Our Learning Peers
Those who have confidence in themselves gain the confidence of others
Fellow learners whose presence and experience enrich every class.
Companions in practice; shaping my learning as much as their own.
The people alongside me whose journeys make our classes deeper and more alive.
Neither “students” nor “instructors,” but fellow travellers whose practice lifts us all.
Who is the student and who is the teacher, anyway?
I still see myself first and foremost as a student of every practice I engage with. Whether it’s Tai Chi, Chi Kung, endurance running, coaching, or the wider worlds of healing and martial arts, whenever I’m with other learners, I’m learning. That’s why my teacher encouraged me to start teaching Tai Chi and Chi Kung more than three decades ago. He knew that the act of being among learners would deepen my own practice. He was right: paradoxically, I believe I’ve probably learned more from teaching than I’ve ever taught. The more I learn, the more I find myself able to keep learning. I wish the same for everyone who practises alongside me.
One of the martial arts I’ve been fortunate to study is Balintawak Eskrima, a Filipino stick-fighting system. A key part of its method was to take on a student as soon as possible—not to pass knowledge down, but because explaining ideas to someone else forced you to see and feel them more deeply yourself. I’ve carried that principle into my Tai Chi and Chi Kung classes, where I encourage learners to collaborate and discover together.
For me, a coaching philosophy dissolves hierarchy. Learning flows in every direction: a student of ten years may gain something vital from a beginner’s question, two novices may discover new insights together, and two senior practitioners may unlock something fresh by comparing their experiences. I actively encourage everyone, whatever their level, to challenge my ideas. If my response holds up, everyone learns. If it doesn’t, I notice it the moment I speak it—and again, everyone learns.
In that way, the presence of others doesn’t just accompany my learning—it creates it. As I continue to learn, I become a more useful peer for those around me. The phrase “learning peer” may sound clunky, but for me it captures the truth better than “student.” In fact, I’ve grown to shy away from titles like “teacher” or “instructor”—I should probably run a “find and replace” across all my platforms!
So, to cut a long story short: here are some of my fellow learners, some of whom I’ve been lucky to learn alongside for decades. I’m deeply grateful for their comradeship and for how much I’ve learned simply through their presence as learners.
Sean Barkes
Sean lives and works in North Hykeham, Lincoln. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has studied Chi Kung, Tai Chi and Chinese medicine in the UK, China and Japan. He started his training in oriental martial and healing arts in 1984. Since then, he has lived in and travelled to various parts of the Orient to further his knowledge.
Kevin Money
I live in Lin
coln and run a small joinery business. I enjoy fell walking, mountaineering, and rock climbing and also practise yoga. My martial arts journey began when I was 9 years old when my dad decided that I needed to learn how to protect myself, and I thought it a good idea too, until the day of the class came! I didn’t want to go so my dad literally dragged me kicking and screaming to the only martial arts class near Sleaford at the time-a Judo class. After the first lesson I was hooked. I trained at the class for about a year until we moved away.
It wasn’t until 1981 at the age of 17 a friend asked me to accompany them to a Shukokai Karate class that my journey began again. I thought I would go along and keep him company until he got settled in but after the first class again I was hooked! I trained there for about 2 years until the Sensei gave up teaching to concentrate on his business endeavours.
I continued to train with the brown belt from the class for a while but then in 1987 a new challenge piqued my interest; a new class was starting at City Sports Center in Lau Gar Kung Fu and Kickboxing training at Lincoln and also at Corby occasionally training at Lau Gar Kung Fu headquarters in Birmingham.
I trained in Lau Gar Kung Fu until 1997 gaining 3rd Degree black sash 2st Degree Black Belt in Kick boxing. I became head instructor of Lincolnshire and competed nationally in both fighting and forms competition. I was chosen to fight at the Irish Open in 1997 but unfortunately this wasn’t to be. Two months before the competition an old injury I sustained a year earlier in a car accident reared its head. An MRI scan confirmed that I had 3 partially prolapsed discs in my neck. I spent the next 6 months off work and I’ve since had years of physio and recuperation. I still suffer with my neck to this day. Once I was back on my feet I did try to help out with classes but if I demonstrated a punch or kick with any effort it would put me back in bed for a week. I stopped practising Lau Gar Kung Fu in 2002.
