United Kingdom UK
  • United Kingdom UK
  • United States US

Question: Is tai chi more than just a relaxing exercise?

Asked by  balancedapp 5 months ago

7 answers

balancedapp

I have been practising tai chi & qigong for over 20 years and originally took it up as a martial art. I have long since come to realise that self-defence isn't just against an external attacker, it is defence against self - the stresses and injuries, fears and frustrations that we use to beat ourselves up with. What are your thoughts?

Treatments:
Hypnotherapy, Qigong, Tai Chi, Neuro Linguistic programming, Mindfulness

Report as inappropriate

Can you help out?

Best answer

Top Answer – As rated by the community

Re-Vitalise

 Re-Vitalise 5 months ago

Definitely think you are right here. I believe Tai Chi can be an exercise, a meditation, a martial art and/or a spiritual practise. So you could view Tai Chi as a mechanism for battling against ill health and stress. Alternatively, I have found that it helps me to connect more deeply with the world and people around me. So a more positive aspect and way of thinking about it. These days I rarely think in terms of defense or battling against things. Tai Chi is a part of my Buddhist practise so I tend to find it now teaches me a great deal about connection. Connecting with the earth, with nature and with people. Take a look at my articles and meditations on this (see link)

Sources: http://www.re-vitalise.co.uk/articles.html

Other answers (6)

balancedapp

 balancedapp 5 months ago

It is interesting we both Practice CMC Tai Chi. My main teachers was Nigel Sutton. I hvae also trained with Wille Lim and Peter Ralston. By integrating tai chi with NLP etc I have found new facets to this wonderful jewel

Sources: http://www.kaiming.co.uk
http://www.paintingtherainbow.co.uk
http://www.midlandstaichirehab.com

Natha

 Natha 5 months ago

I'm in the United States and learned it as part of Chinese Medicine training. My teacher taught me that Tai Ji is an internal martial arts where one focuses on cultivating oneself rather than focusing on defending an external enemy. He called it an art of "moving stillness" because you are calm, relaxed, and deliberate in movement and breath as you flow, like water, from one posture into another. He also called it "moving meditation" because through the movements, your mind is silenced from disruption of mental chatter and emotions. You are simply present in your body and connected to the energy of the universe as you practice Tai Ji.

Sources: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/health/28brody.html?_r=1

MrAshleyCheeseman

 MrAshleyCheeseman 5 months ago

Tai chi is taichi no more no less.

MrAshleyCheeseman

 MrAshleyCheeseman 5 months ago

Tai chi is taichi no more no less.

scott39

 scott39 5 months ago

yes Definitely it help with organ health to i use to help and and with pain and and the chakras systems to i use fit for 5 years now on client and me

Sources: http://www.activebryantsystems.com/what-is-qigong.html

albert25

 albert25 4 months ago

Yes Tai chi Is more than an exercise for relaxing it is a sophisticated martial art. The slow movement and concentration on the movement is like meditation, coupled with the concentration on relaxing breathing in time you will be relaxed and calmer. Tai Chi hand forms have the martial art application entwined and hidden within the movements. Practicing the hand form without the knowledge of these applications may not give you the same kind of focus, the right intent and may cause incorrect posture, weight transfer and timing. Even if you do not practice self-defence, without the knowledge these application the form can look empty like the essence of the movement is not there.

Sources: A. st Catherine Tai Chi Instructor