The Meditative or Spiritual Side of Tai Chi

Learn more below, then enroll in our online tai chi courses.

Are you interested in growing your love of tai chi? Are you a beginner who wants to know more about the movements involved in tai chi?At Portland Tai Chi Academy, we ascribe to the following elements of practicing tai chi:

The martial side
The therapeutic side
The medical side
The philosophical study side
The meditative or spiritual side

Wondering what the meditative side of the practice involves? Find out more below, then sign up for online training today.

Increased Peace and Calm

Many practitioners of tai chi report a feeling of calm, peaceful tranquility while practicing this ancient art. Because tai chi focuses on breathing and relaxation, feelings of relaxation follow naturally. This increase in peacefulness leads to deeper understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us as we become one with our surroundings.

The Flow of Qi

In tai chi, qi (pronounced “chi”), literally means life flow. You may have heard of qi gong, which goes hand in hand with tai chi, which focuses largely on the inner parts of the art. Learning tai chi means gaining a deeper understanding of qi, what it means, and how it impacts your spiritual life on a daily basis.

Letting Go

If you find it difficult to let go of daily worries, you’re not alone. Whether you’re dealing with a stressful situation at work, a problem at home, or general anxiety, one of the biggest spiritual benefits of tai chi comes from its meditative qualities. These show you that things always keep moving forward and that gentle transitions are possible, which, in turn, can help you to gracefully let go of worry and anxiety.

Releasing Tension

When you practice letting go of the things that trouble you, the natural result is the release of tension in your body. Many say that bodily tension leads to mental tension, and having tai chi in your life means that you’re able to step away from the things that trouble you, move your body, and refocus your mind through the meditative nature of tai chi. This helps you to release tension in your body and clear your mind.

Enter a Meditative State

Have you tried meditation in the past? If so, you may have found it difficult to focus. Tai chi is a wonderful solution because it gives you a focus on slow, gentle movements that are naturally meditative. Although you may not find this to be the case at the beginning levels of your study of tai chi, the natural evolution of your practice is an easier transition into a meditative state.

Remove Negative Energies

If you’ve found yourself stuck in a negative feedback loop, tai chi provides the opportunity to make a change for the positive. As we mentioned above, tai chi focuses largely on energy and life flow. During the process, your body naturally finds a state of meditation in which you improve your breathing — which improves your state of mind, better allowing you to focus on positivity.

A Healthier Internal Life

As you may know, tai chi is renowned for its ability to positively impact people with a variety of medical conditions. For many, the immediate draw of tai chi is in pain relief, postural alignment, and confidence in movement. The natural side effect of these things is a healthier mind as well — one that is focused on overcoming challenges and experiencing growth.

Unification of Mind, Body, and Spirit

When it comes to unifying all of the elements of what makes you who you are, there is no equal to tai chi. As we have discussed, an improvement in mood, a boost in energy, an increase in strength, and a discovery of the inner self are all benefits of tai chi. What we hope you have found is that tai chi ultimately seeks to unify your mind, body, and spirit, allowing you to grow and thrive in a variety of new ways. The end result is a better you.

Uncover new spiritual and meditative benefits as you discover what makes tai chi unique.

Portland Tai Chi Academy is proud to offer online tai chi classes that make it easy to enjoy all of the wonderful benefits tai chi provides. Whether you’re new to the art or you’re interested in achieving new levels of growth, tai chi martial arts are the answer.