Regardless of the weather and the temperature, if you happened to make an early morning visit to any of the parks in China, you would see a large number of people on their way to work stop off at the park to practice t’ai chi ch’uan together. You would see a large number of people who practice t’ai chi ch’uan early in the morning and again later in the afternoon – as regularly and as often as you would brush your teeth or have a bath or shower. Young and old alike gather together to perform their daily internal cleansing routine – t’ai chi ch’uan. For them it is a way of life.

Literally translated, t’ai chi ch’uan means “supreme ultimate fist”. It originated in China some 5 000 years ago as a martial art. The most popular story about the creation of t’ai chi is that its (possibly mythical) founder Chang San Feng, a Taoist monk, devised the moves of t’ai chi after watching a fight between a crane and a snake. It has been developed as an advanced means of combat and self-defence and a number of ‘styles’ have emerged - each named after the families that developed them. The most popular style, worldwide, is the Yang style.

The art of t’ai chi is generally practised as a set sequence of distinctive postures connected by slow flowing movements. These postures and movements are designed to increase chi (energy) flow along the ching lo (the meridians or invisible energy pathways of the body) and to gently exercise every joint and muscle in the body. The main reasons for the modern day practice of T’ai Chi are rejuvenation, invigoration and longevity.

Because of its slow, relaxing nature t’ai chi ch’uan has been called ‘meditation in motion’ and can be practised by old and young alike regardless of level of fitness or physical dexterity. The degree of physical and mental intensity of t’ai chi practice can be varied personally by the individual practitioner. It does not require any special equipment or clothing – or much space. Part of the beauty of t’ai chi is that it, and its benefits, are accessible to all. T’ai chi has become the most widely practised form of exercise around the world and is equally suited to both men and women.

To an observer, t’ai chi ch’uan appears to be a series of slow, flowing, relaxing movements – almost a graceful slow motion ballet – where some of the moves hint at self-defence applications. But, t’ai chi is far more than that. It exercises every muscle, joint and organ in the body and removes the blockages in our chi (energy flow) created by worry and excess tension or stress. It also teaches a flexible and yielding response to confrontation and promotes balance, harmony and peace in daily life. It teaches us to use just the right amount of effort to accomplish something, to go with the flow and still achieve. T’ai chi teaches us to be effective by working within the environment in which we find ourselves, and within our own body limits, rather that to use brute force to be successful.

Because of the slow and gentle nature of t’ai chi it offers a thorough form of exercise with no risk of injury. All the movements are slow and controlled and executed within the ability of the individual practising it. There is no sudden jarring that can cause injury, just gentle isometric training.   

T’ai chi helps to create a centre of calm and balance within those who practice it, enabling practitioners to think clearer and develop their powers of concentration. It exercises both the mind and the body slowly and gently to the fullest extent possible. Nowadays it is widely recognised, even in the business community, as an effective means of stress management and healing as well as an extraordinary technique for developing a general fitness of the mind and body.

On a basic level, the movements are relaxing and open the energy points within the body, increasing energy flow and intake - so just by simply going through the motions of the t’ai chi form, you will, over time, benefit from increased energy, mobility and relaxation. The technical moves, even at the outset, require a fair deal of concentration in order to get the co-ordination correct, as it usually involves doing four of five different things simultaneously with the arms, legs, body and head. As a result, it is both mentally and physically challenging.

For those with a deeper interest, following the precise positions of the form will increase the flow of chi (energy) quite dramatically. A student can usually feel the chi (energy) pulsating in their hands at quite an early stage in T’ai Chi practise. Students will benefit further from stretching and using all the joints and muscles in the body, and can concentrate on the self-defence aspects of t’ai chi. Understanding these applications increases ones appreciation of why the moves are done in a particular way, and therefore how to do them correctly. One will also learn to concentrate on the eight intrinsic energies involved in the practice of the art of t’ai chi ch’uan. The dedicated students, once they reached a certain level of proficiency, will be taught what to think and feel while executing the various parts of the t’ai chi form. This will enhance their growing ability to control and direct the energy flows through their body, which in turn has even greater health benefits for the practitioner. 

As far-fetched as it may sound to the uninitiated and the sceptics, t’ai chi ch’uan masters - practitioners who have been training in earnest for scores of years  - are able to direct their energy towards an object merely by concentrating upon it. There are a number of stories of accomplished masters knocking down an opponent metres away from them, merely by raising their hand, and mentally projecting their energy toward them to knock them off their feet.

As advantageous as the ability might be, it is certainly reserved for the very few students who can dedicate their life and life-style to the study and perfection of t’ai chi. For the rest of us mere mortals, it remains to find a suitably qualified teacher to serve our level of interest, and to enjoy the relaxation and health benefits to be found from a tranquil environment and gentle movements done to soothing music. 

Finding a suitable instructor

Don’t just run off to the nearest place of instruction, and don’t shop around for the cheapest – or even the most expensive – classes. That is not the way to choose an instructor who will help you make the best investment in our future health and well-being. Make the effort to go and watch a class and see the instructor in action. Find out how long he or she has been practising t’ai chi and who they have trained under. They should be comfortably conversant with all the benefits to be gained from practising t’ai chi, as well as know about energy movement and the self-defence applications of the moves.

You might need to choose between the different styles of t’ai chi offered, and also between the long and short forms offered. The short forms incorporate some, but not all of the moves of t’ai chi, and were developed because of the time constraints placed on our Western lives. Depending upon your level of interest in t’ai chi, the short form can be ideal for a regular quick 10 minute morning session, but if you are seriously interested in t’ai chi, the long form containing all the moves might be preferable. The long form itself consists of a number of sub-sets that can be applied to the different time periods available.

This article, by Sharon Davis, first appeared in Pathways to Health in 1999.