T’ai chi means many things to many people. Some people take it up for its curative and restorative qualities, while others embrace it as a combination of exercise and recreation. More intense practitioners look at t’ai chi as a martial art that is primarily used for self-defence. Whatever be your goal, there is no denying that t’ai chi gifts you incredible physical, emotional and spiritual benefits. The movements invigorate the body and mind by balancing the circulation of chi [energy]. Apart from massaging the internal organs, t’ai chi increases your speed, reflexes, power and endurance by making your central nervous system more efficient.

You might wonder if you have to be fit and athletic to practice this art. Well, you can practise t’ai chi if you are fat or thin, young or middle-aged or even if you’re very old.

The Art of Being a Student

Learning t’ai chi is a painstaking process. It’s a subtle art and, as is the case with anything subtle, it takes a little time before you can actually experience its magic. When one thinks of t’ai chi, the image that comes to mind is of people using their hands and body to make mysterious movements that look fluid and almost lyrical.But make no mistake—T’ai chi is anything but lyrical.

When the whole body moves together in the same direction, it looks very graceful and well-coordinated. However, the correct execution of the movements in t’ai chi calls for a distinct separation between the different body parts. For example, when you make an inward movement during the first half of the positive circle, you initiate the move with the elbow and not the hand. By the same token, when the hand goes out during the second half of the circle, your shoulder goes down rather than following the hand. T’ai chi is an act of engineering in disguise, where each body part moves in a different direction thereby giving your opponent a feeling that he is fighting several opponents.

Gaining Expertise in Form

Progressing in t’ai chi is often likened to constructing a house. First, you have to lay the solid foundation by learning the joint-loosening movements. Next, you can start building the structure by practising the positive and negative circles, which involve rotation rather than movement. Then, you can put the wall and the roof by learning the ‘form’ and its applications. If the basic rudiments are not learned properly, the art’s significant benefits will elude you, no matter how long you practise.

After the student has learned the circles, he is introduced to the ‘form’. To do an individual move repeatedly may be easy but performing an entire sequence in a seamless manner is a completely different ball game. An effective ‘form’ involves a good grasp of t’ai chi’s numerous principles. You need to know which principle to use when, and how to use it in a manner that it puts you in an advantageous position. T’ai chi is as much about mastering the mind as it is about disciplining the body. In order to imbibe the principles and refrain from an inappropriate action, one has to adopt the approach of ‘one principle at a time’.

How is T’ai Chi Different From Exercise?

When it comes to exercise, people tend to think of activities like gymming, running or walking. However, these activities are pretty simple in their approach. You do them without engaging your mind. In comparison, t’ai chi demands that you bring every faculty into play during every move that you make. That’s why it is often referred to as ‘meditation in motion’. The inability to concentrate on the present moment is often the reason why people struggle with t’ai chi.

Nothing captures the essence of t’ai chi more beautifully than this quote by the Chinese scholar Lao Tzu, “Softness overcomes hardness.” This cryptic sentence might intrigue you. Well, it means that although t’ai chi is a martial art, it doesn’t put premium on fighting with muscular strength. Instead it relies on achieving unity through separation that results in the body unleashing explosive power.

Some Misconceptions Cleared

As t’ai chi is done slowly, it has led to widespread assumption that it is more suited to older people. The truth of the matter is that t’ai chi’s range is infinite. You can go as fast or as slow as you want. However, it is usually done slowly as that allows you to effectively check on the principles of alignment, yin and yang separation and  groundedness.

Related » Unblock your energy, unleash your potential with Qigong

How I Discovered T’ai Chi

My interest in t’ai chi was aroused by a book I read 17 years ago. Although the book was about the Silk-Weaving Exercises that were aimed at strengthening the vital organs of the body, there was a passing mention of this internal martial art from China. I was heavily into Karate back then but something about these exercises stirred me. After I mastered these exercises, I was teaching them to a group of people. That’s when a leading newspaper decided to do a feature on it. After the article appeared, I was inundated with calls. When a significant number of people asked me if these exercises were a part of t’ai chi, my resolve to learn t’ai chi in its fullness got strengthened.

The moment I finished my first session at Dr Bob Bacher’s Academy in Germany in 1997, I knew I had made irreversible ties with this art. Having practised Karate for 19 years and having attained the rank of fifth degree black belt in Okinawa, Japan, I could quickly sense that t’ai chi was a work of a very high order and that I would have to cultivate patience if I wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the art’s unique principles. But I felt, it was made for me. The art has ruled my heart to the extent that a day is not a day unless I have put in at least a few hours of practice.

