Hello Mind-Body Students.

This month I am sharing
the article I wrote for
The Journal of the
Tai Chi Union
for Great Britain.
*Enjoy!*

External & Internal Tai Chi Movements for Cancer Patients

I started practicing Kung Fu, Tai Chi and Chi Kung when I was 15 years old, in Jerusalem Israel in the mid-1970s. It was for medical reasons. My stomach was hurting, my lower back and neck were tight and stiff and I was constantly in pain. On top of that I had recurring sinus infections and with that regular migraines. I had all those health issues even though I was one of the top athletes in town. I was faster than most people when it came to physical reactions and reflexes, a great 5k runner and one of the best high jumpers in town (I was jumping a meter eighty four).

My mother and I tried every western option that was available and eventually we ended up going to the only eastern healer in town, Samuel, who at the time, was considered by many a witch doctor.

On my first visit Samuel looked at me and did a few tests which were very physical, not like your typical western doctor. After 20 minutes he told me that he could help my back and my neck. He explained to me that since I had grown really fast I developed skeletal-muscular issues and that I was stiff – very stiff – but he could help me. Through muscular manipulations and stretching on a massage table within 10 treatments my neck and back were much better.

He said that the two other problems, the stomach and the migraines, were harder to solve and he recommended that I go and see his friend who teaches Tai Chi in the park. He told me that his friend Tzvi Weisberg could give me the tools I needed to solve my other problems.

Later in life I realized and came to strongly believe that sports and hobbies are great and benefit your health but there are philosophies such as Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Yoga which are complete approaches for both health and martial arts. These philosophies cover all 5 pillars or building blocks of our being: body, breath, mind, energy and spirit and are the real way to deal with health issues verses just physical hobbies and sports.

The eastern Philosophies are also a great support for sports and physical hobbies; they will help you perform better both physically and mentally and also prevent injuries and help you recover faster from injuries but you need to find a good teacher. I was lucky to find one which makes me think of the Chinese proverb: “It may take you 10 years to become a master but it can take you 30 years to find a good one.”

I took Samuel’s advice and found Tzvi who I practiced with for about 5 years - some Kung Fu, some Tai Chi and a lot of Zen meditation - 45 minutes sitting in Seza (sitting on your knees) before and after a 3 hour practice, 5 times a week. Within two years my migraines went away, my stomach was better and I stopped getting the sinus infections and the typical cold that other kids and adults got. I loved the Zen sitting, the Kung Fu and Tai Chi so much that I decided to look for a master who could teach me the eastern philosophies to their deepest levels.

After reading Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu by master Yang, Jwing-Ming I saved some money (about $1200) and came to Boston to study and practice with him. That was in 1983.

I practiced with Master Yang for about 30 years. I practiced in Boston and also traveled with him all over the US. I practiced 6 days a week for about 10 hours a day. After a few years I started teaching in master Yang’s schools: YMAA. I taught adult and kids Kung Fu classes. I also taught Tai Chi, Pushing Hands, Tai Chi Saber as well as Narrow Blade Sword, at first under his supervision and then on my own, but always with his excellent guidance. I won gold medals in the US as well as in China in many different categories of martial arts and their weapons. Check out my YouTube channel as well as my martial resume.

Over time I traveled and taught at YMAA schools all over the world such as in Poland and for 5 months in Paris, France. I also had the opportunity to appear in many of Dr Yang’s books and DVDs and over time wrote my own two books - Sunrise and Sunset Tai Chi and produced my own DVDs - Sunrise and Sunset Tai Chi and a Tai Chi Pushing Hands DVD called Tai Chi Energy Patterns.

I learned and practiced both the external and the internal martial arts as well as hard and soft Chi Kung, sitting and standing meditations and Chi Kung massage. In the external martial arts I learned and practiced Kung Fu Long Fist, White Crane, Chin Na, and some Praying Mantis. I practiced weapons such as Staff, Shaolin Saber, Two Short Rods, Knife, Spear, Guandao or Ti Dau and Shaolin Narrow Sword.

In the internal martial arts I learned and practiced Chi Kung, Tai Chi, Yang style Tai Chi, Pushing Hands as well as Tai Chi staff, Tai Chi Saber and my favorite, Tai Chi sword. Over time I learned and practiced with Master Yang’s martial brother Liang Shouyu who taught me other different styles of Chi Kung, Xing Yi and baguazhang as well as Deer Hooks. At the same time I studied and practiced B.K.S Iyengar Yoga with Patricia Walden.

10 years into my training Master Yang encouraged me to start using my knowledge for more than martial arts. He could see that I had a gift for helping people with health issues. Teaching martial arts was great but there was not much of a career path in the martial world. I needed to think about a steady income since I was starting a family. I started to apply my knowledge and practice to the field of healing. Very quickly I realized that most people are not interested in the deep knowledge I have to offer except for the ones diagnosed with Cancer. Within a few years working with people diagnosed with Cancer become my passion. My passion for helping people with Cancer lead me in 1998 to find a teaching position at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Ever since, I have been working with cancer patients at Dana Farber using my knowledge of the eastern health and martial arts philosophies Tai Chi, Chi Kung and Yoga to complement a western approach to treatment. The mind body exercises I teach at Dana Farber or the interventions I design for scientific research need to be modified and specially tailored for different limitations and physical conditions which continues to motivate, reward and challenge me to keep adapting the eastern art philosophies to help as many people with cancer and other health issues as possible.

In the next blog I will share more of the article which demonstrate a couple of Tai Chi movements with breathing and meditation techniques that I teach to achieve deep levels of relaxation. These techniques can be helpful for anyone, especially people being diagnosed and going through the treatment of Cancer.

Happy Stretching, Deep Breathing, Empty your Mind, Strengthen your Energetic System & Evoke your Spirit!

Ramel Rones (Rami)