Classes
further your journey
In-Person Classes
Spiritus Optima offers small-group instruction in different styles of tai chi and qigong.
Read general information about our classes here.
NEW QIGONG! April - May 2025 - A five-week session will cover the popular qigong sequence Eight Brocades. Each of these movements focuses on a different meridian to improve the flow of qi throughout the body. Practicing the Eight Brocades is said to bring a "silken" quality to your energy & movement. Our class will begin with a gentle warm-up and offer detailed instruction on the qigong postures. Join us to cultivate your vital life energy and enjoy the wellness benefits of this ancient and powerful practice.
Registration is open. For more information, see the class flyer.
WORLD TAI CHI & QIGONG DAY! - This WORLDWIDE EVENT is slated for Saturday, April 26th, at 10:00AM local time. For an invitation to our local celebration, scroll down to view event details. Then make a plan to join us for a little tai chi, a bit of qigong, and a whole lotta fun!
No registration is required. For more information, see the event flyer.
ALL NEW - WU! Summer 2025 - We will take 10 weeks over the summer to study a Wu style form. Wu tai chi is a graceful & delicate style with a unique diagonal line that is demonstrated in some of the stances and postures. Classes include a gentle warm-up, step-by-step instruction of the form, and calming qigong. Wu style tai chi shares similar moves with Yang & Sun styles, and all the benefits of tai chi - better strength & balance, more clarity & joy, and greater health & longevity. Learn a new style of tai chi - come play Wu with us!
Registration will open in May. Check back for more information.
world tai chi & qigong day
World Tai Chi and Qigong Day
WTCQD is a worldwide holiday that happens every year on the last Saturday of April, at 10AM local time.
Each year, a group of area tai chi enthusiasts meet at Saratoga Spa State Park to participate in this international celebration.
It is a fun & lively event to honor our practice and recognize the benefits tai chi brings to our lives - and you're invited!
WTCQD 2025 is Drawing Near! 🎉
Mark your calendars to join a grand group of players as we meet to celebrate World Tai Chi and Qigong Day 2025! 💜☯️
This year's WORLDWIDE EVENT is slated for Saturday, April 26th, at 10:00AM local time.
A LOCAL CELEBRATION
As is our local tradition, the public is invited to join us in Saratoga Spa State Park for a morning of tai chi & qigong on the last Saturday morning of April. It is a free event, open to the public, to recognize and celebrate the many wellness benefits of tai chi and qigong - better balance, more energy, & greater clarity.
Our program will feature a gentle warm-up routine, and then we will lead the group through several different tai chi forms from the Yang and Sun styles. We'll try some meditative movements with a Bang stick. Our morning will conclude with participants in a big circle to share the calming breathwork and beautiful imagery of qigong. 🪷
DIRECTIONS
Set your GPS for the Saratoga Automobile Museum, 110 Avenue of the Pines. There is a big parking lot alongside the museum. Walk through the pines to where we gather on the Big Lawn. In case of inclement weather, look for us under the arches of park administration buildings in close proximity to the lawn.
Not to worry, we'll be looking for people looking for us. We'll be smiling and waving, "C'mon over!"
WTCQD 2024
A good crowd of players was on hand to celebrate! Together with Sifu Tony Grimaldi of New Moon Tai Chi, and certified tai chi instructors Lynn Gretschel & Jean Gustafson, we hosted 28 people in Saratoga Spa State Park.
We played through Yang and Sun forms, practiced a meditation with Bang sticks, tried China's newest tai chi form Bafa Wubu, and ended in a big circle sharing deep breaths and good energy with qigong.
We lucked out with the weather! It was a cool, sunny morning, and we were watching our shadows on the green grass, looking at lots of wispy clouds and admiring Spring color in the trees.
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, 2024
(Late photo! Sorry if we missed you!)
(Late photo! Sorry if we missed you!)
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, 2023
It was cool and showery, so we took refuge under the arches. This dedicated group enjoyed playing our way through many tai chi forms, followed by lots of qigong.
It was cool and showery, so we took refuge under the arches. This dedicated group enjoyed playing our way through many tai chi forms, followed by lots of qigong.
World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, 2022
Looks like we had better weather! We played outside in the sunshine on the great lawn, doing various tai chi forms - Yang, Sun, Wu - and many different postures of qigong.
Looks like we had better weather! We played outside in the sunshine on the great lawn, doing various tai chi forms - Yang, Sun, Wu - and many different postures of qigong.
your tai chi journey
While there is a lot of good information and helpful videos about tai chi on the internet, there is no comparison to sharing actual time and space with a group of practitioners.
Seek out groups near you through martial arts studios, fitness centers, continuing education programs, and senior centers.
Ask your health insurer for tai chi programs.
Find your tribe!