More about Tai Chi

Practical Tips for Beginners

I’ve grouped these notes under individual headings: mind, body, breath, energy (Qi), spirit, and form, but what’s unique about Tai Chi and Qigong is how practice ties these elements together.

That said, don't be overwhelmed by all the different details! Work on your skills a little at a time :)

Form

  • Good Tai Chi form brings together all of the above points, and has certain characteristics including:

    • Song - Looseness or relaxedness

    • Peng - Expansion

    • Ding - Uprightedness

    • Chen - Rootedness

    • Chan Si Jin - Silk Reeling - smooth and circular movement

Mind

  • remain present and be clear about what you're doing

  • cultivate internal stillness and mindfulness even during movement

  • focus your attention

Energy (Qi)

  • develop life Qi through healthy living

  • practice good alignment and relaxedness so that energy is free to flow

  • Yi Dao, Qi Dao - energy flows where attention goes

    • begin by keeping a focus on the lower Dan Tien as the place where energy is stored - then apply energy to the intention of the forms

  • harmonize mind, body, breath, and spirit to further develop Qi

Spirit

Apply the Way of the Warrior to your personal growth:

  • practice consistently to develop strength of will and patience

  • practice mindfully to deepen focus and skill

  • build endurance by continually growing your practice, even in small ways

  • One of the most influential guides to good Tai Chi form is Yang Chenfu’s 10 Essential Points (1925):

    1. Empty, lively energy lift the crown

    2. Sink the chest, raise the back

    3. Relax the waist

    4. Distinguish full and empty

    5. Sink shoulders, drop elbows

    6. Use intention, not force

    7. Upper and lower follow each other

    8. Internal and external united

    9. Continuous and unbroken

    10. Seek stillness within movement

    https://qi-encyclopedia.com/article.php?&id=120

Body

  • practice regularly to build Tai Chi specific physical strength, co-ordination and mobility - which will also improve your form

  • learn a few Qigong/Traditional Chinese Medicine points to get the most out of your practice:

Breath

  • first, work on abdominal, or diaphragmatic, breathing and regulate your breathing until it is calm

    • draw in your breath in through your nose to your lower belly (lower Dan Tien) and allow your belly to rise as it fills with air

    • then let your belly relax and release the air

  • In meditation, just watch the breath leave. When practising forms, time breathing to the movements of the forms

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