As the sun begins to set on a Wednesday afternoon at Old Kona Airport Beach, a circle of people gather to practice tai chi with Sifu (Master) Chee.
It starts with qigong deep breathing exercises to focus the mind and body. Then, Chee leads the group in the 48 movements of the Yang-style tai chi that play out like a slow dance, moving right to left, in a diagonal rotation that comes full circle. Combined with measured breathing, fluid hands and precise footwork, the choreography is mystical and meditative, individual and collective, yin and yang, powerful and peaceful.
It’s also healthy and a proven way for kupuna to avoid falls. The state Health Department recommends tai chi, which can also be practiced sitting in a chair, as part of its campaign to re-duce falls among Hawaii residents 65 and older.
Cherrie Ogin, 68, started taking classes more than a year ago to give her shoulders a break from yoga. “I’ve noticed that my balance is even better now,” says Ogin.
“Tai chi has helped me reorient myself in the world,” says Brian McCree, 63, who took up tai chi after suffering a traumatic head injury more than 25 years ago. At the time, doctors said he might never walk again. He proved them wrong.
“My balance and coordination has gotten a lot better with tai chi,” McCree, a musician who plays stand-up bass, said. He believes that tai chi helps him stand without discomfort when he’s performing, and thinks it helps him conserve energy, because he doesn’t tire as easily.
Chee, 65, who is widely-known simply as Sifu Chee, was born Laura Sau-Chee Fung in Kaoshiung, Taiwan. She says tai chi “is in my DNA.” Starting at age 3, Chee watched her grandfather practice Yang-style tai chi and followed along. When she was 13, Chee moved to Texas, where she studied taekwondo and karate, earning respective second- and third-degree black belts. Chee was a fierce competitor, amassing a collection of medals and trophies.
Chee moved to Kona with her husband, Mark Johnson, in 1995, and reconnected with tai chi in a way that would define her purpose in the second half of life. “I met Michael Vendrell, a grandmaster/healer, and I became his apprentice.”
The late Vendrell was a Hollywood stunt actor/fight coordinator who practiced a martial art system of kung fu called Yee Chuan Tao – One Fist or First Way. Under his tutelage, Chee be-came a certified master of both kung fu and tai chi in 2004. When Vendrell was hired as a stunt/fight coordinator for the television series “Lost,” he left his students to Chee for instruction. A slow economy forced the closure of Vendrell’s studio space, but also gave birth to tai chi at the beach with Sifu Chee.
“What better place is there than Old Airport Beach,” she remarks, pointing to the elements. “It’s got good feng shui, the sea in front, the mountain behind, a gentle breeze and the sound of the ocean providing a rhythm for tai chi.”
Two years ago, Chee began teaching free Thursday classes at the West Hawaii Community Health Center, thanks in part to community grant funding. “Chee has one of the largest followings of the classes we offer here at the clinic,” said behavioral health therapist Brandon Kang, WHCHC Associate Behavioral Health Director. “She’s a great teacher, very accessible.”
“She is very patient, and takes the time to explain moves to make sure you are at ease,” says Cheryl Pennell, 72. “I sleep well and it makes me very flexible.”
“Tai chi has really helped with my balance, I couldn’t even stand on one leg before,” says 79-year-old Russ Addiss, who had knee replacement surgery on both knees. “The doctor said that tai chi is probably the most important thing that I am doing for my health – for balance, mental relaxation, and breathing. The result of attending these classes has been amazing.”
“When the mind leads the body, it creates the flow in tai chi that becomes the “grand ultimate” of life in balance,” affirms Sifu Chee.
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Where to take tai chi classes:
The state Department of Health maintains a list of certified classes statewide at https://health.hawaii.gov/injuryprevention/home/preventing-falls/tai-chi/
Tai Chi with Sifu Chee
Wednesday 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm, Old Kona Airport State Recreation Area, 75 Kuakini Hwy, Kailua Kona, HI 96740 Donation $10
Thursday 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, West Hawaii Community Health Center, 74-5214 Keanaluhu Dr., Kailua Kona, HI 96740 Free
Email: sifuchee@kungfuhawaii.com Mobile (808) 938-6157
Disrupt Aging is a column produced by AARP Hawaii, West Hawaii Today and The Hawaii Tribune-Herald. It runs monthly in the West Hawaii Today Home Section on Sunday. Roberta Wong Murray is an AARP volunteer seeking stories about people who are redefining their age. Contact her at rwongmurray@gmail.com or call 322-6886.