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TaiChi what it is and Benefits History Strength and Physical exercise
Spiritual yet Defensive The Right Instructor
T'ai Chi is a wonderful way to
become completely connected with yourself and with the universe while you become
healthier. T'ai Chi is a routine of movements that reminds you to see and act within the
beauty, grace, and knowledge of nature; as you mimic certain animals movements and move in
Yin and in Yang. The movements are very slow and continuous allowing you to absorb energy,
massage internal organs, open up joints, exercise muscles, and are always done while
breathing deep and being focused on the intricacies of the movements. It is as physical is
it is mental and spiritual.
During learning T'ai Chi you will find that your balance improves, that you do not slip on
ice as often, that you have more endurance, that you know how to call up that relaxed
meditative feeling at any time from adjusting your breath and that you will be able to
breath more deeply. It is said that breath is your life force and to breath deeply and
correctly is the key to longevity and health.
The history and the word definitions are
complex and lengthy and I feel interesting only when you get to the base, so this history
information is very short, but will allow you to further explore it if you wish. In
Chinese philosophy the words T'ai Chi mean the Supreme Ultimate. Various interpretations
include T'ai Chi as the source of reality, explain it's relationship to the Yin and Yang,
the five elements, the principles of the Universe (li), and of course also as a form of
martial art movements. During the Neo-Confucianism movement of the Sung Dynasty (960-1279)
there was a huge revival in philosophy in which personal effort and individual dedication
took new meaning. This included the principles by Chu Hsi (1130-1200). The concept is that
"li is the reason, the immaterial, the thing in all things and not in things. All
things possess li from the moment of existence and there are none that do not have li and
yet there is li, even if there are no things. For the universe as a whole there is an
overall li, which embraces and unites the li of all things and it is called T'ai
Chi", underlined in the eleventh century by Chou Tun-j. Further the word ch'i (which
was first introduced by Chang Tsai when he spoke of the unity among all) means force,
material force, power of the physical. "The li for all things is the same and yet the
ch'i is different making individuals different. To achieve T'ai Chi, li in it's full
entirety, one must achieve an ideal state of the community (life around it) and the
individual (mental, physical, and spirit)". Chu Hsi believe that after sustained
effort, in a moment of sudden illumination, you become completely enlightened.
An Excellent work out - During T'ai Chi you
will find yourself in a quiet relaxed state of mind and usually sweating! The largest
muscle in your body is the thigh muscle and since most of the moves are done in a grounded
position, working this muscle a lot, you are burning many calories. The moves being
very slow require a lot of concentration on the movement and demands a lot of muscle
effort. When you begin, your moves are smaller and a little faster. As you learn, become
stronger, and more balanced your moves can be slowed and widened, allowing you to reach
further or to be closer to the ground. This is a no impact exercise. There is no jumping
up and down but instead of quick movements you move very slow, controlling and using many
muscles instead of the inertia of your bodily movement. Muscles are developed and defined
since you are paying strict attention to the minuet perfections of the moves.
Physical self-defense is always a
consideration when thinking of any martial art. T'ai Chi, as taught by Kay for the
Spiritual Network, is a form of physical meditation for the mind, spirit and body with
underlying martial art defense moves that becomes so natural to the body, the mind, and
the energy of the physical form that should defense ever be needed the moves learned in
T'ai Chi would naturally and instinctively become physical. After the moves are learned on
a spiritual and physical basis, the moves are shown as defensive. People are surprised at
just how powerful the simple slow graceful movement could be applied in a combat
situation. For this reason Tai Chi is an excellent learned process for children,
women, seniors, and anyone with a physical disability. T'ai Chi is not taught as a
‘kick your butt martial art'; since it is taught in the true nature of the form; as
one of connecting and reaching towards physical, mental, and spiritual individual goals
and connectivity.
If you are searching for a personal (or group) instructor
you should first inquire about their philosophy. I personally get nothing from an
instructor that I could not get from reading a book or watching a video unless the
instructor has the same principal idea that T'ai Chi is a meditative physical form for
health, spirit and mind. Without those like thoughts the movements are usually taught with
interpretive combat and forceful energy peaks.