By 2005 I realised I was really missing martial arts. I couldn’t do hard martial arts any more so, not really knowing much about the internal martial arts, (apart from seeing Tai Chi practised on TV on an episode of the way of the warrior many years before) I began an online search to see if there were any classes running locally. I discovered Sean’s website and thought I would give Tai Chi a try.
From the start I was impressed with Sean’s knowledge and his background in martial arts and Chinese Traditional Medicine. This has helped me gain some understanding of the healing benefits of Tai Chi, and has also helped significantly with a shoulder problem that many joiners suffer from (my mentor in joinery and also his mentor have both undergone shoulder surgery). I also believe it helps with my neck injury. For those that are interested Sean can demonstrate the martial applications in the form.
I thought I would never teach again but Sean has encouraged me to teach in class and take the full class from time to time as his substitute. From this progression I have found deeper meaning and content in the form and of Tai Chi as a whole. I have really started to enjoy teaching again. To see someone progress is a joy which I find immensely rewarding.
Martin Kay
My involvement in Tai Chi came about through my interest in Taoism, initially intrigued by the concept of Yin & Yang. It remains an important interest to this day.
I started to practice Tai Chi in the late 80s and have over the years trained with different teachers and in different styles. This also included training in Qigong (Chi Kung), yoga and dabbled in Pilates. I found that all had something to offer and had many similarities to each other. I have found that for me, Tai Chi brought the best of these experiences together and provided a comprehensive rounded approach to self-health and well-being, physically and mentally.
Despite having practiced Tai Chi for many years there is always something new to learn, whether it is about yourself or the technical aspects of Tai Chi. It is not confined to experienced practitioners as people just starting their practice can find almost immediate benefits. You can see the sense of achievement on people’s faces when they get the point of what they are practicing.
When I started Tai Chi I was regularly running 20+ miles a week, increasing that as I trained for races. The practice directly helped my running, through improved breathing, better physical efficiency, confidence and resilience. Without being a member of a running club Tai Chi directly contributed to me dropping my time of a half marathon from 1 hour 45 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes.
Practice has also had direct positive benefits in my work. I worked for the NHS for 49 years, initially in pathology, and then moved into management roles. For the last 30+ years although I had numerous different job titles my main role was to support people with their personal change but also how to work with systems that seemed to be constantly changing.
Like many jobs there are challenges in carrying out our roles, differences in opinions and needs/wants, trying to find common ground that provides win wins for the people involved. At times of stress or pressure I found just a brief moment to ‘practice’ some Tai Chi, sometimes just going through it in mind. This helped me enter a meeting or a room with a calm positive approach allowing me to deliver better outcomes for people than if I had gone in stressed and anxious.
I find a lot of my practice these days is in doing everyday things, such as walking, lifting and carrying things and importantly playing with grandkids. People will benefit from just 10 minutes practice a day, so it doesn’t have to be a big-time commitment if you live a busy life.
I have gained such a lot from the people I have trained with, the teachers and class members, whether they have been practicing a few weeks or for many years. They all have taught me such a lot and for that I am very grateful to them. Tai Chi is an internal martial art; we can measure our own improvement based on what we want to achieve.
Simon Talbot
Simon first started Tai Chi in 2006 to ‘try out’ Martial Arts, thinking he could always try out something more interesting if it didn’t work out. Fortunately for Simon, it did work out, and he has since enjoyed both the physical and emotional benefits Tai Chi offers, in all aspects of his life.
Working as a Finance Manager for a national charity can be reasonably stressful on occasions but Tai Chi has enabled Simon to manage these stresses more easily. In order to help others at the charity to benefit in the same way, Simon started teaching Tai Chi at his place of work in 2011. The awareness of alignment and structure in the body which Tai Chi teaches, has meant Simon has been able to reduce his visits for Acupuncture and Chiropractic and meant his other interest – running – has been almost injury free since he started learning Tai Chi.
