Phil Muil

After doing Judo as a child, Phil began studying martial arts seriously in 1981 with Tae Kwon Do. He studied with Orello Ellis (world, European and British champion), winning national tournaments in free sparring. During this time he also trained in Kung Fu with Clive Parkinson (world Kung Fu champion) and with other styles of Karate, etc.

In 1987, Phil embarked on a major change of direction; beginning Tai Chi Chuan, Chi Kung, Aikido, meditation and Yoga. Although he continued Aikido for three years, it and yoga fell by the wayside as his interest in Tai Chi, Chi Kung and meditation grew.

Phil started studying Cheng Man Ching Tai Chi with Richard Druitt, a student of John Kells (an indoor student of Dr Chi who was himself an indoor student of Master Cheng). Over the next 10 years Phil explored various influences, but in 1996 he and his partner, Emma Westlake, met Karel and Eva Koskuba.

This was the point at which much of the aspirational theory of Tai Chi began to be explained and, more importantly, demonstrated.

Phil (and Emma) have been studying with the Koskubas for nearly 10 years, in which time they have studied Classical Yang style and Chen style Tai Chi. Through their teachers they have been able to meet and study with some of the top masters in the world today.

Phil has been attending retreats and studying meditation since 1989 at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery. As well as running his treehouse-building business, Phil is also an advocate with OSTAS and, after qualifying in 2004, is working as a mediator for Mediation Oxfordshire.

Emma Westlake

Emma’s interest in physical movement began when she was young, firstly training in dance and then later becoming a junior international athlete. Her long term interest in health and healing led her to a degree in physiology at Oxford University where she captained the university women’s athletics team. An illness contracted whilst travelling led her to become more interested in more holistic approaches to health and well-being.

Emma began studying Tai Chi in 1991 and teaching in 1995. She first started learning with her partner, Phil, practising the Yang style short form. In 1996, they met Karel and Eva Koskuba and started studying classical Yang style. This led on to studying Chen style and contact with Grandmaster Chen Xiaowang. Through the Koskubas, Emma (and Phil) have attended many workshops with visiting Tai Chi masters and, during a couple of trips to China, have trained with some of the top Tai Chi/internal martial arts practitioners in the world including Chen Xiaowang, Du Xianming, Yao Chengguang and Feng Zhiqiang.