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Physical and Spiritual
The graceful, gentle movements
of the Tai Chi form are the obvious physical aspects of T’ai Chi
Ch’uan. Each individual movement is designed to relax the body and
to allow vital energy, or chi, to flow freely throughout.
This relaxation, and the deep
regular breathing that goes with, it promotes general health and
wellbeing. However once the form is practiced in a complete way,
that is in conjunction with mental spiritual training methods, it
can be used to alleviate symptoms and to actually help cure many
complaints.
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The T'ai Chi
form which, including transitional moves, has some three hundred
postures, takes time and a degree of dedication to learn.
Genuine students of the art, however, do not see this, as being
the most important part of the training.
The spiritual development is brought about
by Chi Kung training. In a basic form Chi Kung consists of
standing in certain positions while using breathing and
visualization to increase and channel chi energy around the
body. |
It is said that in Tai Chi we
should seek stillness in movement. This is more eloquently put in
the translation of the Chinese character:
"Be still as a mountain, move like a great
river"
While the body moves, the
spirit is still and calm. When the body is still, the spirit moves
and the chi flows freely. When all aspects are brought together, we
have T’ai Chi Ch’uan.
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