Alamogordo members celebrate World Tai Chi Day
International World Tai Chi Day falls on Saturday, April 27 this year and Bry's Lunchbox at 143 South New York Avenue will host the first ever city event to celebrate the martial art.
The event begins at 9:30 a.m. and will run until noon. Members of Raymond Abeyta's Tai Chi class will be present with traditional Chinese garments.
There will be light refreshments and snacks provided by Bry's Lunchbox.
"Over 80 countries and 100 of cities worldwide celebrate this event now for over 20 years," Abeyta, an Alamogordo Tai Chi teacher, said. "The day is celebrated all over the world, picture a wave in a football stadium except all over the world beginning at 10 a.m."
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Abeyta said it is a great experience when likeminded people can celebrate an art form not everyone can appreciate. Abeyta has a Tai Chi school and teaches at his studio at 912 North Florida Avenue. He said a new Tai Chi class will begin May 1.
Tai Chi can be practiced by all ages, but Abeyta said most of his students are older people. Abyeta has been practicing Tai Chi for over 50 years.
"I have students of all ages but older ones too that practice this for health purposes. I have a student who had spine issues and I couldn't touch him without causing him pain, now I can launch him across the room because he's been practicing Tai Chi," Abeyta said jokingly.
He said the health benefits include better breathing, lowering blood pressure and maintaining a healthy mental state. Abeyta said the martial art is not only used to fight but is also used to remedy altercations.
"The sport is usually practiced as a martial art, but you can use it to calm a person, and yourself down," he said. "It's also about communicating the energy and chi in your body."
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Bryan "Bry" Martinez, a two-year Tai Chi student and owner of Bry's Lunchbox, said Tai Chi has overall improved his health. Martinez said before practicing the martial art, he had spinal problems, foot pain and posture issues but within months of Tai Chi, this was all addressed.
"The first benefit that I got was just improved posture. I am 52 years old, and I have had posture issues most of my life but with his spinal stretches helped. The first thing he teaches you is how to stand using the principle of the three nails which improves your balance."
Martinez said he had a foot pain due to Plantar Fasciitis but Tai Chi cured it. Plantar Fasciitis causes pain in or around the arch of your foot.
While practicing Tai Chi, Martinez could not help but notice his pain go away.
"Just my posture, my joint pain has improved a lot and the meditation and just the way Tai Chi teaches you how to move your body, just, you can do all that and still defend yourself because it's a martial art," Martinez said.
Martinez said he is eager for people to check out what Tai Chi is really about, "it's not just karate in slow motion," he said.
You can learn more about International Tai Chi Day and Abeyta's classes at the following website, sacramentochi.com.
Juan Corral can be reached at JCorral@gannett.com or on twitter at @Juan36Corr.
This article originally appeared on Alamogordo Daily News: International World Tai Chi Day celebrated in Alamogordo on April 27
