STRONG BODY, STRONG MIND PASADENA RESIDENT'S TAI CHI CLASSES DRAWING HUNDREDS WHO SEEK BETTER HEALTH.Byline: Marilee Reyes Staff Writer Surely you have seen Marjorie Jackson Marjorie Jackson-Nelson, AC, CVO, MBE (born September 13, 1931) is the former Governor of South Australia and a former Australian athlete. She finished her sporting career with 2 Olympic and 7 Commonwealth Games Gold Medals, 10 world records and every Australian State and National in the Celebrex commercials running on practically every TV channel on the dial. Dressed in a rust-colored costume, the Pasadena resident is a slender, serene-looking gray-haired woman gracefully moving her arms back and forth as she turns and moves through basic tai chi Tai Chi Definition T'ai chi is a Chinese exercise system that uses slow, smooth body movements to achieve a state of relaxation of both body and mind. (pronounced ``tie chee'') positions. In the commercial, Marjorie has an ardent admirer. His name is Jake. Jake is a big-time movie star ... of the canine persuasion. Jake perks his ears and tilts his head from side to side, following the movements. At the end of the arthritis pain relief medication commercial, he raises a paw as though he's got the routine down pat. What we don't see, said Jackson recently, during a break from conducting a tai chi class in Pasadena, are the chunks of hamburger meat spread between her fingers to encourage Jake to look as though he's memorizing the movements. Jackson has a total of about 200 students in classes in both the San Gabriel San Gabriel (săn gā`brēəl), city (1990 pop. 37,120), Los Angeles co., SW Calif.; inc. 1913. Fabric, furniture, paper products, tools, and aircraft parts are manufactured. and San Fernando valleys, and while Jake may have required such mouth-watering mouth·wa·ter·ing or mouth-wa·ter·ing adj. Appealing to the sense of taste; appetizing: the mouthwatering aroma of a baking pie. Adj. 1. incentive, Marjorie's human students will settle for a different kind of motivation: feeling better. Tai chi combines the body, the mind and the spirit, helping to bring about an internal focusing An internal focus lens (sometimes known as IF) is a photographic lens design in which focus is shifted by moving the inner lens group or groups only, without any rotation or shifting of the front lens element. , leading to a number of healthful health·ful adj. 1. Conducive to good health; salutary. 2. Healthy. health  ful·ness n. results, including relief from stress. Travelers in East Asia East AsiaA region of Asia coextensive with the Far East. East Asian adj. & n. often report seeing large and small groups in the parks of China and other Asian countries going through the movements. Jackson describes tai chi as an ``internal'' martial art martial art Any of several arts of combat and self-defense that are widely practiced as sport. There are armed and unarmed varieties, most based on traditional fighting methods used in East Asia. . Her Yang long form classes are especially popular with those not able to participate in high-impact exercises because the exercises are done very slowly. She also teaches a fast form for advanced students incorporating ``push hands'' and weapons form. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Jackson, the one-hour long form can actually be completed in about three minutes "Three Minutes" is the 46th episode of Lost. It is the twenty-second episode of the second season. The episode was directed by Stephen Williams, and written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz. It first aired on May 17, 2006 on ABC. if sped up, but it takes a year of practicing the movements to reach that point. And lest one think the slow movements can't possibly be doing any good because they are so slow and controlled, all one needs to do is fast-forward a tape of Jackson doing the slow exercises to see how thoroughly the muscles are being worked. The movements help ``develop and circulate the chi, or life force energy of the body, for radiant health,'' she explains. ``A holistic approach holistic approach A term used in alternative health for a philosophical approach to health care, in which the entire Pt is evaluated and treated. See Alternative medicine, Holistic medicine. to health, it is often prescribed by Asian medical doctors and acupuncturists to heal chronic illnesses.'' Tai chi also is believed to have other benefits, as well as physical and emotional ones. The mechanics of tai chi, Jackson said, requires a constant repetition of the exercises to build new neuro-pathways that connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain. ``Most Westerners do not have the left and right hemisphere of the brain connected very well because we tend to favor one side or the other (left for the lawyer, accountant and doctor; and right for the poet, artist, musician, dancer, inner child, enlightenment). ``I tell students that tai chi can help create an accountant who knows how to play and have fun - and a musician or artist who can balance their checkbook!'' she said with a smile. Jackson said studies have indicated