Tai chi brought peace to this Regina teacher during a time of mental struggle. Now she shares it with others

This story is part of a CBC Saskatchewan series showcasing movers and shakers for Asian Heritage Month in May. For more on this project, visit cbc.ca/lovesk. 

When Xiaofeng Wu leads her class through the movements of tai chi, her steady calm permeates the room.

Wu — who also uses the first name Lena — is an ardent proponent of this martial art after learning and teaching it for the past 13 years.

She knows first-hand how beneficial it can be, after struggling with her mental health when she first came to Regina in 1994 to study at the local university.

"Like many newcomers, I faced lots of cultural adaptation and on top of that I experienced the family transitions, which led to some mental struggles," she said.

To find an answer for the depression, she turned inward, beginning with yoga, meditation and a healthy diet.

But it was the ancient exercise of tai chi, which she used to see practised in her childhood home of Beijing, that would really help her break through.

"That flow and that elegance just directly spoke to me," she said, adding she was fortunate to learn from senior members in the Chinese community. "I feel I was very much grounded and immersed in the flow of the movements."

Unlike Wu, those seniors didn't speak English. She was able to serve as a bridge, connecting with other cultural communities to share more about tai chi, outside of her Monday to Friday job as an educator.  

She helped to start the Regina Chinese Canadian Association Tai Chi Group, leading weekend sessions. She now also teaches weekly classes at the local YMCA, seasonal programs with the Albert Park Community Association, and workshops through the local library, university, senior residences and schools.

Her students describe her as calm and patient, gently guiding them in perfecting their movements.

Shelley Cochrane, who takes Wu's classes at the YMCA, said she always feels more calm after the hour-long class.

"It helps me get grounded. It's just a way of life that you can adapt to this stressful world that we're living in right now," Cochrane said.

Wu said she feels disheartened when she hears about children and adults facing increasing anxiety and depression. It's what propels her to continue volunteering to teach this art that brought her peace in a time of need. 

Practising tai chi helps her connect with the natural part of herself and reflects the nature around her, she said.

"That helped me to accept who I am. That helped me to step out of the judgmental self, and then that's how I felt like we're all the same under the same sun. … We're all connected," she said, pausing to reflect on how true that feels when she practices tai chi.

"That's quite profound."