Let me give you a graphic example of difference between teachers.
When I teach the Bird's Tail movement I would say...
"Imagine a bird sitting in your right hand. Your fingers are loose and
it is comfortably sitting there. Your left fingers are under the bird's
tail so that your left fingers are at your right wrist. The bird lays an
egg in your right hand and flies off . You bring your right hand over
the top of your left hand letting the egg gently drop into your left
hand; the egg moves, your hands are cupped and upright, and a bird is
born, full grown and ready to fly, as you are turning you open your
hands to release the new bird to the world on your left side and allow
your hands and fingers to travel upwards as you feel the energy rise.
This bird in the right hand flying off, giving life, becomes a circle as
the new bird flies off from your left hand as life is always a circle of
energy. The Yin and Yang, the right and the left."
Now, one instructor taught the same thing this way, and this is a true story...
"A bird is sitting in your right hand and your left fingers are at your
right wrist and the bird's tail is hanging down on your left fingers.
With your left fingers lift the bird's tail up while you close your
right hand down catching the bird, now turn and squish the bird, and
when you get all the way turned to the left you want to throw the guts
and blood off your hands."
Same movement different teachers! I don't care if an instructor has a notable skill
level like a ‘belt' or certificate. I do think each instructor should have been
practicing the form for at least one year if I was taking a beginners class. This is
why... Taking a one hour class each week, it would take at least one year (for a very good
student who practiced at home too) to learn the entire T'ai Chi Yang Short Form.
Additionally, I would ask the instructor to perform the form they teach. I would want to
see the concentration, the relaxed look, and be able to pick up on the energy changes. I
might even ask to sit in free on a class to watch. The instructor should speak of
breathing and energy not of how to hurt others otherwise you will be losing out on the
greatest benefits that Tai Chi offers.
I am Kay, a very strong advocate for the health benefits you
gets from being involved in T'ai Chi. When I started T'ai Chi in 1991, I had very bad
arthritis in my knees that made it so I often could not walk. I was much heavier and had
very limited movement. My hips would lock up and it would take great effort to stand or
walk after sitting for a long time. I would be short of breath. I had frequent bouts of
vertigo and lost my balance a lot. Walking on any slippery surface would cause me to fall.
Now I am lighter, have lowered my blood pressure, lowered my sugar, can move easily, have
great balance, am more graceful and now I even teach T'ai Chi to others!
I teach and practice my version of the Yang Short Form which I now call the Yin/Yang
Short form. I say ‘my version' since I have learned that each instructor teaches the
movements just a little differently and there have to be considerations for the body type.
Being a large framed woman with large breasts and short arms, I am not able to move my
arms the same as a tall thin man would. Variations have to be allowed so that the body can
make the moves freely to receive the maximum energy flow and greatest benefit. Physical
limitations should be determined so efforts can be made to compensate for the limitation
and possibly overcome that restriction. Additionally, my focus is on the health and
balancing benefits of TaiChi with self-defense principals becoming instinctual.
I love watching the faces on people as they learn. You can see when they have a movement
down correctly because they will be surprised at the feeling they get from doing the
movement right. T'ai Chi will bring great cleansing energy to you on many different
levels. Some people say they feel like they are walking on clouds, other feel very relaxed
but not tired, while others are almost hyper from the energy you get from doing T'ai Chi.
I now teach several different classes, from beginners to advance classes. I also
give private lessons to people who didn't start out in the class on time or who need
additional instruction beyond the regular class. Different people pick up on things
differently. Some people have a hard time while others pick up on the movements very
quickly. It is often hard to catch up if you miss a few classes. Also, how much you
practice at home usually matters too. I hope this bit of information shows you just some
of the benefits you could get from learning T'ai Chi. And if you are in St. Louis, I would
love for you to come learn with us!
I offer several class options:
For group and class quotes please e-mail me at taichi@spiritualnetwork.net and be sure 'TAICHI" is the subject line as we get a lot of spam and junk mail. Or call my cell phone at 314-852-1369 or the Spiritual Network.
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