We did not drop another issue until September 2006 - because I was moving house - which included moving the dojo and finding a new web server. It seems that then, due to 'down' in the I.T. sense, Mark had to note in the archive that there was no newsletter in September and that issue 57 for October 2006 was likewise "not available".
The updated archive presently indicates that issues 62, 65 and 66 are also out there somewhere in limbo land.

Having now searched all files and folders in my rather chaotic computer, old external storage devices and discs in various formats I am now able to fill all of the gaps and start by using this months newsletter to resurrect and restore the oldest of the missing issues; number 57 from October 2006. At the same time I shall pass on to Mark the rescued issue 62 (about our Tai Chi Ruler and Fan workshop), issue 65 (about the words and concepts of 'Tao', 'Do', 'Bu' and 'Budo') and issue 66 (about the colour significance as related to bodily organs and the theory of the 5 Elements) to add to the archive @ taichido.com. So, there follows an edited down (missing out the now irrelevant 'news' type content) version of taichido newsletter issue 57 from October 2006:

Back in September 2006 I was asked:
I was wondering if you would be able to advise me on the suitability of your DVDs/videos for specific aims and purposes. I have been to Tai Chi classes in the past but simply don't have time to attend now due to work and family commitments. Would your DVDs allow me to develop a reasonable understanding of the form in the absence of 'proper' lessons? I have several reasons for wanting to do Tai Chi: Firstly as a meditation technique; secondly, as a form of relaxation; and finally, as a form of self-defence that I could eventually teach to my son. Do you think that DVDs would enable me to achieve these aims and, if so, which would you recommend?

To answer your questions I must begin with a paradox and first off I would say; if there is a Tai Chi class anywhere near you I would recommend that you do whatever you can to attend.
And then I would also say that "Yes, I am certain that one of our DVDs or CDrom's would assist you in developing a reasonable understanding of the form.

I resort to this paradoxical reply because I would rather offer my opinion as regards the problem than give you just one single, definitive answer as to what you should do. So I may I also put it this way:

One of the wisest things that my Father has ever said to me is "The hardest part of going for a jog is - putting your trainers on". His inscrutable suggestion is that once you have put on your trainers ... and sock's and shorts and vest ... you have passed the point of no return and you will jog; notwithstanding the fact that you have not even got out the door or hit the road yet!

The best advice that I have managed for my son so far is 'never leave a supermarket without buying a tin of beans' - so I don't blame you if you choose to ignore me now when I say that I reckon that the best thing you can do is BOTH. Buy one or more of  our learning packages at http://www.taichidoshop.com   AND go to a class near you!

More and more these days this newsletter is used to direct subscribers to new articles  at  taichido or wheelswithinwheels.net. Fortunately this was the case for two of the three till now 'not available' newsletters, specifically issue 62: (which was about our) Tai Chi Ruler and Fan workshop and issue 66: (which was about) The Theory of the Five Elements. The text only newsletter rarely contains the whole of the article that it announces.

As far as the Tai Chi Ruler and Tessen (Fan) Workshop is concerned there is a multi media page on the whole day's activity @ wheelswithinwheels.net including reports, pictures, videos and mp3 files of the Tai Chi Ruler and Buddha Service portions of the day's activities. A report on just the Tessen workshop is @ taichido.com. Links are provided within this text and/or below.

And as for the previously missing issue 66; it transpires that its loss need not be lamented at all because this whole field is covered in great detail @ wheelswithinwheels in a 6 page article "The Theory of the 5 Elements" that I updated just last month to include a chart showing the 60 Year Cycle of the 12 Animals and the 5 Element Characteristics of the Chinese Zodiac.

So now most of the gaps in our newsletter archive are filled and it is only issue 65 that requires rescue or republication.

I have now rescued this errant issue and find that within it I dealt with two separate and very different matters. In the second half I discuss the words and concepts of 'Tao', 'Do', 'Bu' and 'Budo' and suggest ways that this might relate to "the "DO" in taichiDO" and pass on the news that this text might one day be the first chapter in a book that I am trying to write. I have given my draft the working title of (simply) "TAICHIDO".

