Tai Chi Clermont

09/02/2026

💚 September is Pain Awareness Month 💚

One of the most important things to remember about chronic pain is that we often cannot see it.

Someone may be smiling, working, exercising, taking care of their family, or even standing next to us in Tai Chi class…and we may have absolutely no idea what they are experiencing.

That’s why we should never assume we know what another person’s body feels like. Kindness, patience and compassion matter. 💚

For those living with chronic pain, there may not be one single answer. Instead, managing it often means building a toolbox 🧰 working with our healthcare providers and finding different strategies that help support our overall well-being.

For me, Tai Chi & Qigong are two of those tools. ☯️

And there is research behind these practices.

❤️ Harvard Health reports that Tai Chi may be helpful for a number of chronic pain conditions, including arthritis and fibromyalgia.
🧡Research has found improvements in areas such as pain, physical function, strength, balance, mood and quality of life in certain populations.
🩵Tai Chi combines gentle movement with breathing, body awareness and focused attention, which is one reason it can be such a unique mind-body practice.

💗Research specifically involving people with fibromyalgia has also been encouraging. Harvard Health discussed a randomized trial of 226 adults in which Tai Chi produced meaningful improvements in fibromyalgia symptoms and several measures of well-being. Importantly, that doesn’t mean Tai Chi is a cure, or that everyone will have the same experience.

It is one tool in the toolbox. 🧰💚

A tool we can pull from to help us move gently, breathe, maintain mobility and balance, quiet the mind, manage stress and reconnect with our bodies.

And that philosophy is a big part of how I teach.

If you’ve taken one of my classes, you’ve probably heard me say:

🙌Listen to YOUR body.

Your Tai Chi doesn’t have to look exactly like mine…or anyone else’s.

Modify when you need to.
Make the movement smaller.
Use a chair.
Rest when your body asks you to rest.
Breathe.
And honor the body you brought to class that day.

☯️ I’ve practiced Tai Chi for more than 20 years, and it has become an important part of my own overall wellness toolbox. There are even times while I’m practicing, and especially while I’m teaching and sharing Tai Chi with others, when everything else seems to fade into the background. I’m simply moving, breathing and present.

That doesn’t mean that my chronic pain has magically disappeared. It means that, for a little while, it doesn’t have to occupy center stage. 💚

Perhaps that’s one of the beautiful things about these practices.

The goal doesn’t always have to be to fix something.

Sometimes it’s about discovering tools that help us move, adapt, breathe and live more fully.

This Pain Awareness Month, let’s bring greater awareness to the pain we can’t see, and greater compassion to the person carrying it.

💚 One breath. One step. One day at a time.

☯️ Move. Breathe. Flow.

Want to learn more? ☯️
If you’re curious about Tai Chi & Qigong and how these gentle mind-body practices might become another tool in your wellness toolbox, I invite you to learn more about my classes and community programs at Tai Chi Clermont.

Explore www.TaiChiClermont.com classes⁠

And for those who like to dig into the research (you know I do! 😊), you can also read more about Tai Chi and chronic pain from Harvard Health:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/integrative-therapies/tai-chi-and-chronic-pain

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/aerobic-exercise-or-tai-chi-for-fibromyalgia-which-is-better-2018043013744

08/28/2026

☯️ “Progress happens while you’re not looking.”

I absolutely loved this reflection from Pete, one of the participants in our recent 6-week Evening Tai Chi session. ❤️

🍂🍁As we get ready for our Fall classes, I thought I would share some of the wonderful words my students shared about their own Tai Chi journeys.

From P.F.:

“I had been wanting to begin my Tai Chi journey for so long, but the right opportunity just had never presented itself. The six-week course offered by Sifu Sonya Dumas was the perfect solution. Relaxed, accessible, and convenient, and taught in a friendly, casual, and supportive manner, the course was the perfect introduction to what I hope will be a lifelong pursuit.

