Tai Chi Berkeley

Lenzie Williams, tai chi instructor (& student of Laoshi Lo Pang Jeng –Mr. Ben Lo for 3 decades) is outstanding. He practices/​teaches and embodies tai chi. While the studio, one among many within this complex (8^th & Dwight), needs a paint job & some clutter busting, I suspect its unkempt nature filters out those of us only attracted to shiny surfaces. You can study tai chi all over the bay area, but Lenzie Williams is authentic. After my 1^st class I looked for youtube videos so I could practice what I’d just learned. But, as Lenzie predicted: I found that youtube didn’t deliver. This lineage isn’t just about physical movement, though neither is there any dogma expressed. It begins from within and then gets expressed in beautiful movements– a slow, yet powerful dance. Learning this kind of path from a video is akin to eating a rich, gently –tended-​all-​day broth with a plastic fork. If you want to learn tai chi, why not go straight to the real deal: Lenzie Williams?

I have been studying tai chi for more than four years with Lenzie Williams and his student Jane Sharp. Tai Chi turns out to be surprisingly challenging. And if the number of returning students of Mr. Williams are any indication, it is still challenging after 15 +years. Tai chi moves very slowly yet it proves to me again and again that it is a really good workout. I like the philosophy of tai chi which is taught as a part of the movement instruction. Somehow I have taken some of the tai chi philosophy and applied it in my work life. And my husband points out that since I started regular tai chi practice, I have gotten no colds. Instructor Lenzie Williams says of his work: «This school represents an environment where people are carefully taught the important basics and fundamentals of the art, then are encouraged and supported in working at whatever level and pace they choose».
You have to learn tai chi from the beginning and in a certain sequence, so check out the web site to learn when the next sessions begin.