Essential Principles of T'ai Chi
When practicing T'ai Chi, the following key points must be closely observed:
- RELAX. Be soft and yielding, exert no strength. Allow your body to do the moving.
- BECOME ROOTED. From the earth we gain our stability. Practice growing your roots down into the earth. She will anchor you down and help you to gain balance.
- MOVE AS A CYLINDER. The waist includes the entire trunk of the body.
- HOLD THE BALL. Attune to the energy flowing between the palms of the hands.
- HEAD HELD ERECT, as though a string is pulling it upward.
- FLEX THE LEGS, while keeping the rear tucked in.
- BREATHE NATURALLY, through the nose into the abdomen. Keep the tongue touching the roof of your mouth. This forms a bridge between the jen-mo and thetu-mo. With the abdomen relaxed, tranquility will prevail.
- CONCENTRATE. Let the mind direct each movement.
- HARMONIZE. Move all parts of the body as one, with balance and coordination.
Exercises
(Become accustomed to shifting the weight; left to right; back and forth)
Start with right foot; 4 times on right, then 4 times on left, Groups of 4.
1. Energy Swing - Rotate the body from the hips.. Strengthens legs, opens the waist. Invigorates.
2. Standing Horse. Develops concentration, focus while stilling the mind & strengthening the legs.
3. Kick and move the knee. Strengthens the knee; helps one to walk. 4 on the left, 4 on the right.
4. Limber monkey moving its shoulder. Relaxes the muscles, tendons and ligaments.
5 Polish the bell.
6. Make the T'ai Chi Ball. (Begin with right hand on top). Turn the ball to the left. Turn the ball to the right. This clears the mind to enhance thinking & increase energy.
7. Hold the T'ai Chi Ball on the Right; (weight is on the left). Hold the Ball on the Left, (shift right).
Postures
& Movements
1. Carry the T'ai Chi Ball (in 45° turns) to the Right.
2. Carry the T'ai Chi Ball (in 45° turns) to the Left.
3. Cloud hands: Shift weight to left, as right hand rises up your center line; hand turns away then downward from the elbow to make a right circle while shifting weight to right. Shift to left, then shift right while circling left, with left hand. Repeat in continuous flow. (Hand and arm follow the weight shift).
4. Paint The Numbers. (Stand with leg apart in basic T'ai Chi stance). Imagine a huge screen in front of you, ready for you to paint the numbers from 1 to 10 upon it. Bend the legs, (knees bent). Dip your fingers into an imaginary inkpot. Inhale as you raise your arms above your head; exhale as you trace the #1 number with your fingers, going down the screen. Dip your fingers again in the ink pot and begin the #2. Repeat all the way through 10. Inhale in the upswing, exhale on the down swing.
Closing: Lower your Chi. Release your excess energy.
Attune The Breath
To attune the breath is to make it smooth. After your breathing become smooth, attune to it until it becomes long, deep, even and calm. Not only does this make the mind calm, but also supplies a larger amount of oxygen to the body from the air. Chinese believe that when oxygen is taken in, universe energy, which they call the heaven chi, is also breathed in. This is important as it is works with belly breathing. The belly expands during inhalation and contracts during exhalation. It is the up and down movement of the diaphragm that makes the belly expand and contract. Our lungs cannot bring and draw our air, they need help from the muscles around them, especially the diaphragm that makes the belly expand and contract.
When we practice belly breathing, while inhaling we gently and intentionally press the diaphragm down to make room for the air coming into the lungs. While exhaling we release the pressure and let the diaphragm naturally move up and press the air out. When we move the diaphragm up and down, we actually massage our inner organs of the liver and the spleen. This massage increases the blood and chi circulation around them and greatly improves the digestion of food and the assimilation of nutrients. It also assists in the elimination of wastes.
Inhale through your nostrils. Control your breath. Make it long, thin and continuous. Slowly, guide the breath and press it downward toward the area of the tower stomach. The stomach expands, inhaling as the air is brought into it. Wait a moment until you feel a need to exhale. Slowly contract your stomach muscles and push the air upward and out through. Imagine and visualize the air going all the way to the tan tien and then back upward when you exhale. Be careful not to force your breathing.
Practice the T'ai Chi walk. Walk from right to left, back to right, left, etc. while practicing the breath. Inhale in while stepping forward with right foot. Exhale as left foot steps forward to rest beside the right foot (poised on the ball). Inhale with the step to the left, exhale as the right foot moves up to join the left. Weight is now on the Left. Step right, (continue). Repeat 8 times. (Step right, feet together; step left, feet together. Step right, feet together; Step left, feet together, etc.)
Remember, T'ai Chi Ch'uan is like a great river, rolling on unceasingly. We may not control the river, but when we flow with it, its power becomes ours.
©Carole Booth
Teacher of Lu 64 Movement
Yang Style Tai Chi Form
Founding Member of Lu
Tai Chi Players