In the recent times, my experience has gone even deeper. I have had the rare opportunity to learn the art in its purest state under the strict supervision of Chen Zhonghua, the Standard-bearer of the Chen Style TaijiQuan Practical Method.

In this age of stress, where compassion and a sense of wonder are deserting people, t’ai chi is an ideal art to realise the greater human potential and restore a sense of meaning to your life.

A version of this article was first published in the June 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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Qigong is physical exercise as well as a meditation practice. A Qigong practice can increase energy, reduce stress, and strengthen muscles and joints.

It originated several thousand years ago in China, and has many forms. T’ai Chi is one of more than 200 forms of Qigong. Some forms have no movement at all. Sometimes only one movement is practised and sometimes a practice is made up of a few simple movements.

Practising Qigong can increase energy, reduce stress, and strengthen muscles and joints

Traditional Chinese medicine teaches us that there are meridians in our body. Your Qi or life energy flows through these meridians. This energy flow is like water flowing in a river or stream, or possibly like the traffic flow on a highway. We are born with a certain amount of Qi. Different life experiences add to, or subtract from, this Qi. It is almost like depositing and withdrawing money from a bank account. If we’re not conscious about it, we are likely to withdraw more from our Qi account than add to it. This could result in poor health or lack of energy.

Our energy becoming blocked or sluggish is much like a tree falling over and blocking a river—or like a traffic jam. These blockages will keep energy from reaching parts of our body, causing a depletion of Qi, or will overflow into other areas, resulting in too much Qi.

Increase the balance in your Qi account

With a smooth energy flow, we can experience good health. With a vigorous energy flow, we experience vitality, and with an abundant energy flow, we experience longevity. Qigong counters the effects of a poor diet, lack of exercise, environmental factors, stress, even our emotions and thoughts—or thinking too much—a common ailment in our world.

If we’re not conscious about it, we are likely to withdraw more from our Qi account than add to it

The increased energy flow that comes from practising Qigong includes an improved immune system, lower blood pressure, increased flexibility, and reduced stress.

One of the first Qigong forms I learned was called Eight Brocades. It is an 800-year-old practice. It was designed to help bad backs, neck ache, weak joints, low energy, lost flexibility, and stress. Here we are, 800 years later and many of us have very similar complaints.

One of the best things about Qigong is that is can be practised anywhere and any time. There is no special outfit needed. Loose, comfortable clothes allow for freedom of movement. No special shoes are needed.

All you need is 10 — 15 minutes a day of your time and the result—better health. Now, to get that better health, you do need to be dedicated and practise every day. You will also need to be focussed on your practice, and not thinking about the 20 other things you need to get done before lunch.

One of the best things about Qigong is that is can be practised anywhere and any time

Living my life to the fullest with Qigong

I have been practising Qigong and meditating for several years. I can’t say I have fewer frustrations in my work, in fact this past year was a particularly difficult one. I have noticed however, that on a personal front I show up differently. I am less likely to get frustrated when things pile up—I avoid making mountains out of molehills—I notice that I am often reminding others around me to take a breath before reacting. I feel calmer inside, I relax more, and I enjoy life more.

Although there are many different movements you can learn, you only need to learn a few. Your goal in practising Qigong is to get the energy flow happening. After 10 – 15 repetitions of a simple movement, you just need to get out of the way and let the energy flow. Like water will naturally flow to the lowest point, your energy flow will move to any areas in your body that are in need of it. In fact, if you direct the energy with your mind you will more than likely send it to the wrong place.

One day, I was experiencing some cold symptoms. My biggest difficulty was getting a good night’s sleep. I was too stubborn to stay home from work and get some extra rest. I quickly decided that is was going to be a very, very bad day! I was miserable and grumpy and I had not even left for work yet.

Like water will naturally flow to the lowest point, your energy flow will move to any areas in your body that are in need of it

I have been practising my Qigong in the morning before work. I set a goal to practise every day. I knew if I skipped my morning practice time, it would be easy to find excuses about why I could not possibly practice later in the day. Even though I wanted to skip this morning practice, I spent some time doing the simple movements and then continued to get ready for my awful, miserable, no-good day. About halfway through my drive to school, I noticed that I was smiling.

My next thought was, “Wait a minute—I am having a terrible, awful day—I can’t be smiling.” That resulted in a bigger smile, a chuckle at myself for being so silly—and a very good day. Did my 15-minute Qigong practice that morning make a difference? I truly believe so.

A version of this was first published in the April 2013 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

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