In the first half of NL65 I announced the launch of my Buddhist website http://www.purelandnotes.com and on that site I present 2 subjects.

First is "AMSTERDAM BUDDHA PARADE" A GALLERY OF 28 PICTURES featuring the Temple building and the Buddha images within it. Concludes with Buddhas birthday celebrations and parade through the streets of Amsterdam, 17th May 2008.

Then next is The inauguration into our home dojo of a Buddha Rupa/statue a multi media feature including a Gallery of 8 pictures, wav audio files of the talk given by Reverend Sato of the Three Wheels Buddhist Temple, London, edited into 7 parts for quicker download, PLUS wav audio files of "Opening The Eyes Ceremony" Buddha Service and Ceremony edited into 7 parts PLUS the text of two of my related 'dojo talks': "Thought is not Separate from Person" and "If there be Harmony in the Home"

Venerable Zenko/Charles Geoffrey Croysdale, born the son of Mar Nelson Charles Croysdale on 2nd March 1919, died on the 23rd February 2007. Reverend Sato conducted his funeral on the 5th of March and the Rupa is a small part of his bequeathed estate.

This object is now enshrined in our home dojo. This place is where I teach Tai Chi to individuals and where The Southampton Shin/Zen Sangha (Group) meets on a weekly basis.

Taichido, myself and the Southampton Shin/Zen Sangha has a long established relationship with Three Wheels. Our earliest DVD and CDrom distance learning packages were filmed in part on the viewing platform of the Zen (dry/stone) Garden there.

It is nice when a plan works!
This newsletter is now in its seventh year and in this, issue 75, I reveal that 73 others have been produced and that on only one occasion did we fail to make a monthly publication.
In recent times, despite the fact that we publish at rather random times within the month, we have been pretty consistent. I believe that this newsletter works well now because I gave up on the idea of bringing you 'news' long ago!

I would personally like to think that this newsletter perpetuates itself in a "Wu Wei" kind of way. For now it it reasonable to read "Wu wei" as 'organic'

If it were not for this newsletter, I doubt I would produce so much new stuff for the websites taichido, wheelswithinwheels or purelandnotes. And then, if it were not for those websites I would have nothing 'new' to tell you about! Simply put (the way I see it), "Wu wei" means 'of mutual benefit; just as the tree does not own the ground that it stands in and that the earth does not own the tree that stands within it'.
This is the principle of "Wu Wei" or "Sunyata" - or perhaps "Pratityasamutpada" . "Pratityasamutpada" is 'about' "dependent origination" "Sunyata" (Sanskrit) holds the semantic field of "emptiness" and is the noun form of "Shunya" (Sanskrit) which holds the semantic field "zero", literally zero "ness".

"Wu wei" refers to the Chinese concept of "effortless action" as clearly exemplified in the Taoist Internal martial arts such as Tai chi, Baguazhang and Xing Yi.

I have provided herein links to the words/concepts "Wu Wei", "Sunyata" and finally "Pratityasamutpada" @ wikipedia. If you care to follow that trail you will, I suggest, find that the words and the explanations becomes more and more complicated and, the further you go the deeper it gets!

The same might be said for the simple "Do" in taichido! And so ... here we go ... in circles again, in a Wu wei kind of way:

Earlier I spoke of my ongoing work on a book with the working title of "TAICHIDO" and then had to further confess that we had lost the newsletter in which that draft text was previewed exclusively for subscribers way back February/March 2007.

So now, to fill the gap left by the original 'lost' newsletter, I bring you the news that I have uploaded this small piece of text to wheelswithinwheels.net as "The 'DO' in taichiDO" and provide below links to all new items and all references mentioned above.

Work continues on the book in a bit of a "zero-ness"' kind of way at present - but this newsletter will of course keep you informed as to any developments ... if or when!