The Beauty and Benefits of Tai Chi
Tai chi (which means “the great ultimate”) is an ancient health practice and martial art form from China. You may have also heard it called tai chi chuan (“the ultimate fist”).
Tai chi combines deep breathing and relaxation with postures that flow from one into another s-l-o-w-l-y, in smooth, gentle, graceful movements. It’s been called both moving meditation and moving medicine because it’s claimed to deliver many benefits:
- Promotes flexibility
- Improves balance
- Builds muscle strength
- Improves aerobic fitness
- Lowers blood pressure
- Improves sleep
- May support the immune system
- Improves body awareness
- Contributes to quality of life, serenity, and relaxation
Whether you believe all these claims or not, tai chi will certainly slow you down and provide an oasis of calm in the hurly-burly pace of everyday life.
If you haven’t tried tai chi, this Active Living article will introduce you to the practice, be it the Chen, Yang, Wu, or Sun style. Here’s your chance to learn about something new. You might discover a pearl of the Orient!
- This message describes the basic principles of tai chi.
- It also introduces you to four popular tai chi styles.
Go With the Flow
One of the goals of tai chi is to unblock the flow of energy — chi (pronounced “chee”) — inside and around your body, giving you more vitality and energy. Although there are a variety of tai chi forms to accomplish this, they’re all based on the same set of principles. Following these principles will help open up your energy flow:
- Go slowly. Slowing down is hard because we’re so used to doing everything in a hurry. But going slowly is crucial to tai chi — the slow movements help you pay attention to what your body and mind are doing.
- Easy does it. We’re used to forcing things — computer crashed? Turn it off, on, off, on. Door jammed? Kick it! Force has no place in tai chi. If you’re tense, you’re burning up energy. Wasting energy is counter to tai chi philosophy.
- Throw a curve. Tai chi motions are circular because rounded, curved joints and limbs are said to promote better energy flow within the body.
- Keep it simple. Movement should flow easily from one posture to another. If your body feels awkward or contorted, it probably is. The key is to stop thinking so hard and just go with the flow. It’s best not to intellectualize or strain to think about exactly what your body is doing. (This gets easier with practice.)
- Smooth as silk. In tai chi, you don’t stop between movements. Instead, you flow gently from one into another. There’s no pause at the end of a tai chi movement.
- Bend, but don’t break. The bent-knee stance of tai chi is a hallmark of the practice. Bend your knees naturally: Movement flows better with unlocked knees.
- Yin and yang. Yin and yang are the basic Eastern principles of opposition and balance. Yin is the yielding, feminine principle and yang is the forceful, masculine principle. A healthy state is achieved when yin and yang are in balance. Tai chi movements are rooted in this concept. Yin movements are non-weight bearing and have more emotional energy. These movements are balanced by yang movements that are weight bearing and have more muscular energy.
- Whole body. In tai chi, the whole body flows from one position into another. This is different from other forms of physical activity in which you move one body part, then another, like walking.
- Firmly planted. Create a balanced and secure position by centering your weight between the ball of your foot and your heel. Tai chi practitioners believe that firmly rooting their feet helps them gather in chi.
Interested in Trying Tai Chi?
Tai chi is so popular these days, you can find groups and classes nearly everywhere. Being able to watch and follow a leader might be the easiest way to get started.
Excellent resources are available on the Internet, and through videos or DVDs.
Summary
- Many claims are made for tai chi. At the very least, the practice will improve your balance and flexibility and probably give you periods of calm.