Progress happens while you’re not looking, and even though it seemed at times that I was only taking small steps forward, by the end of the course, looking back, it was very easy to see just how far I had come in so little time, thanks to practice and Sifu Sonya’s gentle instruction.

The real key is to ignore the initial fears that you look like a robot or stick person as you start your Tai Chi journey. Graceful movements don’t come easily for me. 😅 But we learned how important it is to move slowly and with intention, as though through water, moved by the tides, but rooted to the ocean floor, and soon the movements become more fluid and graceful.”

❤️ I think Pete captured something that every Tai Chi student eventually discovers: you don’t have to be perfect—you just have to keep showing up.

🙌Practice. Patience. Perseverance.

And sometimes, while we’re busy wondering whether we’re getting it right…progress is happening. ☯️

🪴Our Tai Chi community continues to grow! This week, our morning classes had 31 participants on Tuesday and 28 on Thursday. Our Florida Blue Tuesday class was around 15 and reached capacity. I am so grateful to see so many people discovering or continuing their Tai Chi journey with us. 💚

🍂 Our Fall Evening Tai Chi classes begin in mid-October, and registration is NOW OPEN!
City of Clermont Government
Clermont Parks & Recreation Center

Whether you’re ready to begin your Tai Chi journey or continue going deeper into the form and principles, I would love to have you join us.

Space is limited, so don’t wait too long! 😊

Visit TaiChiClermont.com for class details and registration. See the flyer below.

The journey begins with one step. ☯️




Tai Chi for Health
Silver Sneakers Group Fitness
Sonya Dumas

08/27/2026

THIS is exciting!! ☯️💚

For years, I’ve told my students that Tai Chi is so much more than simply learning a series of slow movements. We are training balance, mobility, strength, awareness, breathing, the mind-body connection, and how we move through everyday life.

And the research just keeps getting stronger. 🙌

A newly published, large-scale review examined evidence from 1,744 randomized controlled trials involving traditional Chinese exercises including Tai Chi and Qigong.

Among the findings were benefits for:

☯️ Physical function and movement
☯️ Chronic musculoskeletal pain and stiffness
☯️ Mental well-being
☯️ Sleep quality
☯️ Bone mineral density
☯️ Healthy aging and functional ability

But one part especially caught my attention:

💪Consistency matters.

The greatest benefits were seen when people practiced for longer than six months and practiced regularly throughout the week.

Sound familiar, my students? 😉❤️

✅Practice. Patience. Perseverance.

This is exactly why I encourage you not to think of Tai Chi as something we only “do in class.” The real magic happens when the principles begin following us OUT of class, how we stand, step, breathe, balance, respond to stress, and move through our daily lives.

Ancient art.
Modern research.
And a practice that continues to teach us throughout a lifetime. ☯️

I am so excited to see research like this continuing to validate why Tai Chi and Qigong deserve a place in conversations about wellness, rehabilitation, healthy aging, and lifelong movement.

Movement is Medicine. 💚

Take a few minutes and read the article, I think you’ll understand why I’m so excited about this one! 👇

Read the Guardian article: “Largest review of its kind confirms benefits of tai chi and other Chinese exercises” https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/aug/24/largest-review-of-its-kind-confirms-benefits-of-tai-chi-and-other-chinese-exercises

08/20/2026

What a GREAT week of Tai Chi! ☯️❤️

It has been a busy couple of weeks! Last week I taught 8 Tai Chi classes AND we wrapped up our six-week evening sessions. Whew! 😅☯️

This week, I’m teaching 5 classes, and our Tai Chi community just keeps showing up! ❤️

At our morning classes, we had 21 join us Tuesday and 28 today, 49 people moving, breathing, learning, laughing, and sharing Tai Chi together this week. 🙏

At the end of class today, I told everyone, “Okay…go into your favorite Tai Chi movement!” And this was the result! 😂 I love it!

