Tai Chi For Inner Peace

Around 80% of new tai chi chuan students cite relaxation or stress reduction as a goal. However the search often takes people further away from themselves and makes it harder to find this inner contentment.

To begin with most students focus on what a particular posture looks like and then try to emulate what it is they think they see. At this point tai chi is merely an intellectual exercise and not relaxing in any sense.

The Experiential Level
Once the movements become second nature, you can begin to experience inner awareness, coupled with an external focus. The art of tai chi is an experiential art and only by paying attention to your own experience, can you begin to make the changes needed to your body, mind and spirit!

To achieve relaxation one must first acknowledge any tensions and tightness. New students are encouraged to be still and bring their awareness to their breath. Those with higher stress levels often have a short breath pattern accompanied by tightness in the shoulders, upper back, and neck. Through listening to the breath, you begin to allow the breath to settle into its natural position in the lower abdomen. Continued practice will lead to a greater sense of inner peace which will sustain you through troubled times. In situations of conflict, our Qi energy quickly rises and makes us act rashly. Focusing on your breathing can allow you to become calm and deal with difficulties in a more rational way.

Once people have the ability to tune into themselves in this way, they become more receptive to learning, without the stresses that come from trying to memorise a sequence of movements. The work of tai chi and chi kung can be paradoxical and it would be so much easier if those who came to learn to benefit from relaxation, were actually taught how to relax before they were taught how to learn movements of postures and forms!

What are we doing with Tai Chi & Chi Kung?
On a physical level, we are creating a structure for the body to do all it needs to do at its optimum best. Desk-bound work means you are more than likely to develop physical tensions that result in back and posture problems, and restriction in the flow of energy to your upper body. Long term this can also result in inhibiting the fullness of your spirit to manifest. By adopting good postural habits we can help to improve our emotional well-being. By being aware of the body and how you use it you become better equipped to overcome emotional imbalances.

Staying 'Centred'
The technical work of tai chi and chi kung is important and the more you know about posture, energy flow, and your relationship to the world outside your body, the better you become at the business of living healthily. However we are graced with the information of imbalance which informs us when things are not right within us. We can feel stressed; we can feel, 'out of sorts' from time to time and we can feel emotionally weak. By paying close attention to the body and breath on a regular basis you will discover the potential to overcome most of the imbalances that you meet. We all have protective barriers, some of which serve us well whilst others prohibit us from getting close, either to others or our true selves.

Ronnie Robinson is Promotions Officer for the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain. His DVDs The Tai Chi Short Form (Yang Style) and The Chi Kung Way are available to Body Guide readers with a 25% discount from the usual price of £15.99. Click here for details