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I have been practicing Tai Ji Quan for about 1 year now and can verify that the claims made for it are spot on. The difference it has made has been amazing. Given that I have been doing it for a year and am only up to movement 32 you can see by the following that it is not something that can be learned overnight!
Tai Ji Quan, or Tai Chi Chuan, is an ancient Chinese art combining health and relaxation with self defence. Students learn through regular practice to harmonise mind, body and spirit, to create flexibility and develop stillness and concentration.
The Yang style was developed by Yang Lu Chan and classes follow traditional teaching methods which have been handed down over the centuries. The Yang style long form embodies 108 continuous flowing moves.
Tai Ji Quan is based on the same principles which underlie traditional Chinese medicine. Each movement stimulates the same energy channels which are used by acupuncturists.
A good teacher will emphasise the importance of relaxation and health building, especially in the early stages of learning. There is an old Chinese saying “the more the bamboo grows, the lower he bows”. The aim of the Tai Ji Quan student is to become pliable, rather than brittle and inflexible with age. Gradually, as the channels unblock, the body accelerates its healing process and energy flows more easily. This is where Tai Ji Quan gains its unique qualities as a therapeutic skill.
Students report benefits for a variety of ailments including back problems, depression, ME, arthritis, poor circulation and migraine. The most obvious difference to an onlooker is the change in countenance over the first few months of regular training. Students become alive, their eyes sparkle and there is an obvious joy of living.
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