💗One of my favorite things about teaching isn’t just watching people learn the movements. It’s watching a community grow.

🙌✅Some are brand new to Tai Chi. Some have been practicing with me for years. Everyone’s journey looks a little different, and that’s exactly how it should be.

We practice.
We laugh.
We occasionally forget which foot is supposed to move. 😂
We try again.

☯️Practice • Patience • Perseverance.☮️

Thank you to everyone who comes to class, keeps showing up, keeps learning, and brings your own wonderful energy with you. You are what makes our Tai Chi Clermont community so special. 💚☯️

And, of course, around here when we take a group photo, we don’t say “CHEESE!” 📸😂

We say…

“TAI CHI!!!” ☯️🙌❤️



City of Clermont Government
Clermont Parks & Recreation Center
Sonya Dumas
Tai Chi Clermont

08/15/2026

Yes! 🙌

En la tradición del Taijiquan, hay un gesto que se repite al inicio y al final de cada clase, en cada ceremonia, en cada encuentro significativo: la reverencia hacia los maestros del pasado.

No es un acto vacío. Es reconocer que lo que hoy practicamos no nació de la nada. Es el resultado de generaciones de entrega, de sacrificio, de transmisión.

Cada estilo de Taijiquan tiene su linaje, su árbol genealógico de maestros que fueron transmitiendo el arte de mano en mano, de corazón a corazón. Desde los legendarios fundadores hasta los maestros contemporáneos, todos han aportado algo.

Cuando honramos a los antepasados marciales, no estamos adorando figuras lejanas. Estamos conectándonos con el río del que formamos parte. Un río que ha fluido durante siglos y que, si lo cuidamos, seguirá fluyendo después de nosotros.

La veneración no es solo por la técnica que enseñaron, sino por los valores que encarnaron:

Disciplina: La dedicación de años, a veces décadas, para dominar un movimiento.

Humildad: Los grandes maestros solían decir que solo eran "estudiantes avanzados".

Generosidad: Transmitir el conocimiento, a veces en secreto, para preservarlo.

Resiliencia: Muchos maestros vivieron épocas difíciles, guerras, cambios sociales, y mantuvieron viva la tradición.

Cómo honrar hoy:

Practicar con seriedad: El mejor homenaje es mantener vivo el arte.

Agradecer antes de la forma: Un pequeño momento de gratitud interior antes de comenzar.

Recordar los nombres: Aprender al menos los nombres de los fundadores de tu estilo.

Transmitir lo que has recibido: Cuando alguien te pregunta o muestra interés, comparte con generosidad.

Respetar a tu maestro actual: El vínculo directo es la expresión viva del linaje.

En las tradiciones orientales, se habla de la "cadena dorada" de la transmisión: cada eslabón es un maestro que conecta con el anterior. Romper un eslabón significa perder la conexión con la fuente.

Cuando honramos a los que vinieron antes, fortalecemos nuestra propia conexión con la esencia del arte. Y nos volvemos, a nuestra vez, un eslabón que podrá sostener a quienes vengan después.

Si tuvieras que nombrar a tres personas que han sido fundamentales en tu camino marcial o personal, ¿quiénes serían? ¿Cómo podrías honrarlos hoy?

👇 ¿Qué significa para ti honrar a los maestros del pasado? ¿Tienes algún ritual o gesto en tu práctica?

08/15/2026

🌿 Happy National Relaxation Day! ☯️💚

Well…you KNOW I couldn’t let this day go by without talking about Tai Chi & Qigong! 🙌

✅We spend so much of our lives doing, going, helping, working, worrying and taking care of everyone and everything around us.

☮️ Sometimes we need a reminder that slowing down isn’t being lazy, it’s part of taking care of ourselves, too.

One of my favorite quotes that I’ve been sharing with my classes lately is:

“You cannot pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first.” — Unknown

That’s one of the things I love about Tai Chi & Qigong. 🌿 We slow down. We breathe. We move with intention. We quiet some of the noise and give our bodies and minds a chance to simply be.

