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By CategoryWei-Keen Loh And The Art Of Tai Chi
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Wei-Keen Loh And The Art Of Tai ChiA Tale Of The Grand Ultimate
2005-09-26
Article Written by: Benjamin Cameron
The sun rises. Its rays reflecting off the river as birdsong compliments the moment. A silhouette is cast performing a fluid, otherworldly series of motions. It moves with nature under the breath of the celestial. It moves within stillness, it remains still within movement. Wei-keen Loh, a resident of Ormond Beach, begins his day with Tai Chi.
Tai Chi was created centuries ago in China. Originally it was practiced strictly for combat, but as the art evolved, it was found to have tremendous health benefits. Coupled with the practice of Chi-Gung (a form of meditative movement), a practitioner gains an edge in the prevention of many types of diseases, including cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and fibromyalgia. It is widely practiced to calm the mind, improve posture and balance, and gain control over one’s life. In the past, Tai Chi endured prejudice and was ostracized as it became available to other parts of the world. Today, however, its wisdom has been embraced and endorsed by doctors of western medicine, physical therapists, and psychologists, as well as the general public. The popularity of this magnificent art continues to increase dramatically as more people become aware of its benefits.
Wei-Keen Loh, the aforementioned Tai Chi silhouette, spent the first eight years of his life in Malaysia before relocating to the United States. He lived with his family in the suburbs of Chicago, until joining the Air Force. After four years in the military, Wei-Keen Loh found himself in the Daytona area studying Pai Lum Kung Fu at the White Dragon Academy under the Grandmaster Dr. Daniel Pai.
Wei-Keen was soon acquainted with a "Chinese Treasure"…Sifu Luo Li – who has been dubbed "the King of Kung Fu" by the Chinese Government themselves. By some impressive turning of the fates, he also ended up in the Daytona area and began taking students, Wei-Keen being one of them. Sifu Luo Li is currently located in Fern Park at the O-Mei Kung-Fu Academy (named after a famous mountain range in China from whence has emerged many legendary Kung-Fu masters).
In 1994, Wei-Keen was studying Wushu and Tai Chi intensively. Before long, he was running classes as a senior student. Only a year later, he took on his first official teaching gig at the Piggotte’s Community Center. Ever since then, Wei-Keen has taught at several different venues. Currently he can be found at Unity Church in Holly Hill (see listing for details), but his longest gig teaching was perhaps at Omega 40 in Ormond Beach (currently Club Boom). He has always nurtured his passion for Kung-Fu by practicing as much as he can manage, and will adamantly express that he is not content unless he is doing just that. The grand Master Dr. Daniel Pai and Sifu Luo Li, two of his teachers, are among his favorite and most influential martial artists.
Now a married man and the president of "Aislin Transcriptions", a medical dictation company, Wei-Keen frequently busies himself with renovations on his house. Preventing things from ever getting dull, the house is full of critters including three cats, multiple fish tanks, two birds, and two dogs including an adorable Pomeranian and Chihuahua mix named "Bear" who won’t let you leave the house without saying ‘bye to him, too. As you meander to the back yard you will find that Wei-Keen and his wife, Joyce, have meticulously constructed a wooden deck complete with a rock garden-esque pond surrounded by exotic vegetation. As the owner of a broad, expansive CD library, Wei-Keen finds that the music of the band "Disturbed" helps to center himself and direct his "chi" during his many constructive and renovative endeavors.
While Tai Chi serves many purposes and helps maintain excellent health, coordination, and balance, it doesn’t make you invincible. A few years ago, a very dark circumstance befell Wei-Keen. He was taken out of commission by an overactive thyroid gland, which nearly developed into a potentially fatal "thyroid storm". A bed-ridden Wei-Keen focused his intent and valiantly waged war against an excruciating adversity and the consequential repercussions it bore on all areas of his life. In the end, Wei-Keen managed to overcome. Once he had recovered enough from this vicious bane, he returned to Tai Chi to help restore his strength. The resilient Sifu Wei-Keen has re-emerged with the steadfast goal to continue his pursuit of the martial arts and never stop. (Though Masters are often termed as "Sifu", the term "Sifu" literally translates to teacher, not master.)
Tai Chi is practiced all over the world today by both young and old. Harboring health benefits, philosophy, and self defense, Tai Chi is a phenomenal art. It is also a great form of expression. There are no belts or sashes to indicate rank; what you know is what you know. It can therefore have more personal relevance – even when showcased in competitions. If you are interested in taking a class, it’s available right here in Volusia and Flagler counties. Take some classes from Wei-Keen. He is a natural teacher with much to share.
The sun recedes into the west. A silhouette blends into the shadows of the new night. A modern day warrior retires for the evening.
More information about Tai Chi at Unity Church
