Tai Chi for Beginners explained …

We hope to bring a smile to your face. With the motto “Love, Laugh, Yoga and Tai Chi” in our mind, we would like to enrich your days, motivate you, and keep your mind positive.

A Tai Chi Joke:

Student:” Master, what is the secret of a long life?”

Master: “Keep breathing as long as you can!”

Tai Chi for Beginners explained…

Tai Chi for Beginners is a first part of 24 forms Tai Chi. It is made of six to eight forms that flow easily into one another. As many of us know Tai Chi was created based on the understanding of nature and its relationship to humans. As Robert Chuckrow, Phd., states in The Tai Chi Book: Refining and enjoying a lifetime of practice, “the goal was for the mind, which governs and dwells in the body, to come into harmony with the laws of nature. Attaining this goal required emptying the mind of its preconceptions, distortions, and wasteful preprogrammed responses. The mind would then be able to allow the body to act in a natural and efficient manner. Only after the mind was in harmony with both the body and the life-force of nature could immortality be attained.”

There might be many reasons, why one comes to Tai Chi. One can learn Tai Chi for spiritual reasons or for health reasons. Through practicing concentration or focus one can also strengthen the mind and can become more mentally balanced. Tai Chi’s main purpose is to build internal energy through movement, improve balance, flexibility, and strengthen the body. While using Dan tian or diaphragmatic breathing one’s body and mind can relax. All of mentioned leads to the moving meditation aspect of this internal martial art. As Dr. Paul Lam explains in his book Tai Chi for Beginners and the 24 Forms, “The internal martial arts like Tai Chi use “soft” strategies, such as yielding, absorbing, and redirecting incoming force. They also stress gentleness in combination with self-awareness and breath control. “(pg.128)

Tai Chi for Beginners is a Yang style Tai Chi flow that is the first quarter of moves that are part of traditional 24 Forms. These were developed in China in the second half of the 1950’s as a part of Chinese government’s attempt to create a simplified form of Taiji as exercise for the masses. This sequence is sometimes also referred to as a “Short Form” and it is very popular among many people.

However, the first part of the whole sequence is often taught to beginners because it is made of five basic forms, (if one does not count Commencement, Carrying The Ball and Finishing form) that are used also in Sun or Chen styles of Tai Chi and therefore belong to the “Must-Know List” of forms. If one wants to know Tai Chi, one has to first familiarize themselves with Tai Chi walk. This is a way to learn to pay attention to weight transfer and stepping gently on the heal of foot first. After that one can add different hand movements that are specific for each form

What makes it different from the rest of 24 Forms is that the Beginners Flow focusses on walking forward and backward while transferring weight from foot to foot and pivoting on the heal. (Don’t one always transfer weight and steps on the heel? Well, yes, but…) It is relatively easy to learn because one uses limited amount of forms that are repeated on the left side, right side and then left again. Unfortunately, there is always an exception to the rule, which in this case means that this form might be hard for those who have numbness in their feet or issues with ankles. Also, from experience teaching it, it is much harder for those who have balance issues. Fortunately, I have previous experience and knowledge with other Tai Chi flows. So, as I was learning it, I was already familiar with the “Bow Stance” form, which is a base for the “Parting Wild Horse Mane” and also I knew the “Brush Knee” and “Play the Lute/Play the Guitar” Forms. Nevertheless, I had to learn transitions between the forms, which might be a little bit confusing for some practitioners. Personally, my favorite is the transition from the “White Crane Flapping Wings” to “Brush Knee”. On one hand side, it reminds me of “Shoo-Fly Don’t Bother Me” song and on the other of moving arms while making magic tricks. So while teaching it, I sometimes call it the “Abracadabra” move.

Overall, Tai Chi for Beginners is fun to practice, especially, if one feels comfortable with the moves and can truly relax. Then this short sequence becomes moving meditation with all its benefits.