Tai Chi

Namaste' ~

"The Spirit in me honors in universal love, the Spirit in you"

What is Tai Chi?

Tai chi is a Chinese martial art that is primarily practiced for its health benefits, including a means for dealing with tension and stress. Among the martial arts, there are two basic types: the hard martial arts and the soft martial arts. The latter are also called internal arts. Examples of the hard martial arts are karate and kung fu (or wushu). Examples of the soft martial arts are ba gua and tai chi.

Tai chi emphasizes complete relaxation, and is essentially a form of meditation, or what has been called "meditation in motion." Unlike the hard martial arts, tai chi is characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements that emphasize force, rather than brute strength. Though it is soft, slow, and flowing, the movements are executed precisely.

Tai Chi arises out of two important philosophical texts in China: the Tao Te Ching and the I Ching. Though the title, Tao Te Ching, is translated in different ways, one translation of the title is "the classic way of integrity." Both of these texts stress what the Chinese call "chi." Chi is an ancient Chinese notion designating a form of energy. The term literally means something like "breath," as does the ancient Greek word from which we get the word "spirit." According to the philosophy of tai chi, this energy or chi flows throughout the body, but can become blocked. According to Chinese medicine, tai chi masters, and tai chi philosophy, one becomes ill when the flow of the chi through the body becomes blocked. The Chinese recognize several means for freeing up the flow of chi. Two of the more commonly known forms in this country are acupuncture and tai chi.

In addition to its physical benefits, tai chi is said, by the Chinese, to have certain psychological effects as well. Tai Chi, as a form of meditation, is intended to help one understand oneself and to enable one to deal with others more effectively. This latter function is rooted in one's learning to control oneself. This self-control can come about through two principal notions found in the Tao Te Ching and I Ching. These two notions are the fundamental Taoist notions of yin and yang. The philosophy of Taoism understands everything in terms of these two opposing principles. Though these two principles are seen as opposites, the one necessarily merges into the other, creating the natural balance of self and world. The tai chi form is meant to enable one to bring the principles of yin and yang back into their fundamental, natural harmony. The ultimate effect of this harmony, according to Taoism and Tai Chi, is one's physical and spiritual well-being.

[ Healing Energies ] [ Reflective Spirit ] [ Magical Nature ] [ Affirmations ] [ Useful Links ] [ Contact Us ]