Tai Chi & Qigong Swindon

19/09/2026

30 years ago today, on 19 September 1996, I stood in front of my first public Tai Chi and Qigong class at Crofts Sports Centre in Swindon.
Back then, there was no internet for people to search for a Tai Chi class, no social media, no YouTube tutorials and certainly no AI! 😄 Most people had very little idea what Tai Chi actually was, or where they could go to learn it.

After that first, very well-attended class, I demonstrated what we called at the time the 54 Tai Chi Forms of Cheng Man-Ch’ing, also known as the 37 Forms.

I was nervous enough already — and then came the form!
In those days I struggled to coordinate my breathing with the movements of the whole form, something until a master told me not to do that. The result was that by the end I was pretty much out of breath.

One of the students watching was a friend of mine, who was apparently sufficiently concerned to position himself ready to catch me if I passed out! 😂

Thankfully, I survived — and somehow I’m still here 30 years later!
Since then, I have had the privilege of teaching thousands of people.

Some have stayed with us for many years and have become very much part of the Tai Chi family. Others have moved on to different paths and pursuits in life. And, sadly, some have passed on.
Every one of them has been part of the journey.

I feel incredibly grateful that, all those years ago, I found these wonderful arts — and that I have been given the opportunity to share them with so many people and here I have to thank my then Sifu, Master Andrew Austin for giving me this wonderful and life changing oppurutunity. Thank you Andrew. You are brilliant!
My own training began in 1991, and throughout these 35 years I have continued to train under teachers myself. That continues to this day.

Because although I have been teaching for 30 years, I have never stopped being a student.

Perhaps that is one of the great gifts of Tai Chi and Qigong. There is always something more to discover — about the art, about the body, about the mind, about other people, and ultimately about ourselves.

Looking back, I realise that the journey has been about far more than learning forms and teaching movements.
It has been a journey of self-discovery, friendship, learning, teaching, loss, laughter and growth.

And it is a journey that continues.

So today, I simply want to say thank you.

Thank you to all those who have trained with me over the years.

Thank you to those who are still practising.

Thank you to those who were with us for a while before moving on.
And thank you to the teachers who have continued to guide and inspire me along the way.

30 years of teaching.

35 years of training.

And what a privilege it continues to be. 🙏

https://www.taichi-swindon.co.uk/

17/09/2026

Tai Chi workshop with Master Andrew Austin and some of my students and me 7 years ago in Swindon.

07/09/2026

I believe this picture may have been taken in 2002. We are holding our certificates. I was chuffed to have received a distinction for my demonstration of the 24 forms of Tai Chi.

Oh, how the years fly by!

04/09/2026

Back in the day at the Swindon Mela, Old Town Gardens with the then Mayor and Cathy Downes and Pauline Wilmer looking on.

09/08/2026

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljXQiC58p8Q&t=4s

http://www.taichi-swindon.co.ukPeople share stories of how Tai Chi...

05/08/2026

Whilst releasing the arms down there is a stretch from the yin aspect of the arm (the side that is facing the earth) from the armpit to the finger tips. This is an energetic stretch that can be found not only in Qigong, as here but in Tai Chi practice also. It may seem like nothing but its full of something!

There are spaces now available for new folks. You are very welcome to join the friendly and good natured folks who I am happy to call fellow students of these amazing arts.

https://www.taichi-swindon.co.uk/tai-chi-classes

27/07/2026

Last week, while teaching a Tai Chi class at Learning for Life, the organiser, Nalni, was chatting with one of the learners about our classes and encouraging him to come along. She simply said, "Turn up and try."
Those four words really struck me. I asked Nalni where she'd heard the phrase because I thought it perfectly summed up the attitude of moving beyond the fears, excuses and self-doubt that can keep us safely tucked away in our comfort zones.
She smiled and said she hadn't got it from anywhere – it had just come to her.
This phrase has stayed with me and I hope it resonated with the learner as much as it did with me.

Now, I completely understand that life isn't the same for everyone. Some people have experienced tremendous difficulties, and for them even stepping outside the front door can feel overwhelming. Sometimes the bravest thing a person can do is ask for help, and seeking the right support and guidance.

Ultimately, I believe people should pursue what genuinely matters to them, provided they're not harming themselves or others.

So, if this resonates with you, maybe it's time to put those excuses aside, take a small step forward, and simply...

Turn up and try.

If you've been thinking about joining one of our Tai Chi or Qigong classes, we'd love to welcome you. You don't need to be fit, flexible or experienced—just willing to give it a go.
Here's the payment link for our August classes:
https://www.taichi-swindon.co.uk/tai-chi-classes

Cheers, everyone. I hope to see you in class!

Graham

P.S. Learning for Life is a wonderful local charity that helps vulnerable adults rebuild their confidence, develop new skills and become active, creative members of the community. It relies heavily on donations and successful funding bids to continue its work. Nalni and Ian, who run the organisation, often work until four o'clock in the morning preparing applications to secure funding. I've had the privilege of working with them for more than 20 years, and I've seen first-hand the extraordinary dedication they bring to helping others.

21/07/2026

There can be something so potent and precious happen when human beings can stand quietly together.
Initially, the mind might be chattering away and one may find oneself enamoured with it. One may discover, for the first time, how noisy ones own mind is and for some this is too much. They will have to move on to get some welcome distraction from themselves. For those who can stand themselves this quiet practice can be truly transformative but you have to know that it is not about doing anything. It is about being only. Those who truly find this can never be quite the same again.

https://www.taichi-swindon.co.uk/

16/07/2026

I have just updated my website for Tai Chi & Qigong classes in August.

You are very welcome to join us:

Tai Chi classes in Swindon with Graham Pritchard. Tai Chi classes Swindon. Tai Chi Swindon