Explore the art, philosophy, and incredible benefits of this ancient practice for improved well-being and inner harmony.

I Ching and Tai Chi

    The I Ching states, "One yin and one yang are the Tao," and "it is the mother of all things under heaven." Tai Chi embodies the way of yin and yang, originating from the Infinite (Wuji), which generates the Supreme Ultimate (Taiji), and from Taiji arise the two forms, yin and yang. The "Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor" says, "Yin and yang are the ways of heaven and earth, the guidelines of all creatures, the parents of change, the origin of life and death, and the house of divine intelligence. To cure diseases, one must seek their root in the fundamental principles of nature." Yin and yang are the fundamental laws of unity and duality in nature, governing all changes and transformations; thus, they are where life and destruction begin.

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relaxing is the basic of Tai Chi

   Tai Chi is about overcoming strength with softness and using intention rather than force. Softness and relaxation are fundamental to Tai Chi, without which it cannot be considered an internal martial art. No matter the style, all sects of Tai Chi advocate for softness and relaxation. It is said that Tai Chi requires three years of practice to achieve softness. In reality, achieving ultimate softness and relaxation is a long-term pursuit, where the softer you become, the higher the quality of internal strength you develop. The greater your skill in softness, the more profound your Tai Chi becomes, and this correlation is directly proportional. Thus, each Tai Chi sect has its own secrets for mastering softness, accumulating a wealth of experience. Methods for achieving softness are thoroughly discussed within these sects, typically from two aspects.

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Very Important Methods of Relaxing the Waist

In Yang-style Tai Chi, relaxing the waist is emphasized as a crucial point: "The waist is the master of the whole body. Only when the waist is relaxed, then the feet are powerful, and the lower stance is stable. Changes between solidity and emptiness all come from the turning of the waist, thus it's said that the source of command is in the space of the waist. Any lack of strength must be sought in the waist and legs."

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Must Read Notes from Yang Style Master Yang Chengfu

       Yang Chengfu summarized the practice of Yang-style Tai Chi Chuan into ten essentials: "Empty the mind and top up the energy, contain the chest and pull up the back, relax the waist, distinguish between solid and empty, sink the shoulders and drop the elbows, use intent not force, coordinate the upper and lower body, harmonize the inside and outside, continue movements without interruption, and find stillness in motion.

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Three Stage of Tai CHi standing

Because Yin and Yang depend on each other (each exists as a precondition for the other), pure Yin does not last, and pure Yang does not endure. Hence, in martial arts, there is no absolute relaxation or tension. Complete relaxation is slackness, and complete tension is stiffness. There is relaxation within tension, and tension within relaxation, the transformations of Yin and Yang are infinitely profound.

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Tai Chi fighting basic knows Four Characters Secret

The postscript explains that to understand the Four Characters Secret, one must first understand the energy; without this understanding and reaching a highly refined level of practice, it's impossible to fully grasp it. This might sound mysterious, but practicing push hands involves a process of 'gradually understanding the energy from familiarity and progressing to a divine level of understanding.' Only after passing the initial stage can one gradually understand the "Four Characters Secret." Of course, due to individual differences in insight, even with the same effort, comprehension can vary in timing.

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Why Tai Chi tendons stretch so Important

Traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes Qi and blood but seldom mentions tendons, which are secrets kept within Taoist or martial arts communities. The human body has twelve major meridians and also twelve major tendon channels. Qi moves the blood, and where there are meridians, there are blood vessels, and I must add: where there are blood vessels, there are tendons, and where there are tendons, there are meridians. Because tendons nourish Qi, Qi nourishes blood, and blood nourishes tendons. If tendons grow an inch, life expectancy increases by ten years. Whether for martial arts or health cultivation, training tendons is crucial.

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Why Pan jia is traditional Tai Chi comprehensive training way

   In Tai Chi pan jia, every posture and even every small movement is permeated with Tai Chi Yin Yang philosophy. Otherwise, even practice for decades, just stay in physical fitness stage, cannot reach martial arts high level. For martial artists, not only know how it works but also why it works, then can keep improving. Purpose of pan jia must be clear: only through pan jia, can really grasp the whole body movement rules, achieve coordination of hand, eye, body, method, step; spirit, energy, intention, strength, mind, whole body as one family.

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