I have a friend who takes Tai Chi classes at a martial arts school. She has been taking lessons for over a year now and absolutely loves it. Like many people, when I first heard that she was studying Tai Chi, I immediately thought of kung fu and karate and saw visions of martial arts swords and other weapons dancing in my head. Perhaps I had watched one too many kung fu movies! I pretended to get in a fighting stance with her and kicked above her head in a teasing manner. It was then that she decided to tell me about Tai Chi, which she calls ‘Martial Art for the Soul’.

Tai Chi – Gentle and Meditational Movement

While Tai Chi is a martial art, it is more of an ‘internal’ Chinese martial arts therapy that resembles yoga and meditation more than it resembles karate or kung fu. Tai Chi uses very slow, very gentle circular movements and is a philosophy as much as a martial art or exercise. Tai Chi focuses on improving health and longevity and is what many call a ‘meditation for the body’. Although there are many different forms and studies of Tai Chi, it derives from and is deeply rooted in Taoist philosophy.

The Purpose of Tai Chi

Tai Chi is suitable for almost anyone and is practiced across the globe, especially in China. Perhaps you’ve seen people practicing Tai Chi in parks or open outdoor spaces near your home. Tai Chi exercise helps with body alignment and balance. The slow, gentle movements can help correct bad posture and release tension in the body. Many people report being able to move better with a regular practice of Tai Chi, from standing and sitting, to walking, dancing and running.

While many use it to help them develop a peaceful, quiet mind, its main purpose is to help the body’s ‘chi’, which is the vital force that animates the body also known as soul or energy, to flow smoothly for great health. This idea is present in many Chinese Healing Arts, including acupuncture. With a regular practice of Tai Chi, one becomes highly aware and sensitive to one’s body, energy and environment. Tai Chi allows one to respond quickly and effortlessly to life (just as in combat), by teaching the lessons of ‘going with the flow’, ‘bending but not breaking’ and ‘being flexible and yielding’ to life.