Tag: Invisible illness

A Decade of Grace Dawn Tai Chi

Published on by GracieDLeave a comment

Happy ten year Tai Chi-versary to me and dozens of students, clients and supporters! Some days it seems like more than a decade. Some days it seems like only yesterday.

My first group sessions in 2014 at Anahata Healing Arts.
My 1st Tai Chi photo 2012, Tybee Island, GA

Reflections on a decade of teaching, sharing and loving Tai Chi

I have had the pleasure of teaching hundreds of people the glory that is Tai Chi. Everyone has experienced it differently. Everyone has had different motivations and needs from Tai Chi. To describe this mother of martial arts as versatile is still an understatement.

Tai Chi has ten essences that are used as a guidelines for physical stance, practice and philosophy. The ninth of the essences is to “unite the mind and the body”. Allow me to elaborate. This sums up the fact that through the versatility of Tai Chi whatever you want to get out of your practice, will be the result. Are you looking for relaxation? Increased mobility and balance? Complete rehabilitation of a joint or muscle group? What about decreased inflammation? Yep, that too.

I have used Tai Chi to treat an assortment of diseases. Arthritis, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, PTSD, Personality Disorders, Chron’s and other gastrointestinal diseases have all been helped by a custom blend of moves. I have helped golfers open their hips, football players increase hand eye coordination, tennis players improve their swing, warehouse workers reduce back pain, hospitality workers save energy and helped the mature age gracefully.

I think the most surprising element to teaching Tai Chi as opposed to just practicing was how much more was really involved.

Each person I have taught has in return been a teacher for me. As long as I observe and listen with each student, Tai Chi has limitless possibilities as to how it can help so many people who all have different needs. I am so grateful for my years predating Tai Chi instruction. I taught ballet, gymnastics, jazz, tap, yoga and salsa dancing. I played tennis, softball, ran track, lifted weights. These activities gave me a secure knowledge of the body’s movements which allowed me greater understanding of how Tai Chi can be applied.

I began to analyze how our career choices can affect our bodies. From tense shoulders from typing all day to knee pain from standing on concrete floors; the environments that we work in and the movements we so frequently repeat during a workday really have an impact on our physical stance, function and comfort.

I am so excited to roll out many videos this year addressing very specific Tai Chi applications for your daily life. That is how I teach. I want you to take what you learn about the body’s alignment and apply it to how you move every single day. It happens without you even trying. But this can only be achieved if I pump out the videos. Therefore, the ball is in my proverbial court.

Stay tuned to see how Tai Chi can improve your life, movements, pain level, agility, oxygen levels, balance, blood pressure, digestion, anxiety.

Videos coming Spring 2022.

For more information visit
Grace Dawn Tai Chi

I have taught in the heat of a Southern August.
I have worked with a few studios in Savannah.
Featured Community Tai Chi
Outside classes during COVID 19.
30 degree morning classes in January.
Ten years of “chi”.
Flowing in my new studio.
A Decade of Grace Dawn Tai Chi.

For more information visit
Grace Dawn Tai Chi

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: What you need to know post diagnosis

Published on by GracieDLeave a comment

Heavy muscles, sore bones and exhaustion and weakness that just won’t quit- yes, My Friend, you may have CFS.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a phenomenon that plagues millions of Americans. Seemingly possible to diagnose and with little offered in the way of treatment, it can be challenging to adapt to constant exhaustion. Being newly diagnosed can be depressing and lonely. Here are three ways to make the transition a teeny bit easier.

Top 3 Things To Do Now

  1. You now have to be extra aware of how you feel physically. Check in with yourself and be ready to tweak routines and habits that require too much energy. Tweaking your schedule to allot for your pain or fatigue will be the first and one of the most important aspects of your new reality. Do not wait until you have overdone it before implementing these changes. It will take time to assess what work best for you.
  2. Pain relief is major when it comes to CFS. Look for natural solutions. Pain is a constant of this disease and taking a liver or organ-destroying pain reliever everyday is simply not a good idea. Reserve Tylenol or Advil for super doooooper bad days. I recommend a CBD oil and topical or oral Arnica.
  3. Join groups on Facebook. There are so many groups for Autoimmune Disease, Chronic Illness and CFS. It may seem like you are not interested BUT having a community is very important. You have people to ask questions, vent to and also support. By joining a group you will feel less alone on this journey.

For more information on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome visit this post.