Tai Chi Uses - 7 Ways Tai Chi Can Be Useful in Your Life - A Personal View

Note: 'Tai chi' and 'tai chi chuan' are Romanizations of Chinese terms using the older but still popular Wade-Giles system. 'Taiji' and 'Taijiquan' are the equivalent terms from the now universally recognized Pinyin system.
Almost thirty years since my first ever Taiji lesson, I've been reviewing the many ways in which my life has benefited from the practice. Now I'm writing a series of articles to pass on my own experience and understanding of this sometimes confusing subject.
Given how long it's been available in the West, I'm often surprised by how little is generally known about Taijiquan and how much nonsense is still spoken about it. Here are seven areas of benefit which the average student can expect to gain from taking up some form of Taiji practice.
Physical balance and co-ordination:
Before I began the study of Taijiquan I was a particularly uncoordinated and clumsy person. Once, after a public performance playing my guitar alongside a solo dancer, I asked a good friend her opinion. She said "Richard, I love to watch your hands when you play, but the moment you move around onstage you're so clumsy that you're a distraction. Why don't you take up Tai chi or something?" Mortified, knowing her comment was honest and well-intended, I followed her advice and in so doing, changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Asthma and respiratory problems:
I was a chronic asthma sufferer and I tried many alternative therapies to avoid having to rely on drugs for the rest of my life. Many things helped, but it was adding Taiji and Qigong to my routine which really made the difference. My asthma ceased to be a problem in less than 4 months of beginning the practice.
Whole Body Power: Body mechanics and postural alignment
The word 'posture' suggests something static so this is potentially misleading. Taiji is a movement discipline and involves applying principles of superior body-mechanics to improve the efficient delivery of power. Designed as a system of armed (swords etc.) and unarmed combat, Taiji body mechanics apply equally to lifting a box or pushing a piano. A student of mine in her 80's claimed that Taiji was her lifeline. "If I fall and fracture my hip, I know I'm finished" she once told me. She performed her movements small and cautiously, but more correctly than any of the nimble young dancers who also used to attend that lunchtime class, because she understood and made proper use of the internal movement principles of Taiji.
Being Centred:
Learning to redistribute vital energy for a lower centre of gravity has many benefits. Not only do you gain a mechanical advantage in physical confrontation, but you gain control of your emotional reactions. You retain composure, keep a clear head and maintain better balance, and this communicates through your body language. In my experience, this is usually enough to make an adversary back off, because they're not seeing the green light; raised shoulders, unsteady stance, the victim behaviour they expect. Maintaining your centre is also useful when driving - pay close attention to the way your vital energy rushes upwards when you are seized by a fit of road-rage.
'Full & Empty' and the Psychology of Non-resistance:
Taiji combat theory states that force should be met with emptiness, and returned from an unexpected direction. This superior strategy in warfare has been applied by the Chinese from antiquity right through to modern times. The 'yielding' theory has practical applications in all walks of life, including the practice of meditation and dealing with unwanted thoughts and distractions, and in resolving conflicts in interpersonal communication.
Whole Brain Functioning:
Taiji techniques and principles in general promote the synchronization and integration of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This in turn improves performance in most areas of activity, and greatly benefits physical and mental health and well-being. Keeping the tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth is one practice which involves both hemispheres of the brain. Another is maintaining an awareness of an area the size of a grapefruit below the navel known as the tantien. Many other aspects of Taiji movement require continuous synchronization of the hemispheres.This in turn improves your energy levels.
Meditation in Motion:
In these fast-moving times, many people find it difficult or impossible to sit down and be still. Besides, where can you find the time to sit in meditation for 20 minutes, go to the gym and do all the other things that are supposed to help you to stay in good shape? Taiji combines the benefits of physical exercise with the calming and focusing of the mind in moving meditation, which can be achieved within a single daily session. I've also found that after years of practice, I only have to stand in the attention posture as if to begin my practice, and a whole range of physiological changes begin to take place immediately. My system has come to recognize this simple stance which acts as a trigger. As a result, I'm able to stand in meditation more easily and for a far longer time than I can sit. I can do this while waiting for a bus, standing in a queue and many otherwise inert moments during the day.
Visit my blog to ask your questions, read free posts, articles and insights into the many ways to use and benefit from taiji, qigong and other systems for health, meditation and self-protection: http://www.richardcoldman.com/. Richard Coldman is a freelance filmmaker, musician and writer with a keen interest in alternative health and almost 30 years experience in Chinese martial arts and therapeutic exercise.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Coldman
Note: 'Tai chi' and 'tai chi chuan' are Romanizations of Chinese terms using the older but still popular Wade-Giles system. 'Taiji' and 'Taijiquan' are the equivalent terms from the now universally recognized Pinyin system.
