What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is a Martial Art originating in China. Tai Chi is considered one of the "Internal" Martial Arts. According to T.Y. Pang: Tai Chi practice is not mere drilling, rather Tai Chi practice is a continuous, attentive process of learning, feeling, and being. There is no idea or image to be matched. One lets go of all thoughts in the mind, moving and feeling without any preconceived images or ideas. The graceful Tai Chi movements, gentle and smooth, help tune the organic and physical functions of the body, breaking old habits and enabling one to achieve new physical skills. This means bringing about a fundamental change in one’s life. In general, we live sedentary lives with excessive nervous tension and too little physical movement, Our bodies are in need of exercise and our minds in need of peace and rest. Tai Chi provides a counterpoise to the agitation and sedentariness of modern society. What does the word “chi” mean? The word chi by itself means “air”. But when we talk about chi in terms of Tai Chi training, usually it means “energy” or “function”. It is very important to note that chi as “energy” is a force. Our bodies function at a certain level in daily life. But during martial arts practice the body attains a higher level of functioning. Through inner hearing and seeing, being deeply aware of your inner body state, you sense your energy(chi). During Tai Chi training we begin by listening to the chi flowing with our movements, flowing inside our bodies. Later we are able to direct the movement of the inner chi, imbalanced energy flow can be made to be balanced. It also becomes possible to do physical movements we might have formerly thought impossible.
From “On Tai Chi Chuan” by T.Y. Pang
