The History of Tai Chi
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I have something quite
remarkable to tell you about. I found out about this incredible way of
balancing your mind and body. It is like nothing I have ever
experienced before. They call it Tai Chi and finding out about it
changed my life. And for the better I can tell you. Practicing this
diverse form of martial arts has given me a sense of well-being and
serenity I never thought possible.
This is considered a form
of internal martial arts, so if you think it is nothing but silly
fighting stances and people talking without their lips moving like in
the kung fu films, you should think again. It is not like that. Tai Chi
is quite different and I found it fascinating and immensely helpful in
relieving my tension and stress).
But first, I will tell you a
little about the background of Tai Chi. The practice of tai Chi can
trace its origin back for centuries but most modern schools date back
to around 1820 and the Chen family. the Chens were the experts and I
can tell you they really knew their stuff. Tai Chi is all about
relaxation and finding balance within yourself. It uses slow motion
moves that I found myself enjoying immensely. Occassionally I wish I
could go back in time and train directly with the Chen family. They
used it mostly as a form of therapy to assist in longevity and health.
Think of it as a moving meditation.
There are some main concepts
of Tai Chi that you should know about. Understanding that many
considered it a form of meditation has kept it diverting and exciting
for me. Not only am I getting excellent exercise in by tensing and
moving my muscles, but I am also training my mind by concentrating on
my breathing and balance. It is such an incredible combination it makes
me come back to it, even look forward to practicing it, day after day.
An
important idea is the suggestion that Tai Chi is used for health
maintenance. If you are unwell in your body or even your head, it is
difficult to stand there patiently doing most of these moves. I know
for myself I felt uncomfortable going through the motions at first. I
wanted to do something more! I felt restricted but that is the point.
You must center yourself before relaxation can occur.
Another
thing Tai Chi is excellent in achieving is the internal act of
meditation. By aligning your body and mind as one, it becomes more easy
to enter into a really awesome type of meditation. I found myself
getting deeper and deeper within my mind and managing stress better.
The
ancient practitioners also knew that Tai Chi would be a great
introduction for beginners to start to learn martial arts. It may not
be the showy fighting kind of stuff you may be most familiar with, but
for me it has grown into a devotional form of exercise I attain great
enjoyment and satisfaction from.
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