Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi Chuan is the full name of what is now usually called Tai Chi or Taiji. The translation of Tai Chi Chuan is Supreme Ultimate Fist. This definitely is a Martial Art term, meaning an ultimate form of fighting. Tai Chi Chuan is said to be an Internal Martial Art, meaning that it is performed from the inside outward. Tai Chi is at least 700 years old; it originated at Wudang Monastary, by the monastary’s founder, Zhang Sanfeng. He is said to have watched a snake and a bird fighting and was struck by the fluid, back and forth movements of their battle.

Today Tai Chi is considered not only a Martial Art, but also a Supreme health-building exercise, a moving Meditation and an advanced form of Qigong. There are a number of schools or families of Tai Chi. The one most universally practiced and taught is from the Yang family.

After 30 years of practice, I tell beginners to work on just 3 basic things. The first is to move from the hips. You can call it the Core, the Dantien, or simply the Hips. Move from your Center and let everything else relax and flow. Second, get your balance on one leg and foot, before you move to the other. This not only improves your balance immeasurably, but also concentrates your energy on one side before it expands to your whole being. And third, the arms and hands must move together as if an invisble ball of energy, or Qi, is between them. The ball projects out from the Core and its limits are defined by the relaxed arms and legs. This connection between the limbs, especially the arms and hands, is always present in each move and between moves. If you are doing all 3 of these things, you are doing Tai Chi.