that from birth to about age 7 or 8, a person builds the neuro-pathways he is going to use for the rest of his life. ``We only use 5 to 7 percent of the brain. Very few activities actually go beyond the 5 to 7 percent and build new pathways,'' she said. ``Tai chi is one.'' ``I jokingly tell students not to make up their minds on whether they like tai chi until after the fourth class,'' Jackson said. ``The first three classes leave them feeling like smoke is coming out of their ears, that their brain has turned to cotton! Luckily, we do the same things over and over again, and that repetition builds the neuro-pathway.'' Jackson teaches several levels, but each begins with chi kung (``chee gung'') warm-ups and works into Tiger Mountain Tiger Mountain is a mountain range in the U.S. state of Washington. It is comprised of six peaks in the center of the Issaquah Alps forming a 13,500-acre triangle between Interstate 90 (I-90) on the north, the Issaquah-Hobart Road on the southwest, and Washington State Route 18 tai chi, then moves to the level of which the student is capable. A beginning student will learn how to do the tai chi walk, very slowly in a slightly crouched position. Then arm movements will be incorporated. Then, she said, she has ``dozens of places to go, from the most simple to the more complex.'' Her running patter pat·ter 1 v. pat·tered, pat·ter·ing, pat·ters v.intr. 1. To make a quick succession of light soft tapping sounds: Rain pattered steadily against the glass. reinforces the movements. It includes descriptive phrases like ``touching heaven, touching earth'' or ``wave hands like clouds.'' Not only do the phrases describe the movements, but they are easy to remember and flow gracefully and constantly from one movement to the next. She expects the students to learn the patter. ``You say it, you take it home,'' she tells them. Meaning that if they can repeat the steps verbally, they are more likely to continue the exercises at home on their own and reap greater benefits. They can also purchase one of her instruction videos for $16. (She recommends a person purchase a video only from their instructor because each teacher has his or her own pattern.) ``I tell new students that it takes about three to four classes for tai chi to become 'user-friendly.' If they work each day with my video or with the notes they take in class, that cuts down on the time.'' At the end of a series of eight or so classes, one has usually learned how to do the tai chi walk, Tiger Mountain tai chi and most of the first section of the long or short Yang form. It takes the average adult about nine months of daily practice to learn the Yang long form, but that depends on how much they practice at home, she said. ``There's a saying that it takes 10,000 days to learn this (routine) so we're not in any hurry,'' she tells her class, reassuring several who have gotten their arm movements mixed up. Jackson describes the whole process as imprinting imprinting, acquisition of behavior in many animal species, in which, at a critical period early in life, the animals form strong and lasting attachments. Imprinting is important for normal social development. . The memorized phrases direct the mind, the mind directs the body's movement and the body performs the movement. The underlying force is steady, increasingly expanded breathing combined with controlled muscle flexing and tightening that moves the body and limbs in almost 360 degrees before the session is completed. Can the moves be modified for people with physical restrictions? Absolutely, she said. ``I can give you a list a mile long of how many people came with this or that problem and we just worked around it. They all received great benefit.'' Chi kung can also be done lying in bed, with beneficial results for those who are ill, she adds. Marjorie Jackson views tai chi as progressing through layer upon layer of internal work that, when incorporated into the physical forms, begins to ``rebuild the old house of the body.'' Ultimately, if tai chi is done properly and progressively, it will embody chi kung, a Chinese yoga that is thousands of years old and has many variations. ``Chi kung can be as simple as sitting still and focusing inward on moving the chi through the acupuncture meridians, to bold, focused, structured physical movements.'' The advanced forms work to bring health to the physical body by focusing on the subtle body (acupuncture meridians or chakras chakras (chaˑ·kr  z),n. ) in order to clear blockages caused by stress, negative emotions, poor eating habits, pollution. Not all tai chi students attain this level, but even those who work their way through the basic Tiger Mountain tai chi should begin to see physical and mental improvements. THE COMMERCIAL Marjorie Jackson said she has two answers when asked how she came to be in the commercial for Celebrex, an arthritis pain relief medication. Both are true. The one that the world usually hears is that a friend, a tai chi instructor and actor, called her and some other tai chi teachers and told them about the tryouts for the commercial. The second - and more unusual answer - is tied to the fact Jackson also is a teacher of spiritual metaphysics. ``Part of our training program in my school, Lightworker Ascension Academy, is to learn how to manifest what you want in your life. I had done a meditation requesting $2,000 for an audiotape au·di·o·tape n. 1. A relatively narrow magnetic tape used to record sound for subsequent playback. 2. A tape recording of sound. tr.v. project. The call came that week, and I said I'd go and try out. ``What made me think it was in response to my request for abundance was that the entire procedure was (so easy) like a hot knife Hot knife may refer to:
