National Stress Awareness Day: Hackney tai chi teacher says martial art helped her get through difficult times

A tai chi teacher has shared the story of how the martial art helped her navigate difficult times in her life for National Stress Awareness Day.

Lucia Ring-Watkins, who has lived in Hackney for 21 years and teaches in the borough, is a 16th generation descendant of the Wudang Clan. That means she is an indoor student and lineage holder for the clan, which legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan named themselves after.

"In April 2017 my mother, who has severe alzheimers, experienced a sudden decline and crawled out of a top floor bedroom window in the night. She was sectioned into a psychiatric unit shortly afterwards, and is now in a care home.

"I advocated for her as she went through the psychiatric system, while my long term relationship was ending and close friends were moving away.

"I used Tai Chi to ground and centre myself through this difficult process. The fluid movement provided a source of happiness independent of the external world."

Lucia teachers £1 classes in collaboration with Hackney Council through the One You programme, which aims to encourage people to get fitter and healther through £1 classes.

Today is National Stress Awareness Day, and this week is International Stress Awareness Week. For more information on that, click here.

For more information on the £1 classes, click here.