Tai Chi Chuan, also spelled Taiji Quan, is an internal martial art and a form of moving meditation. Characterised by its soft and fluid movements, the practice of Tai Chi releases tension, increases vitality and improves health.

 

TAI CHI FOR HEALTH

 

Whether practicing Tai Chi for relaxation, self defence or spirituality, the first stages always aim towards healing and health. The Taoist approach invariably starts with the body, creating a solid foundation of health and well-being at the level of the densest energy body (the physical body), so we can later work on more subtle energy spheres or spiritual development, if we choose to.

 

The most obvious health benefits from a regular Tai Chi practice include tension and stress release, improvement of motor skills, such as coordination and balance, and the opening of soft tissues and muscles (myofascial unbinding / tendons and ligament release).

 

There is also an element of down-regulation of the nervous system; tapping into the parasympathetic chain, cultivating a sense of grounding both physiologically and energetically.

 

TAI CHI ENERGETICS

 

The Tai Chi movements were originally designed to incorporate QiGong technology. This way, once the Tai Chi Form (sequence of movements or choreography) is learnt, it can be used as an excellent container to work with qi intentionally.

 

Using the rhythmic, slow circular movements of opening and closing all tissues and joints of the body, the Tai Chi practitioner explores the principle of yin-yang, seeking to find the centre of stillness.

 

This isn’t an intellectual exploration but an embodiment practice, where the practitioner becomes physically and energetically aware of the interplay between the complementary opposites of yin and yang.

 

INTERNAL TAI CHI

 

Javier practices Yang and Wu styles of Tai Chi, incorporating the internal components of Nei Gong of the Taoist Water Tradition.

The Yang Tai Chi that Javier practices is a variation taught by Paul Cavel of Yang Cheng Fu’s form, where the Nei Gong elements of the Water Method are present and alive.

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The Yang style of Tai Chi, with its big frame, is an ideal point of contact for beginners wanting to learn the art. Its ample circular movements open up the body, creating more space inside the physical body and waking up the energy flows within.

 

The Wu Tai Chi that Javier has been learning from Paul Cavel was passed down to Master Bruce Frantzis (Paul Cavel’s teacher) by Taoist Immortal and Lineage holder Liu Hung Chieh, who studied directly from Wu Chien Chuan (Wu Jianquan), developer of the style.

 

The Wu Tai Chi form is characterised by its small frame, and it’s a superb container for deep NeiGong and Taoist Meditation.

 

Tai Chi Foundations - Internal Building Blocks of Tai Chi are a series of courses that focus on the internal components that build Tai Chi from the inside out.

Next course open to Beginners starts on April 2024.