Raymond Sol, MS Ed., a Master's Level Teacher has been teaching Tai Chi - Guang Ping Yang style - for more
than twelve years. He traces his Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi lineage through Elizabeth Keith, Patty O'Dea, Gill Messenger, and Grand Master Kuo Lien Ying. Certificates are from the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi National Association.
Currently, at the University level, he is a Faculty member at Paradise Valley Community College / Black Mountain Campus where he teaches Tai Chi and Qigong, and Tai Chi Hiking classes. Future classes will include Tai Chi Relaxation Art (showing the gentle side to the warrior).
Also currently, he teaches classes at the private PERA Club, in Tempe, Arizona. And for over ten years taught a variety of classes in Tai Chi and Qigong at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden, in Phoenix, Arizona. One of his former students is
currently teaching Tai Chi in Germany.
In addition, he also runs a private Tai Chi and Qigong consulting business (Tai Chi / Body Balance, and Office Tai Chi) working with private medical businesses, major Phoenix corporations, and private schools (including Home Schooling groups). He has conducted Office Tai Chi classes at several Annual Meetings for businesses in the Phoenix area, where over 130 people participated.
He is also working with Dr. Susan Whitely, President of the American Medical Association - Arizona, and owner of Healthy Outlook Family Medicine, and implementing Tai Chi and Qigong programs for patients. These programs will include: Health and Joints, a class created to help people improve body balance and nine body joints; and Tai Chi / Body Balance, a basic Tai Chi and Qigong exercise class for health and balance.
And he works with senior citizens at the Foothills Community Foundation Center, in Scottsdale. His class is called Health and Joints, and is designed for seniors to improve their balance and stability while standing, walking, or turning. In addition, seniors learn exercises to improve the health and flexibility of nine joints. Special exercises to strengthen specific areas such as hips and shoulders, will also be introduced.
During his twelve years, he has created many Tai Chi related
exercise courses, such as Tai Chi - Lotus Blossom Fan,
Tai Chi - Taiji
Dragon Sword, Tai Chi - Taiji Tiger Staff, Tai Chi - Walking Relaxation, and Office Tai Chi. Also,
he has created several Tai Chi DVD's and Workbooks to support his
teaching. In addition, he has created Tai Chi programs for many different age levels including Grasshopper Tai Chi (K through 6th grade), LadyHawk Tai Chi (teenage young women), and Senior Spider Tai Chi (mature people over 50+).
He also teaches a Tai Chi Art Relaxation / Herbal Tea Class. This class is really fun because students don't need to be artists, they just need to be interested in learning an abstract art technique. In addition, seasonal herbal teas will be served, while students learn which herbs are good for the various seasons. People are also introduced to Tai Chi / Qigong exercises to them help relax.
He has competed in the Arizona Senior Olympics and has
several Silver and Bronze medals in Tai Chi - Open Hands Competitions.
Also, he has won Gold medals in several swimming events, including the
100 and 50 meter Back and Breast strokes.
He has also studied judo in
Chicago and karate in Honolulu.
He is also an artist specializing in water media
and sculptures. His water media works have been in National Exhibitions
in Albuquerque and Dallas, where they have won awards. Several of his
water media art works are hanging in business/professional offices in
Arizona. In addition, both his sculptures and water media art works are
in private collections in Arizona, California and Oregon. In 2009, one
of his water media works was accepted as a gift by President Barack and
First Lady Michelle Obama. He is a professional member of the Arizona
Water Color Association and the Tubac Center of the Arts. He has also
made art presentations/lectures to professional artist organizations such as, The Arizona WaterColor Association and The Scottsdale Artist League. In addition, he has conducted water media seminars for artists, and is a paid Juror for art exhibitions. He maintains a private
art studio in Phoenix.
As a writer he has completed 10 short stories, and is currently
working on two more. He has self published two editions of these short
stories. Proceeds from his book sales are donated to animal welfare
organizations. He is also working on a novel about Irish Celtic
mythology.
An avid hiker, he has hiked in the Grand Canyon many times. He has
also planned Rim-to-Rim Grand Canyon hiking trips for friends, during
the past 5 years. In 2005, he "rode the rapids" down the Grand Canyon's
Colorado River, and is a certified "river-rat." He has also hiked the
Paria River, a slot canyon, down to the Grand Canyon. In 2011, he hiked the world famous Milford and Routeburn Tracks, in New Zealand. The total distance, including side trips, 62 miles. He has also hiked Ben Nevis in Scotland, which is the tallest mountain in Great Britain.
His travels around the world have taken him to many countries in Europe, Asia, and
Polynesia, including New Zealand. He has also traveled above the Arctic Circle and to the Southern Hemisphere.
In his spare time, he plays
golf, bikes, and hikes around the Phoenix area. He has also organized
and lead "Tai Chi Hikes" for the Desert Botanical Garden and the
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. His volunteer activities include being the President of the Mountain Park Ranch HOA the second largest HOA in Arizona; a Court Mediator for the Superior Court System in Maricopa County, Arizona; the New Jersey Special Olympics; EKG Technician at Lutheran General Hospital, Illinois; and a Basketball Coach for 5th graders in San Francisco's Chinatown as part of AT&T's Community Service Program.
Before retiring, he was a Territory Sales Manager, covering 12
Midwest and Western states including Hawaii, for AT&T. During his
career at AT&T he was the Manager, Human Resources responsible for
developing national recruitment strategies. He also created and
validated a national management selection procedure for hiring sales
people. He created the "Mastery Path" management development program
for AT&T's Consumer Communications managers. Prior to AT&T he
worked at Illinois Bell and Pacific Telephone, as a Sales Manager and Human Resources Manager, where he coordinated the Bell System's College Recruitment
program.
He also taught high school and Junior College in Illinois, for six years.
In high school he "Lettered" nine times in track, swimming, and cross country. In Chicago, he was the Public High School Champion in fancy diving in swimming, and in track and field was Champion in both the half-mile and mile events.
In college he "Lettered" in Cross Country, and was elected to the Student Senate. He was also elected President of the Methodist Wesley Student Foundation, and Vice President of Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity.
His Bachelor's and Master's degrees are in Education.
When not doing anything else, he gets in trouble around the house.
