Important Tai Chi’s relaxation techniques
Relaxation as a part of practicing Tai Chi's internal skills is very crucial in the whole training process. Without understanding what relaxation is, how to relax, the role of relaxation in internal training, the purpose of relaxation, the principles of relaxation, etc., it is impossible to practice true internal Tai Chi. As the master stated in his writings: "Practicing Tai Chi, one never goes beyond the word 'relax'. If there's a bit of tension, or a part that's not relaxed, one will never achieve mastery." What then is relaxation? The dictionary defines it as "the state of being free from tension and mental stress." For example, to relax. The master emphasized the essence of relaxation both mentally and spiritually in his writings. That is: mentally, one should maintain tranquility and nurture the spirit, then the strength will naturally be reserved. When the fist moves, never forget to maintain purity and relaxation so that wisdom can grow; guided by mental consciousness, the body should gradually achieve maximum relaxation. Daily imbue the spirit of relaxation, and over time, one will achieve true relaxation; in terms of standards for relaxation, it is required not just mentally and physically, but also in joints and sinews, to be thoroughly relaxed and penetrable, to the extent that not a single thread can withstand external force, completely free of distractions. From the dictionary and the master's writings, it's clear that to properly practice Tai Chi's relaxation technique, one must start with mental (conceptual) relaxation, to correctly grasp the key to relaxation, and step by step, practice the relaxation technique deeply.
