Tai Chi Chuan is a system of exercises – a soft martial art – that is best known to us here in the west from images on TV or in movies of large groups of people (sometimes well into their senior years) practicing a slow series of movements in parks in China, Taiwan and Singapore. Unlike all other martial arts and gymnastic exercise, the movements of Tai Chi are circular, relaxed, fluid and rooted to the earth. These movements emphasize constant balance, suppleness and yielding as opposed to the rigidity, tension and direct confrontation that you find in other martial arts and western forms of exercise. Practice of this art provides valuable help in extending man’s life span, eliminating tension and increasing opportunities of physical, spiritual and mental well-being and equilibrium. The practice of Tai Chi Chuan as practiced in the Art of Life Method is the practice of a health movement.
The goals of Tai Chi Chuan are to develop both mind and body. This is achieved through harmonizing the breath, physical movements, mental concentration and visual focus. This in turn nurtures and develops our inner life force, known as Qi(chee).
The Tai Chi form is a complex series of slow motion movements, each smoothly and evenly blending into the next. These forms are:
- Rooted in the ground
- Accelerated by the legs
- Controlled by the waist
- Conducted along the spine and into the arms
- Manifested through the fingers
In the Art of Life Method we practice the long (108) movement Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan, the most popular, easy to learn and accessible of the different styles. It is the Tai Chi style that is practiced mostly for its health and longevity benefits as opposed to martial applications. Practice of even the first section alone in conjunction with the stretching and Qi Gong exercises can bring all of the health benefits looked for by most students.
Qi Gong
Qi Gong is a series of breathing exercises and movements whose purpose is
to do away with energy blocks in our systems promoting the free flow of Qi (chee) throughout our bodies. Qi is an energy or life force that moves around pathways (meridians) that run throughout the body maintaining good health and vitality. Qi Gong exercises combined with relaxation of the mind, body and emotions lead to a free flow of this energy. There are many healing potentials associated with Qi Gong and it is used as a therapy for specific conditions as well as a general fine-tuning of one’s entire immune system. Acupuncture, reflexology and acupressure all help to “reroute” our Qi in order to cure hundreds of illnesses and conditions. In China, among the hundreds of uses for Qi Gong, it is now being used with success as an addition to chemotherapy or radiation in treating cancer. The exercises can be performed sitting or standing and some involve small amounts of movement. These exercises focus on nurturing our Qi.The Art of Life Method incorporates Qi Gong exercises with stretching and the practice of Tai Chi Chuan for a full mental, spiritual and physical workout.
