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What is Tai Chi?
T’ai
Chi Ch’uan is many things. It is probably best to explain in the same
order as people discover it, that is the physical form first. Most people
are attracted to Tai Chi when they first see someone practicing the slow
graceful movements of a form because they think it is good for relaxation
and a nice gentle form of exercise: this is true. A comparative handful
people see Tai Chi as a means of obtaining spiritual enlightenment and
achieving a connection with the universe: this is also true. The fact is
that Tai Chi can be both of these things and everything in between.
At a
beginner’s level the movements of the form are taught in such a way as to
keep the body relaxed and flowing. As well as being beneficial to the
health this way of moving is designed to allow the internal energy, or
"chi", to flow freely around the body. As this skill is gradually acquired
the benefits to the health become greater, and the effectiveness of Tai
Chi as a martial art increases. Once a degree of mastery has been obtained
over the transmission of internal energy, then Tai Chi cam be used at one
of it’s higher levels, that is to heal both ones self and others.
It
is impossible to explain what Tai Chi is in a few paragraphs. Many books
have been written on the subject and none of them could hope to give a
complete answer. T’ai Chi Ch’uan is a journey: how far you travel along
it’s road is up to you.
Why are there different types of Tai Chi and what does this mean?
In
Tai Chi a fixed pattern of moves is called a form. There are dozens, if
not hundreds, of different forms including empty hand forms, sword forms,
stick forms, solo forms and two man fighting forms. However when people
refer to different types of Tai Chi they usually mean family styles.
Because Tai Chi was always taught as a jealously guarded secret, at one
time it was only taught to members of the same family, and gradually
similar but separate family styles developed.
Among main styles of Tai Chi are Chen, Wu, Yang and Sun. The most widely
taught is Yang style as this was the first to be taught outside China in
the early part of the twentieth century.
Is Tai Chi a martial art or a form of exercise?
It
would be incorrect to say Tai Chi is either one thing or another. It is a
form of exercise, but to treat it as exercise alone would be to ignore all
the other aspects and subsequent benefits. In the same way it cannot be
practiced purely as a martial art as to make the art effective, other
aspects have to be incorporated into training. One of the most common
errors is to ignore the martial aspect. It seems that a large number of
western "teachers" view Tai Chi as something of a new age meditational
exercise and teach it as such, which again comes back to the fundamental
of not getting the complete picture.
Tai
Chi is there for everyone, but to learn real Tai Chi don’t allow yourself
to be selective. To get all the benefits you must study all the facets.
You will never understand a book if you ignore every third page.
What are the benefits of practicing Tai Chi?
The
benefits of Tai Chi are too numerous to list. If practiced regularly,
conscientiously and correctly then the benefits are enormous. The whole of
a Tai Chi form is designed to direct internal energy around various parts
of the body in sequence. The internal energy, or chi, repairs, realigns
and re adjusts the body as it goes and, if you think of the human body as
being a car, it is a bit like fine tuning and adjusting that car every day
so that it always operates at its optimum. Health wise, Tai Chi is not a
quick fix and the greatest benefits will be achieved long term. To use
another analogy, imagine a table with a solid wooden top, after many years
of neglect that table will have built up a thick layer of dirt and grime.
If you begin gently cleaning the table every day with just a few easy
strokes of the duster, then eventually all the grime will be removed and
the table will be restored to its original condition.
Among the most apparent health benefits are an increase in general health
and fitness, greater stamina, longevity, greater mental clarity and
calmness and increased physical capabilities (it is not uncommon for a Tai
Chi practitioner in their seventies or eighties to have the physical
capability and energy of someone twenty or thirty years their junior).
What is the best way to learn Tai Chi?
The
only way to learn Tai Chi properly is to be taught by a competent teacher.
It is impossible to learn from a book, it is impossible to learn from a
video. From either of these you may be able to copy some postures crudely
or even make a good effort at approximating a complete form, but what you
see in instructional books and videos is far from the whole picture.
Contained in each Tai Chi form are many hidden or "secret" moves, each
move has many different applications and between each of the so called
"set" moves are dozens of transitional moves. There are also skills such
as correct breathing and visualization to consider. The physical aspect of
Tai Chi should also be taught in conjunction with the philosophical side
of the art, with the teacher being available to answer, discuss and
clarify any points a student may raise, so that teacher and student can
learn from each other.
Tai
Chi should also be taught slowly and thoroughly, a student only being
allowed to progress to the next level once lessons and techniques have
been absorbed and perfected. A mistake left uncorrected at an early stage
will make it impossible to progress beyond a certain level later on.
What is meant by an internal art?
T’ai
Chi Ch’uan is an internal or soft art as opposed to say, karate, tae kwon
do or tang so do which are external or hard martial arts. This means that
the effectiveness of external arts is brought about by the development of
physical, muscular strength by means of strenuous and demanding training
involving things like sparring, body conditioning and bag work.
Tai
chi achieves it’s power by developing and controlling internal energy.
This internal or "chi" energy is the energy that flows through all things,
the energy that we use all day and every day without realizing it.
