classical Riding.

Qigong (pronounced Chee Kung) has a documented history of more than three thousand years, with extracts from the Yellow Emperors Classic of Internal Medicine often being cited as an early written source. There are branches of Qigong (also spelt Chi Gong or Chi Kung) that address martial, spiritual and health aspects and that are drawn from Buddhist, Taoist, and other sources. Whilst practice of many styles of Qigong is beneficial, some forms are largely `external´, in other words address primarily the physical aspect of training, some are solely `internal´ meaning they concern themselves with development of the higher (spiritual?) self. The methods I have incorporated in the Qigong for Classical Equitation programme are drawn from the highly developed `Internal Martial Arts´ and therefore address all aspects simultaneously.

Once the basic skills are acquired; it is a comparatively short programme of daily practise, therefore leaving more time for the essential riding practice, for which you are both physically and mentally prepared.

If this programme proves to be of interest to you, please use the `Contact Us´ button on the home or links pages, to email us about your booking enquiry.