Every few years I like to survey what the internet has available currently about T’ai Chi. Recently I did a search on Youtube for Taichi.
The results gave me a mix of many different styles, forms and exercises. From these, I became aware of some common threads that ran through many of the various presentations by many different high level instructors.
It seemed obvious to me that all of these examples shared certain principles that were relevant regardless of the particular style or form.
It occurred to me that these common core principles might be useful to students of the many various and seemingly different styles, and help one’s understanding grow to a higher level, no matter which form or practice one studied.
Particularly, some examples of Relaxation and Balance and an Awareness of Ergonomic Positioning throughout the movements may deserve our attention.
Relaxation is very noticeable even for beginners, in the relaxed shoulders, which stay relaxed even through the various movements.
Balance: Whether practiced fast or slow, balance is that which allows relaxation, and relaxation is that which allows the Chi to flow. The various body parts are connected through relaxed movements. Tense muscles are needed when one is out of balance, to support that which is out of balance (so we don’t fall), and these tensions block the flow of energy between the parts.
Tension is an energy block that keeps the parts from working together, and inhibits the flow of Chi. The word Chi is used here as a product of all the parts working together, and is a physical rather than philosophical concept. (Perhaps this idea might aid one in understanding what Chi is and how it might work, in Western terms.)
Ergonomic Positioning: An example of this might be the best way to describe this principle. If the elbows fold Down instead of out to the sides when bent, they hang from the body instead of needing to be supported by muscle tension. This both saves energy, and allows the Chi to flow through the relaxed body parts.
One may observe these principles in any part/parts of the body, but the arms might be a simpler place to start, as they aren’t supporting our weight, as is the case with the legs.
Another principle is Moving from the Center, but as the various forms evolve, this is often internalized, and is often not so obvious to casual observation.
Dr. Lam’s excellent and delightful videos, as well as videos of the Chows, and other high level expositions of T’ai Chi, all clearly exhibit these core principles, regardless of which style they demonstrate.
Well, enough for now. I hope that these are useful to you all!
Daniel
