Tai Chi 太极 - what is it, actually?
- Izabela Lizon
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
What is Tai Chi and what are some of the best ways to learn it?
People often ask me about Tai Chi: where did you learn it? Who is teaching it? What is the best way to learn it?
To answer these questions, let's start with the understanding: Tai Chi can be a way of living and a form of exercise. It can be used for healing and for gathering internal energy as well as for skillful injuring and martial arts. There are many types and schools of Tai Chi styles available and the history of the art in the West is quite rich.
On a physical level, it is a set of movements which is called the form. It is a form because it is external - the body moves in a specific choreographic sequence. There are many forms which are often described by the family of origin and the number of movements. For example, Yang 108 or Chen 38 form - Yang and Chen are the family names from which different styles came and the number describes how many moves are in the form.
Before you take first steps into your journey, ask yourself: what would I like to learn and practice?
Here are some ways in which Tai Chi can be practiced:
Martial Path - this is for someone who wants to learn defence system but also more physical (and energetic) application of the form
Tai Chi movements for health & vitality- this is the most common application
Tai Chi living - this is for someone who wants to study the deep principles deriving from Taoism to find purpose and fulfilment in life
Energy Gathering and Self Cultivation - this practice is an elevation of consciousness. By transforming your mind your health improves as well.
*Note that every form of tai chi will have a great impact on your health, but to get health benefits you don't need to study the martial application.
Martial Path
Tai Chi exercises were developed largely as means of defence against violence and attacks. Tai Chi is known as a supreme martial art because it is said that if you can master Tai Chi, you can win with any other martial art practitioner. Most martial arts focuses on using force, also known as 力 - li in Chinese. Tai Chi uses the opposite of force - 松 song - softness and yielding. Through series of body conditioning and mind training, practitioners are able to relax their mind and their body to such extend, that the 气 - qi flows unimpeded. When the qi can flow without any obstructions from the mind and the body, the movements of the body responds to what is happening in real time much faster then the mind can plan and execute. Tai Chi Masters can also use 气 - qi in such a way that the opponent stands no chance.
To master Tai Chi takes decades and good teaching. Without good teaching any effort will be wasted. Advanced techniques and insights are still tightly guarded by the schools and even though there is a sea of information online, one needs a presence of a teacher to make sense of how to apply it. Teacher's embodiment will overflow on a lucky student and the student will eventually be able to get it through diligent practice and their own commitment.
Tai Chi movements for enjoyment & health
This type of tai chi is the most commonly practiced today in community centres, gyms, retirement homes and as workshops. It is an empty form because it does not explore deeper principles of internal energy or internal movement and martial application. To learn this, you simply follow the movements of the teacher or a group of people and move in tandem. Your body will eventually become familiar with the choreography and you will be able to perform it by yourself too.
Tai Chi living
As a life style and philosophy you can start practicing Tai Chi right now. Start by learning how to relax and let go. Letting go is a vast process that never ends and it can be mastered to be like an art of living.
What can you let go?
What does no longer serve you?
Where are you holding on to your defences?
Where do you find yourself having stiff beliefs that make your body tense up?
Actively practice letting go and watch your mind relax. To complement this practice, sit for meditation daily, observing, without reacting to anything, without any goals or focus, just pay attention to what is happening when you sit in complete silence. I practiced like this for 8 years and am continuing to be surprised how much I am still holding on.
Energy gathering and healing
This type of Tai Chi practice is also called Internal Arts, or 内 功 nèi gōng. It involves learning about energy and abilities to gather it for different purposes, but most noble one is to help others and oneself. Of course, as with anything, this can be used to cause harm to others, which is why those techniques are highly guarded and not shared casually. Gathering qi for the purpose of self cultivation is raising the consciousness and completely transmuting the individual so it should be only done under a careful guidance of a trusted and experienced teacher.
All of those types of Tai Chi are also often combined. Chances are that if you do find a Tai Chi teacher, they will be representing several of the mentioned ways of Tai Chi practice. Some teachers lean more towards Martial Arts but also know Internal Arts and only reveal it after years of practice and devotion from the student.
It is worth noting that it is very difficult to find a great Tai Chi teacher. It is possibly because it is very difficult to be a great student. When the student is ready, the teacher appears.
Are you ready?
Start by being a great student.
Make an intention and commitment in your mind to persevere. Most people fail at the beginning, because unlike anything else that is promoted in the West, Tai Chi requires great patience, humility and perseverance. It is will seem painfully slow to your overstimulated, used to fast pace life brain.
Be ready to face your ego and let go of it. It is a price that needs to be paid, but the reward far surpasses what the ego is trying to hold on to.
What about Qigong - 气功?
There is a lot of confusion about what is Qigong and Tai Chi, what are the differences?
Qigong and Tai Chi are often practiced together, but Qigong can be practiced without ever becoming Tai Chi. In simplicity, Qigong is a set of exercises and movements for the mind and body that allows the body to relax and breath to deepen.
Tai Chi practice often involves specific Qigong exercises that prepare the mind and body for the form. The mind needs to be managed and calmed down, or there can be too much overstimulation and burn out. Qigong means the practice or work of qi - the energy force. In essence, it allows us to become aware of the qi and how our body responds to it, as well as gather and cultivate the qi in energy fields of the body safely.
After reading this article, what questions do you have? Message me if you would like some clarification.
In the next post we will explore available options for studying in Kitchener Waterloo Area so you can make an informed decision about your path.
Credits:
Photographs in this article: from the 2008 TV series "Master of Tai Chi"
Photo by Cold Mountain School, publicly posted, found on Facebook
Photo of group of people - Google images
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