If you’ve ever spotted the 30+ person group of people in North Straub Park moving in silent, synchronized motion on your morning walk, there’s one thing you should know about them: they’d love for you to hop in and follow along.
A local group named Joyful Tai Chi St. Pete meets three mornings a week in Straub Park, where a collection of anywhere from 20-40 people join together to go through a 108-step Tai Chi routine, much to the joy (and occasional bewilderment) of passersby out for a morning walk along the downtown St. Pete waterfront. Those who recognize the movements often stop to join in. On occasion, dogs will even stop in their tracks and watch, mesmerized by the synchronized movement.
It can be quite the sight to see if you aren’t expecting it, and it’s another of the unique things that make St. Pete such a fun city to live in and explore. While it looks like serious work (and you’ll certainly break a sweat over the summer months) organizers and participants emphasize that it’s anything but. It’s an open group that welcomes all walks of life, and there’s no cost or even registration needed to hop in and join. Just bring a smile and an open heart, they’ll tell you.
There’s no affiliation with a larger organization. There’s no test or interview. There’s no age minimum or maximum. You don’t even technically have to talk to anyone, if you’d rather just hop in and follow along. It’s a community gathering, nothing official. The experience runs for about 40 minutes, give or take.
Just show up at 8:30 any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday morning. They’re a welcoming and laid back crew that enjoys both spreading joy through Tai Chi and the harmony and balance that comes with its regular practice. They’ll give you lessons, too.
First-timers and long-time practitioners all welcome
For several years, members from the Taoist Tai Chi Society had been meeting on Sundays in the park for a group practice. The present group got its start when Covid shutdowns caused the closure of St. Pete’s Taoist Tai Chi center back in 2020. This group, including people who had attended sessions at the Center, got together in North Straub Park to start practicing on their own. Before long, word began to spread, both among former practitioners at the Center and through other Tai Chi fans around the city.
Many of the regulars today got their start simply because they walked by one day and thought it looked like fun, and maybe good exercise, too. Tom, an Old Northeast resident who spotted Joyful Tai Chi one morning, thought it looked like the exact restorative experience he needed.
“I was looking at it and thought, I gotta get in on this thing,” he said. “Plus, I had a broken foot and I thought, I need some balance.”
Tai Chi does, indeed, bring balance; though a keen sense of balance isn’t required. The movements are slow, and the group remains quiet throughout, which adds to the meditative experience. It’s welcoming to all abilities, including regular attendees in wheelchairs doing seated tai chi. And, as you might imagine given the time of day, the group does skew a tad older.
“It’s a bunch of people who have nothing to do at 8:30 in the morning,” quipped Mary, one of Joyful Tai Chi’s regulars.
But all ages and backgrounds are present. That’s part of what makes the experience so fun for those who participate.
It’s also a perfect environment for first-timers. In addition to welcome videos they will send to interested parties, Joyful Tai Chi stations its more experienced practitioners around the edges of the group, making it easy for the newcomers and less experienced to follow along.
Tai chi has a long history in Pinellas County
Tai chi is actually noted as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage tradition, giving it honored and protected worldwide status. The mind-body practice has its roots in martial arts and traditional Chinese medicine, and there are now dozens (if not hundreds) of variants practiced globally. This St. Pete group practices a variation of Moy style Tai Chi developed by Master Moy Lin-Shin, a more health-centered version of the art. And indeed, studies have shown that Tai Chi improves health conditions like arthritis, respiratory issues, balance, cardio, and general aches and pains.
One of the primary organizers, John, said that makes it an appropriate style for the group in North Straub Park.
“We all have that common denominator in that it’s for health, and you want to be outside, connected to nature,” he said.
The experience, he says, is as much mental and spiritual as it is physical. Tai Chi provides them with a chance to clear their minds and root themselves. John said feeling the movements forces the mind to stop thinking about anything else. We could all use fewer distractions on the mind.
Of course, as all involved are quick to say, one of their favorite perks is just the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and chat with people from all over. Another regular of the group, Grant, has been doing tai chi for 14 years, but said the Joyful Tai Chi group adds something extra special.
“The most immediate benefit, one that everybody experiences right away, is the socialization aspect of it,” he said. “You’re out there with a group of people who are just looking to be healthy or get better.”
If you’re interested in joining, just stop by one morning and join in. You can also request lesson information through email by sending a note to joyfultaichi@gmail.com.