Tai Chi

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By Felicia M. Tomasko

The slow, flowing movements of Tai Chi are often seen as people enjoy early morning practice sessions in a park or other natural setting. These sequences, called forms, come from a long tradition that is integrated with and shares roots with martial arts systems.

In fact the name “Tai Chi Chuan” means ultimate supreme fist, according to Matthew Cohen, practitioner, teacher, and founder of Sacred Energy Arts. Although there is an aspect of martial arts to the movements and the practice, tai chi is far from violent, and the slow, deliberate, and graceful components help cultivate chi, or the body’s life force or vitality.

The ability to protect oneself against oppression of any kind, which is what these practices are designed to do, is intricately connected with a person’s ability to tap into and maintain their own strength and vitality. Thus, the historic practices designed to enhance and balance these energetic forces, such as chi gung, and even older techniques, share many similar movements as well as the basic principle of energy cultivation.

According to Taoist philosophies, our energy source is stored in the lower dan tien, called the hara in some Asian systems. The dan tien is located one-third of the way into the body from front to back, and two finger-widths below the navel. For this reason, many tai chi sequences involve movements where the hands flow into and away from the area around the dan tien.

While discussion of energy cultivation may seem at first esoteric, the benefits of tai chi are being recognized by the medical community. The low-impact movements can be practiced by anyone no matter their age or ability level, and the practice creates spatial awareness, increases bone density, improves flexibility and range of motion, and enhances coordination. For these reasons, tai chi is actively been incorporated into medical settings, while current research is active investigating its benefits, particularly with older practitioners. The meditative practice also promotes relaxation and as such is becoming incorporated into spas, residential retreats, and wellness programs. The Crossings in Austin offers weekend immersions, and tai chi is one of the classes on the regular schedule at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires and in Tucson. For practicing at home, DVDs and other instructional programs are available. Cohen has several DVDs and Gaiam, for example, offers a variety of different forms to practice at home.

The following sequence recommended by Cohen is one component of a longer form: the yang family of Tai chi Chuan. This sequence, known as commencement, can be broken down into four parts. According to Cohen, each component represents a different energy expression and can be used to cultivate energy. Because the practice is balancing, it can be used when feeling sluggish, as a pick-me-up, or even to relax a racing mind before bed.

Prepare for Practice

When engaged in the practice, maintain a relaxed yet energized stance. Practice full diaphragmatic breathing, which means that your belly should be relaxed and your chest fully expanded. Cohen suggests breathing into the back of your kidneys, feeling your low back expand with the inhalation. Rest the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth throughout the practice, which connects the circuit, or meridian of the heart; this further enhances the energy-cultivating effects of the practice. Your eyes should remain soft, and your gaze can be focused in one of two ways: either your eyes can be closed (which can be a greater challenge for maintaining balance) or your eyes can remain softly open in a manner that lets light come to you. Early morning is considered to be the best time to practice, but this energetic series, commencement, can be practiced at any time of the day, and is a good substitute for coffee when an afternoon break is needed!

Wuji

Begin in what is called Wuji, the void stance, named as such because before movement in tai chi, there is always stillness. There is possibility before manifestation. Stand with your feet between hip and shoulder width apart, parallel to each other, with your knees unlocked, tailbone neutral, and crown of your head lifted. Your spine is long, back full, chest released (as opposed to being thrust forward in a military-type stance). Cohen gives the instruction to pluck up the back and release the chest. Your shoulders remain relaxed while your hands, wrists, and palms are extended along the sides of your body with an output of effort somewhere between 5 and 95 percent of maximum (neither flopping nor rigid). Cohen recommends beginning nine repetitions of the sequence, flowing from movement to movement, from one expression of energy to another.

Peng

Peng: Upward Expansive Power

Begin with your palms facing your body, then turn your palms to face behind you and slowly allow your palms to float upward toward the level of your heart. Your arms follow. Keep your hands, wrists, and elbows extended and relaxed. As you move, feel your hands lift like a weightless helium balloon and become still enough to feel the energy beneath them.

Ji

Ji: Straight Ahead Forward Power

Once your hands have reached the level of your heart, begin extending them forward, initiating the movement from your fingertips. Concentrate on expanding your energy outward, even beyond the tips of your fingers while simultaneously remaining rooted with your feet on the earth.

Lu

Lu: Absorbing/Yielding

In the same way the tides pull water back from the shore, or a wave recedes from the beach, in lu, your outstretched hands pull back toward your body. Bend your elbows slightly and hold your hands as if they are floating on water, with your elbows dipping into the water. As the energetic current, represented by your hands, flows to your heart, bend your elbows further and draw your hands to you as if they were skimming the surface of the water.

An

An: Downward Moving Power

When your hands return to your body, let your wrists fall in toward you as if they are tumbling over a waterfall in a continuous, flowing motion. Lower your arms and hands, pressing down with the motion reminiscent of a French press. This invites the chi, your life force, to settle in the lower dan tien. Moving your hands down is also symbolic of the process of releasing negative emotion, fear, grief or any other states of mind that are no longer beneficial or necessary. Come back to the beginning stance with your hands at your sides and begin to flow into the series again.

Jan/Feb 2008

Healing Lifestyles & Spas Team
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