Understanding stress Stress is one thing. “Stress is anything that disturbs your equilibrium.” -Psychology Today Our bodies respond to these disruptions the same no matter what the source. The body responds with physical tension (prepare to fight or run even though that’s almost never the right response). Your awareness tightens and locks on the trigger… Read more »
Look at a group of people practicing Tai Chi at a park. Its gentle rhythmic movements are as graceful as any dance while the slowness of the form is lulling. Would you believe Tai Chi started out as a martial art technique in China? It subsequently evolved as a mind-body healing exercise, and its moves… Read more »
The pace of modern life will not slacken. The stressors will maintain their stranglehold. So the sundry lifestyle diseases and mental maladies will continue to be around. Both the scientist and the common man in the West have realized they need a more effective solution than popping in pills to manage the ills. Thankfully, they… Read more »
The Tai Chi that most of us are familiar with consists of slow, gentle, flowing movements—the kind that you see people practicing in parks usually in the mornings. This is just one aspect of Tai Chi, and it is a therapy for the mind, body, and soul. But do you know Tai Chi can also be used… Read more »
Tai Chi originated as a martial art technique. Chinese monks living in secluded monasteries practiced it to defend themselves against attackers. To learn Tai Chi Chuan as a martial art is less common now. Increased awareness of the health benefits of Tai Chi have drawn people to this ancient mind-body healing art. While most take… Read more »
The ancient Chinese believed that the body and the mind should be in harmony for a person to be healthy. So they developed holistic wellness systems like Qi Gong and Tai Chi that combined physical exercises with deep breathing techniques and meditative practices. Like many Eastern practices, Qi Gong and Tai Chi too were shrouded… Read more »
Distracted by media. Weighed down by competition. Straddled with debt. Reeling under stress. This is the life of the average man on the street in the West. It is not hard to figure out why the West has embraced the healing arts of Tai Chi and Yoga so readily. Tai Chi and Yoga are mind-body… Read more »
Tai Chi Philosophy Crash Course: Knowing the philosophy and history behind the art of Tai Chi is essential for developing a deep practice. There is common misconception that the name Tai Chi (taiji) is referring to the same subject as the word Qi (Chi). The first part of the art name Tai Chi Ch’uan, “Tai… Read more »
One of the most common questions I’m asked is, “What is the difference between Tai Chi vs. Qigong?” My short answer is that they are mostly the same. Tai chi originated from Qigong and can therefore be thought of as a form of it. Of course, they aren’t exactly the same or they wouldn’t have… Read more »
Roots run deep The idea of rooting oneself is important in Tai Chi and Qigong. Stated simply, your root is your ability to sense your connection to the ground. It is the foundation upon which you build your practice. “You must sink your chi,” says every teacher/website/book on Tai Chi and Qigong. Developing root is one… Read more »
-Becca, A happy new member of our Qigong and Tai Chi community
