DOWAGIAC —  Tai Chi instructor Glenda Gibson did not expect a surprise when she walked into her weekly Monday 11 a.m. class at the Cass County Council of Aging’s Front Street Crossing location.

Wearing her Yin and Yang earrings and an “I heart Tai Chi” shirt, Gibson, who is sometimes called “Glenda, the good witch,” was greeted by her class with smiles. About 15 people surprised her by wearing T-shirts they designed to honor Gibson and their love for Tai Chi. Also on the maroon shirts was the yin and yang symbol.

Members of the class commented on how orchestrating the surprise required them to be tight-lipped after one of their Tai Chi classes. The group of close classmates shared their love for their upbeat instructor.

After Gibson changed into her new shirt, her smile was visible throughout the room. She thanked the group, shared hugs and laughs before beginning an hour-long Tai Chi class. Members of the class were eager to wear their new shirts during the mind and body exercise.

“It’s meditation in slow motion,” Gibson said. “The hardest thing with Tai Chi is slowing down because we Americans try to do everything fast.”

Gibson, who has been practicing Tai Chi since 2005, picked up the practice, which originated in China as martial arts, after a three day fundamentals workshop in Madison, Wisconsin. The workshop, hosted by Tricia Yu, a certified Yang Style Cheng Man Ch’ing lineage instructor and former director of Tai Chi Center, also founded Tai Chi Health. Gibson is an accredited instructor of Tai Chi by the Tai Chi for Health Institute.

Before Gibson found Tai Chi, she had a knee replacement and was visiting her chiropractor every day to have her hip put back in place. Gibson would get cramps when lying or sitting down.

“When we went up to Madison, Wisconsin, the second day we were up there for a three-day workshop, the cramp went away,” Gibson said. “I haven’t had to go to the chiropractor since.”

Gibson, who has been teaching fitness since 1977 and is also a retired teacher, had always wanted to learn Tai Chi, but at the time could not follow it through DVDs and large records.

Her trip to Madison got her hooked.

When the COA opened its Front Street location in 2012, she became the Tai Chi instructor. Now, before class begins, Gibson can sometimes be heard walking through the hallways of Front Street Crossing, encouraging others to join her class.

Recently, Gibson said her class had seen an upswing in attendees. On Monday, classmates celebrated the increase in male participants. Months ago, only one man attended the class. Today, four participate regularly.

Gibson said participants in her class see the benefits associated with Tai Chi within a few weeks. One woman who has been attending for two weeks has already noticed an improvement in her balance.

“People have commented that their blood pressure is really good. They feel better and are more mobile,” she said. “Trisha Yu, in Madison, Wisconsin, had golfers come in and do Tai Chi because it would improve their golf. The reason is that it improves your mobility with your hip, and your hip is your powerhouse.”

In addition to mobility, Gibson said the exercise improves people’s balance and their sense of well-being. Practicing Tai Chi in a class setting also opens up communication and comradery, Gibson said.

Gibson said Tai Chi shows people how the body works, similarly to Yin and Yang.

“Strengthen and weakness, light and dark, the sun and shade,” Gibson said of the two-sided symbol. “It’s opposites, and they work together. That’s why they have the dot in the middle. If you are in the dark, you still have some light, and if you are in the light, you still have some dark. That’s how your body works. Tai Chi is focusing on the mind and body.”