Jackson said, ``I had never been to an audition, as I am not an actor, and in the room full of nervous people, I was calm and serene. The director was there from New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. and when he shook my hand and I smiled at him, my intuition said he just chose me for the part. Sure enough, when I got home, the confirmation was there on my answering machine.'' Better yet, mused Jackson, she said she had asked for $2,000 and ``the 'Universe' brought me $6,000.'' Spurred on by the original success, she decided to see whether she could ``manifest something more specific: that the (advertisers) would be so happy with the commercial that they wanted me to be their 'poster girl' and put the ad in major magazines. One week later, when I looked at the clock and it read 11:11 a.m. - the number that lets you know that angels want to give you a hug - the phone rang at that exact time.'' It was the company calling to say they wanted her to be their poster girl. ``They even did me one better: full-page color ads in The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today USA Today National U.S. daily general-interest newspaper, the first of its kind. Launched in 1982 by Allen Neuharth, head of the Gannett newspaper chain, it reached a circulation of one million within a year and surpassed two million in the 1990s. ,'' and a host of other magazines including Newsweek, TV Guide, Reader's Digest Reader's Digest U.S.-based monthly magazine. Founded by DeWitt and Lila Wallace, it was first published in 1922 as a digest of articles of topical interest and entertainment value condensed from other periodicals. and Prevention. Jackson used her financial gain for the video project and for another selmprovement project. - Marilee Reyes A YOGI'S LIFE About Marjorie Jackson: She began her instruction in Hatha yoga Hatha Yoga Definition Hatha yoga is the most widely practiced form of yoga in America. It is the branch of yoga which concentrates on physical health and mental well-being. at age 12. She was trained as an instructor by Sivananda yoga Sivananda Yoga, after teachings of Swami Sivananda, is a non-proprietary form of hatha yoga in which the training focuses on preserving the health and wellness of the practitioner. and has been teaching yoga and tai chi full time for the past 11 years. She conducts classes in the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. Hours and costs vary. She also is available for workshops. To learn more about the classes, call her at (626) 449-5082 or visit her Web site at www.heartjourneys.com. HEALTHY BY ANY STRETCH Regular participation in gentle tai chi achieves a number of healthful benefits, according to Marjorie Jackson. It: --Reduces stress and provides relaxation by releasing endorphins endorphins (ĕndôr`fĭnz), neurotransmitters found in the brain that have pain-relieving properties similar to morphine. There are three major types of endorphins: beta endorpins, found primarily in the pituitary gland; and enkephalins and . --Stretches and tones muscles to improve balance and flexibility. --Deep breathing brings a focus on radiant health. --Required concentration builds strength and stamina. --Meditation quiets the mind. --Grounding and centering acts as preventive medicine preventive medicine, branch of medicine dealing with the prevention of disease and the maintenance of good health practices. Until recently preventive medicine was largely the domain of the U.S. . CAPTION(S): 4 photos, 3 boxes Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Find your center Tai chi offers benefits of health, stress reduction (Marjorie Jackson) (2 -- 3) Tai Chi instructor Marjorie Jackson, a familiar face thanks to a prominent TV commercial, teaches hundreds of San Gabriel and San Fernando San Fernando, city, Argentina San Fernando (săn fərnăn`dō), city (1991 pop. 144,761), Buenos Aires prov., E Argentina. It is a district administrative center in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Valley-area residents, top, she leads a class in Burbank. Joe Binoya/Special to the Daily News (4) no caption (Celebrex ad) Box: (1) A YOGI'S LIFE (See text) (2) THE COMMERCIAL (See text) (3) HEALTHY BY ANY STRETCH (See text) 
I studied with a Marjorie Jackson in Los Angeles approximately 20 years ago my name is Lonny Riddle I would love to get in touch with her. my e-mail address is DoNoKaiTemple@yahoo.com |
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