What Is Tai Chi And What Does It Mean To You?

What is Tai Chi?

Tai Chi is an internal Chinese martial art that is accomplished through the practicing of a routine that consists of a set of thirteen postures that are performed in a consistent fluid manner. The point of these postures is to promote health, longevity and strength.

The routine for Tai Chi is performed solo or in groups at a slow, graceful and rythmetic pace that helps the participant focus on breathing and balance. The unity of breath and body also clarifies, focuses and calms the mind. You have probably often seen people practicing Tai Chi in parks if you live in a big multi-cultural city with lots of park. Enormous crowds practice the art every day in parks in the major cities of China.

Tai Chi is considered to be a soft style martial art and that why it is called an "internal martial art." There is no opponent but the enemies within that cause one to become uneasy and detached from either the mind or body. Tai Chi has a grounding effect that creates self-awareness and better self-esteem. The only enemy is "the enemy within." Thus the term - internal marital artist.

The dance of Tai Chi which is a slow yet fluid holding and releasing of postures in tandem with deep breathing exercises can trace its development back to two million years B.C. However the Chen family of China developed the style that we know today in 1820. The Chen family also extended their knowledge to the Yang family thus creating the two main schools of Tai Chi: Chen and Yang.

Some have labeled Tai Chi to be a form of moving meditation, as it uses the body to connect with the mind. Aside from general health benefits and stress relief, tai chi training may also include learning about aspects of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This is because like so many other prescriptions for overall health in China (such as acupuncture), Tai Chi is all about reactivating the energy centers in the body. The movements are said to help clear meridians and create more chi (life force) by massaging the internal organs and clearing both physical and ethereal blocks.

The Tai Chi routines consist of two main features. First there is the solo form that consists of a slow sequence of movements that emphasize the straightening of the posture, breathing from the abdomen and performing a range of simple motions. The second feature involves the pushing away of energy in stances that make it appear as if you are pushing away blocks of air.

The most sophisticated forms of Tai Chi apply its stances, which are based on the postures of animals and mythical beasts to the art of physical confrontation. These beasts include dragons, cranes and snakes.

The entire philosophy of Tai Chi as it is applied to martial arts is to learn how to manipulate your enemy's force without exerting any force yourself. This means yielding and blending with the threatening force rather than meeting it head on with force. These abilities are also sometimes compared to the elements such as wind or water that bend around objects rather than combat them. This follows the ancient Buddhist spiritual law of winning by practicing "non-resistance."