Tai Chi| Tai Chi |
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| Saturday, 26 September 2009 09:49 | ||||||||||||||
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Tai Chi is often described as "meditation in motion" because it promotes serenity through gentle movements — connecting the mind and body.
Originally developed in China as a form of self-defense, Tai Chi is a graceful form of exercise that has existed for some 2,000 years. Practiced regularly, Tai Chi can help you reduce stress and enjoy many other health benefits. Despite its ancient history, Tai Chi has been studied scientifically only in recent years, but that research is suggesting that tai chi may offer numerous other benefits beyond stress reduction, including:
Tai Chi as a martial art:
The ability to use Tai Chi as a form of self-defense in combat is the test of a student's understanding of the art. Tai Chi Chuan martially is the study of appropriate change in response to outside forces; the study of yielding and "sticking" to an incoming attack rather than attempting to meet it with opposing force.
Push Hands Push Hands is the name for two-person training routines practiced in Tai Chi. It is said to be the gateway for students to understand experientially the martial aspects of the internal martial arts, leverage, reflex, sensitivity, timing, coordination and positioning. Pushing hands works to undo a person's natural instinct to resist force with force, teaching the body to yield to force and redirect it. Health oriented tai chi schools may teach push hands to complement the physical conditioning available from performing solo form routines. Push hands allows students to learn how to respond to external stimuli using techniques from their forms practice. Among other things, training with a partner allows a student to develop ting jing (listening power), the sensitivity to feel the direction and strength of a partner's intention. In that sense pushing hands is a contract between students to train in the defensive and offensive movement principles of their martial art; learning to generate, coordinate and deliver power to another and also how to effectively neutralize incoming forces in a safe environment.
Silk ReelingThe name silk reeling derives from the metaphorical principle of “reeling the silk from a silk worm's cocoon”. In order to draw out the silk successfully the action must be smooth and consistent without jerking or changing direction sharply. Too fast, the silk breaks, too slow, it sticks to itself and becomes tangled. Hence, the silk reeling movements are continuous, cyclic patterns performed at constant speed with the “light touch” of drawing silk. Silk reeling is trained in solo forms and stances as well as in pushing hands with a partner. Chi KungChi Kung (also translated as Qi Gong) means literally, "Energy Cultivation," and refers to exercises which improve health and longevity as well as increase the sense of harmony within oneself and in the world. There are thousands of such exercises. All Chi Kung contains common principles - mind, eyes, movement and breath. Another way to express this is - the mind is the presence of intent, the eyes are the focus of intent, the movement is the action of intent, the breath is the flow of intent. The ultimate goal of all Chi Kung is harmonious existence and action in all situations. The elements that characterize this level of experience include: curiosity, ease in action, clarity of focus and intention, perseverance, non-attachment, resilience, openness, creativity, responsiveness and fluid balance. Chi Kung is actually a specific example of a larger category of exercises called Nui Kung (Nei Gong) (literally - "Inner Cultivation"). Nui Kung encompasses a large variety of practices including standing, seated, moving, static and even dreaming exercises. "Internal" martial arts such as Tai Chi Chuan (Tai Ji Quan), Ba Kua (Pa Gua) and Hsing I (Xing Yi) are also included within this general category.
Tuition is $25 per month or $5 per class. Current Tai Chi schedule:
Also available for Seniors, a free Tai Chi and Chi Kung class, at 554 Main Street, Stroudsburg, Pa, in the School Of Visual and Performing Arts, first floor, Monday morning at 9:00 AM.
For more information on Tai Chi and Tai Chi for Seniors please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 484-842-0321 & leave message.
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 17 February 2011 23:34 |