Almost thirty years since my first ever Taiji lesson, I've been reviewing the many ways in which my life has benefited from the practice. Now I'm writing a series of articles to pass on my own experience and understanding of this sometimes confusing subject.
Given how long it's been available in the West, I'm often surprised by how little is generally known about Taijiquan and how much nonsense is still spoken about it. Here are seven areas of benefit which the average student can expect to gain from taking up some form of Taiji practice.
Physical balance and co-ordination:
Before I began the study of Taijiquan I was a particularly uncoordinated and clumsy person. Once, after a public performance playing my guitar alongside a solo dancer, I asked a good friend her opinion. She said "Richard, I love to watch your hands when you play, but the moment you move around onstage you're so clumsy that you're a distraction. Why don't you take up Tai chi or something?" Mortified, knowing her comment was honest and well-intended, I followed her advice and in so doing, changed my life in ways I couldn't have imagined.
Asthma and respiratory problems:
I was a chronic asthma sufferer and I tried many alternative therapies to avoid having to rely on drugs for the rest of my life. Many things helped, but it was adding Taiji and Qigong to my routine which really made the difference. My asthma ceased to be a problem in less than 4 months of beginning the practice.
Whole Body Power: Body mechanics and postural alignment
The word 'posture' suggests something static so this is potentially misleading. Taiji is a movement discipline and involves applying principles of superior body-mechanics to improve the efficient delivery of power. Designed as a system of armed (swords etc.) and unarmed combat, Taiji body mechanics apply equally to lifting a box or pushing a piano. A student of mine in her 80's claimed that Taiji was her lifeline. "If I fall and fracture my hip, I know I'm finished" she once told me. She performed her movements small and cautiously, but more correctly than any of the nimble young dancers who also used to attend that lunchtime class, because she understood and made proper use of the internal movement principles of Taiji.
Being Centred:
Learning to redistribute vital energy for a lower centre of gravity has many benefits. Not only do you gain a mechanical advantage in physical confrontation, but you gain control of your emotional reactions. You retain composure, keep a clear head and maintain better balance, and this communicates through your body language. In my experience, this is usually enough to make an adversary back off, because they're not seeing the green light; raised shoulders, unsteady stance, the victim behaviour they expect. Maintaining your centre is also useful when driving - pay close attention to the way your vital energy rushes upwards when you are seized by a fit of road-rage.
'Full & Empty' and the Psychology of Non-resistance:
Taiji combat theory states that force should be met with emptiness, and returned from an unexpected direction. This superior strategy in warfare has been applied by the Chinese from antiquity right through to modern times. The 'yielding' theory has practical applications in all walks of life, including the practice of meditation and dealing with unwanted thoughts and distractions, and in resolving conflicts in interpersonal communication.
Whole Brain Functioning:
Taiji techniques and principles in general promote the synchronization and integration of the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This in turn improves performance in most areas of activity, and greatly benefits physical and mental health and well-being. Keeping the tongue stuck to the roof of the mouth, just behind the front teeth is one practice which involves both hemispheres of the brain. Another is maintaining an awareness of an area the size of a grapefruit below the navel known as the tantien. Many other aspects of Taiji movement require continuous synchronization of the hemispheres.This in turn improves your energy levels.
Meditation in Motion:
In these fast-moving times, many people find it difficult or impossible to sit down and be still. Besides, where can you find the time to sit in meditation for 20 minutes, go to the gym and do all the other things that are supposed to help you to stay in good shape? Taiji combines the benefits of physical exercise with the calming and focusing of the mind in moving meditation, which can be achieved within a single daily session. I've also found that after years of practice, I only have to stand in the attention posture as if to begin my practice, and a whole range of physiological changes begin to take place immediately. My system has come to recognize this simple stance which acts as a trigger. As a result, I'm able to stand in meditation more easily and for a far longer time than I can sit. I can do this while waiting for a bus, standing in a queue and many otherwise inert moments during the day.
Visit my blog to ask your questions, read free posts, articles and insights into the many ways to use and benefit from taiji, qigong and other systems for health, meditation and self-protection: http://www.richardcoldman.com/. Richard Coldman is a freelance filmmaker, musician and writer with a keen interest in alternative health and almost 30 years experience in Chinese martial arts and therapeutic exercise.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Coldman