The Rising Sun School of
T'ai Chi Ch'uan

Practitioners Corner

Expand Your Approach
Study Guide for Students
Improving Form Study
Why Yang Styles Differ
Insight through the I Ching

Our School Lineage
Master Lee Shiu Pak
The T'ai Chi Family
Rising Sun School Faculty
Certified Instructors

General Interest

Books and Reviews
Starting a Peer Group
Instructional Products
News and Events

Toronto T'ai Chi Classes at

The
Rising Sun School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan

We have no more than 8 students per instructor and you progress at your own rate. If you miss a class, you pick up where you left off the last time. We specialize in personal coaching!

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"Help yourself, help other people."

Master Lee Shiu-pak

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Commentary

By helping yourself to become stronger through T'ai Chi practice, you are also able to work and help others. Helping other people occurs as one does ones work in the world, which is always a contribution when you consider life thrives as an interdependent continuum of energy. So one has to find balance and become strong first and from there one can help others.

From Four Aspects point of view, by learning the exercise aspect you help yourself. By learning the medicine aspect you are able to help other people.

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"I am only one, there are many people."

Master Lee Shiu-pak

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Commentary

This is the idea that other peoples needs come first. If you take the point of view that you are always supported by other peoples work, then your work for other people must also be important . So then, when you weigh your personal needs against a benefit to many people, the benefit to the many outweighs the benefit to the one. This is also a mind set. Master Lee felt that lasting happiness came through helping others. If you have this attitude, your generosity is its own reward.

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You will find many T'ai Chi books and reviews at

If you have comments or suggestions email
Paul McCaughey at:

taichitoronto@rogers.com

Biographies

Paul E. McCaughey is the Founder, Master Teacher and Co-Director of The Rising Sun School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. He is a Master Teacher of T'ai Chi Ch'uan in T'ai Chi practice since 1975, training students from beginner through to apprentice instructor levels of T'ai Chi. Paul has taught and lectured extensively in Tai Chi Forms and Weapons, Acupressure, Qi Gong, and other related topics in Canada and the United States. He has taught at Concordia University and at the University of Toronto Athletics Program. He graduated as a Master Herbalist from Humber College in 1984 and holds a Diploma in Acupuncture (1990), Diploma of Chinese Herbal Medicine (1999) and a Diploma of Traditional Chinese Medicine (1999) from The Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. He has practiced Chinese folk medicine and Western herbal medicine since 1984 with his T'ai Chi students, family and friends. With his further training he established a formal clinical practice in Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1990. He has developed and instructed the T'ai Chi Apprenticeship Program (1986-1998) and The Acupressure and Chinese Medicine Training Program at the Rising Sun School (1995-1996). In 1993 he started the Somatic Healing Arts Clinic with his wife Jan Ohm, a practising psychotherapist, where they have pursued wellness modalities utilizing the principle mind-body harmony as a central goal. Paul currently practises Acupuncture, Acupressure Massage, Herbal Medicine, Dietary Therapy, Lifestyle Coaching and Holistic Petcare at Somatic Healing Arts Clinic in Toronto and oversees all classes at the Rising Sun School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. In 1998 with his wife Jan, Paul designed and held a highly innovative Taoist inner city vision quest, which was a personal journey towards balance based on Master Lee's Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. The spirit of this workshop drew on our contemplative need for clarification of intent, so that the Yin and Yang principles of our life choices might remain or be recreated in harmony. This workshop fulfilled a lifelong goal in Paul's T'ai Chi work, where the forces of preservation of Master Lee's system and its further application could come together in better service for future generations of students. Paul is the author of a self published educational book, " The Traditional Chinese Medicine Primer - Everything You Wanted to Know About TCM but Didn't Know How to Ask ". He has also been working on a Pan-stylist Tai Chi book for several years and for the last 2 years has focused his writing on the production of this Website as an educational vehicle.

Jan Ohm's attraction to T'ai Chi, the Alexander Technique, Psychotherapy and Complementary Healing began in the 1980's when a combination of health challenges and a successful but stressful career made her look inwardly and outwardly for new and healthier ways of being. Her journey has been transformative physically, emotionally and spiritually, which has contributed to the excellent leader she has become, whether as a teacher of T'ai Chi or as a psychotherapist. Jan has been the Co-Director of The Rising Sun School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan since 1989 and has 15 years of study and practice in the art, teaching beginner through advanced levels of T'ai Chi. She is thoroughly versed in teaching all Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Exercise, Boxing, Medcine and Philosophy). She has diverse teaching experience in private coaching, as well as public teaching at The Fitness Institute of Canada, the Toronto Board of Education, and many others. Jan is also a Psychotherapist in private practice; since 1996 she has been engaged in the research and writing of a thesis based on an original system of Dream Interpretation. Jan's most recent studies and clinical work has involved Trance Therapy. Jan has had a lifelong fascination with states of conciousness which reflects in her dedication to further study and willingness to innovate. Jan currently works with individuals and couples at Somatic Healing Arts in Toronto, while teaching T'ai Chi at the Rising Sun School.