Even a few minutes today…

☯️ Take a few slow, deep breaths.
🌿 Step outside and feel your feet on the earth.
💧 Move gently.
🧘‍♀️ Let your shoulders soften.
💚 And give yourself permission to do absolutely nothing for a little while!

Your cup needs filling, too. ❤️

Move. Breathe. Flow.

Www.TaiChiClermont.com

08/13/2026

So true!

It doesn’t matter where you begin. Just begin and things will flow

Image: https://www.instagram.com/6secondseq

08/10/2026

Xingyi, Bagua, Taijiquan: la trinidad interna. ¿Por qué se estudian juntas? El mapa de las artes internas chinas.

Tres artes. Una filosofía. Un mismo origen conceptual, tres enfoques diferentes. Xingyi, Bagua y Taijiquan forman lo que se conoce como las "Tres Grandes Artes Internas" (Neijia) de China . No son competidoras. Son complementarias .

La clasificación moderna de estas tres artes como "internas" fue establecida por el gran maestro Sun Lutang (1860-1933) en la década de 1920 . Sun fue un maestro consumado de las tres disciplinas y fundó su propio estilo de Taijiquan. Él entendió que, aunque técnicamente diferentes, las tres artes compartían los mismos principios fundamentales de trabajo interno, respiración, intención y estructura.

Sun Lutang, antes de crear su propio estilo de Taijiquan, ya dominaba el Xingyiquan y el Baguazhang. Su comprensión de las tres artes le permitió integrarlas en un sistema que hoy se reconoce como el estilo Sun .

Las tres artes comparten la misma teoría básica, pero se expresan de manera diferente. La diferencia está en la técnica y la estrategia, no en la esencia.

Xingyiquan: la línea recta y la estructura. Es directo, compacto y poderoso. Utiliza la fuerza en línea recta (aunque con una estructura espiral interna). Su cualidad es la "dureza", con una fuerza corta y explosiva que se aplica en línea directa.

Baguazhang: el círculo y la transformación. Es cambiante y circular, con un trabajo de pies continuo que rodea al oponente. Combina lo suave y lo duro. Su estrategia es el cambio de ángulo y la agilidad.

Taijiquan: la suavidad y la neutralización. Es suave, lento y coherente, pero con una estructura estable y hundida. Utiliza la "fuerza blanda" para disolver los ataques, neutralizando la fuerza en lugar de confrontarla .

Las tres artes se complementan como un sistema completo. Xingyi estructura el cuerpo y la fuerza (enraizamiento, alineación). Bagua entrena la movilidad y la adaptabilidad (cambio de dirección, agilidad). Taiji entrena la sensibilidad y la neutralización (escucha, cesión). Cuando se practican juntas, forman un mapa completo del combate interno: estructura, movilidad y sensibilidad.

Sun Lutang, el gran sintetizador, no se limitó a practicar las tres artes. Las integró. El estilo Sun de Taijiquan se caracteriza por su gran movilidad y sutileza, con pasos ágiles que reflejan el trabajo de pies del Bagua y una estructura que proviene del Xingyi .

No hace falta dominar las tres artes para beneficiarse de la trinidad. Un practicante de Taijiquan puede tomar prestados principios del Xingyi (para el Fa Jin) y del Bagua (para el trabajo de pies) sin necesidad de aprender las formas completas . La integración puede ser sutil: un poco de estructura de Xingyi, un poco de movilidad de Bagua, aplicados a la práctica del Taiji.

Xingyi, Bagua y Taijiquan no son rivales. Son dialectos del mismo idioma. Cada uno enfatiza un aspecto diferente del mismo principio: cómo moverse con eficiencia, estructura y adaptabilidad.

👇 ¿Conocías la relación entre estas tres artes? ¿Practicas alguna de ellas? ¿Crees que podrían complementarse?