Introduction Yang-style Tai Chi had its roots in the successful martial art routine developed by Yang for training competitors in hand-to-hand fighting. The routine is performed as a gentle, slow and graceful routine, found to be excellent exercise because it uses every joint and muscle in the body together with providing excellent exercise for the…
Read more
TaiChi–blending Body, Mind and Spirit
How does Tai Chi provide us comprehensive guidance? And how can we consider applying the benefits to our own context? Consider the "body, mind and spirit" model... BODY Stretching the muscles. Loosening the joints. Improvement in circulation of the blood. Achieving flexibility of the body. Movements come from what the Chinese call ‘wu-wei’ or ‘not-…
Read more
Never too Late to ‘Un-Learn’
To appreciate Tai Chi Chuan, we should consider that it is not an activity where you are learning new stuff. It is what you are, but have forgotten, it is an awakening of innate qualities of what it is to be human. We can refer to the teachings of F. Matthias Alexander - the creator…
Read more
TaiChi Circular Movements
'Stop being a square !'...Who me? Yes it is easy to slip into square habits. You have no doubt been told on numerous occasions that one major principle of the Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan is circular movements. This exhibits on many levels, most of which are clearly apparent. Why is this principle so important?…
Read more
Ancient Philosophies – a part of Tai Chi
The Yin Yang symbol, or Taijitu, consists of black representing yin and white representing yang. It is a symbol that reflects the inescapably intertwined duality of all things in nature, a common theme in Taoism. No quality is independent of its opposite, nor so pure that it does not contain its opposite in a diminished…
Read more