Pat Roberto joined the Rising Sun School in 1988 and quickly became one of our most avid students. Pat has always been a great advocate for the School's protocol as a practice that teaches awareness of personal boundaries in a group dynamic. He is well known for his encyclopedic memory in T'ai Chi and has an archival knowledge of applications. In 1993 he committed to our Instructors Apprenticeship Program and spent five years achieving his Senior Instructors Rank in August of 1998. He is capable of teaching in all Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and is a valued member of our staff. Pat also works in social service full time as the Ombudsperson for Covenant House, Toronto and is an accomplished astrologer and co-author of the soon to be published astrology game, "What's My Sign".

Gwen Robart joined the Rising Sun School in 1988 and brought with her a deep commitment to learning. As Gwen matured into a valued member of our community, her depth of experience in T'ai Chi contributed to the maturation of our School. It was no surprise when she committed to our Instructors Apprenticeship Program and spent five years achieving her Senior Instructors Rank in August of 1998. Gwen is also capable of teaching in all Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and is a valued member of our staff. Gwen also joined the T'ai Chi Medicine Apprenticeship Program in 1996 -97, where she studied our system of healing through Acupressure massage, Qigong, Herbal Medicine, Injury work, Dietary therapy, and Anatomy and Physiology, in order to pursue a personal practice in T'ai Chi Medicine. Gwen has also had a life long vocation in social service and continues to work full time in this area.

Haim Behar joined the Rising Sun School in 1988, not long after he graduated from High School. Haim brought with his youthful vigour, both maturity of commitment and discrimination. Haim was an exemplary student, always humble and helpful when it came to working with other students. Haim attended every class he could and soon took a great interest in Chinese Medicine through our Medicine Workshops, going on to study and graduate from the Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine here in Toronto, as an Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist. Haim also committed to our Instructors Apprenticeship Program in 1994. He spent four years achieving his Senior Instructors Rank in August of 1998. Haim took a one year break to travel to Taiwan where he spent time teaching english and exploring the broad T'ai Chi experienc to be had there. He worked as a much liked Instructor here at our School until he decided to follow his vision to the west coast of Canada, where he has been studying Bagua, and training and practisng in T'ai Chi with a former Rising Sun School apprentice instructor Jim Edwards.

Philip Nessel joined the Rising Sun School in 1988 already well versed in an understanding of mind-body discipline through his education and work as a professional actor. While developing his physical skills in T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Philip has always brought a strong intellectual inquiry to his T'ai Chi work, well documented in written notes, especially during his apprenticeship period. Philip committed to our Instructors Apprenticeship Program in 1994 and completed his Form Instructors Licensure in August 1998. Although Philip is not licensed as a Senior Instructor, he is well versed in the Four Aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Since his return to professional acting in 1997 and has since be featured in national Bank of Montreal ad campaign and in TV dramas such as the critically acclaimed "Traders". Philip also owns and runs a successful moving business for many years called "Phil's Truck" and has been called upon by many Rising Sun students when the have needed some 'transitional' support. Philip is an active T'ai Chi practitioner who does not teach at this time due to his highly variable work schedule, although he could teach privately in his loft studio for those seeking personal one on one training.

Jim Edwards joined the Rising Sun School in 1992 and brought with him a maturity of life experience which nourished all those he came to know. T'ai Chi became part of his recovery process and he dedicated himself to learning all that he could with the time he had available as a father and full time employee at Covenant House, Toronto. In 1994 Jim committed to our Instructors Apprenticeship Program and studied, trained and taught as an apprentice instructor until 1996, when he had to withdraw in order to move out to British Columbia to start the new Covenant House in Vancouver. Jim holds the unofficial rank of Form Instructor, although his knowledge of all Four Aspects is capable and indepth. Although he is not presently teaching we are hoping he will inaugerate a program for staff and street kids and Covenant House, Vancouver. Jim would be an asset to anyone's study of T'ai Chi.

Wayne Wilson joined the Rising Sun School in 1984, having studied T'ai Chi and Kung Fu for a number of years prior.Wayne was an avid supporter of the School during its early development and a great support to Sifu McCaughey in his willingness to pursue the new Rising Sun School curriculum to a Senior Instructors level, graduating in 1987. In many ways he paved the way for all future apprentices at the School. Wayne moved to Victoria, B.C. in 1989 and has continued to pursue his career in teaching Qigong and T'ai Chi Ch'uan. He is presently a very active teacher in Victoria. Please see waynewilson for a local schedule of his classes.

" Enough..."
Master Lee Shiu-pak