“Without actually practicing the true essence of Tai Chi, the so called walking meditation of Tai Chi can never be achieved”, says Grand Master Henry Sue
Tai Chi Chuan is characterised by strength that is generated from the legs and the waist. Some external styles of martial arts more commonly use strength from the arms and hands. In Yang style tai Chi the body leads and the arms follow the turning of the waist. In the Chen style there is a form in which the hands lead the body, as though the body is pulled and turned by the force of the strike. But in both styles, the waist and lower back play the central roles. In all Tai Chi Chuan styles, the whole body attacks.
Tai Chi Chuan students defend themselves by neutralising and blending ( hua ) with an opponent’s attack. And all Tai Chi Chuan students practice sticking ( chan ) to the attacker, staying in close to control the opponent’s balance and to better sense the next move.
The extreme slowness of the Yang style develops a high level of balance and control. This helps you sense where you are tensing inappropriate muscle groups, such as raising your shoulders when punching or tensing the neck and face when kicking. Excess tension ( contraction ) reduces your speed and energy output. The alert relaxation of the Yang style helps students recognise and correct inappropriate movement before it becomes chronic and habitual.
- Excerpted and moulded from Cohen, K. ( 1986 ). A Comparison of Yang and Chen Styles
The ancient Chinese were very attuned to their environment and their health. They understood that they should follow the cycles evident in the natural world to maintain good health and a long life. Over centuries they developed many systems for health and medicine. These included acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medicine, cupping, scraping, bloodletting, dietary guidelines, kung fu, dao yin, qigong, and tai chi chuan.
Tai Chi Chuan is a soft martial art based on the harmony of Yin and Yang and the Tao. The training is internal, benefiting our heart, lungs, other internal organs, joints, bones, muscles, ligaments, Qi and Blood. This is achieved via continual, strong yet gentle movements and ideas. Such training improves health, calms emotions, quiets and focuses the mind, increases longevity, and invites growth and evolution of the self. Tai Chi Chuan is a bottomless well of study and insight, one of the greatest gifts given to man. It is considered a national treasure in China.
