Many people who are practicing the Healthy and Active Lifestyle program
have found some benefit by practicing the ancient art of Tai Chi. This art
involves practicing a series of repetitive moves aimed to improve the movement
of the lymph, rev up the metabolism and improve physical self-control,
What is Tai Chi?
Tai Chi is a very personal discipline that is
about training both mind and body. To
some people it is a way of losing weight, to others a way of improving posture
and balance and to still others a way of form of meditation and spiritual questing.
Practicing it can also be about all of these things. It’s a kind of ancient
Chinese cure all for everything from a stroke to low self esteem to depression
to back problems…you name it!
Perhaps one way to sum up this discipline that
can almost be described as a moving form of meditation and yoga combined is
that it is about increasing personal power. The movements also teach you to let
go and be balanced even in the midst of chaos.
In fact, the Chinese characters for Tai Chi
Chuan can be translated as the 'Supreme Ultimate Force'. The notion of 'supreme
ultimate' is often associated with the Chinese concept of having both yin and
yang in balance. Yin if you will recall
encompasses such qualities and elements as female, passive, dark, shrinking and
yielding. Yang encompasses the qualities of male, forceful, light, expanding
and force. The reason Tai Chi is the
ultimate dance of balance is that it combines both.
Military
Moves Combined With Bird Poses
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| The Tai Chi Sword Position |
There is no one standard for Tai Chi. Most Tai
Chi exercise sequences consist of = imitations of the movements of animals and
birds and some of these postures are stances used in Asian military
hand-to-hand combat. However even if you are doing what seems to be a militant
posture all of the poses done in Tai Chi are done gracefully. The idea is to
move from pose to pose with soft, fluid gestures.’
Tai Chi can help you become more coordinated
because the postures in the sets are designed to animate the energy centers in
your body. Many people who practice them experience better reflexes, improved
posture and less muscle tension and strain.
Be
Calm Yet Energetic
Don’t make the mistake in thinking that Tai Chi
is a martial art, although it probably will make you more sharper in some ways.
It is mostly a meditation that helps harmonize the mind and body
connection. Once this happens you are
able to generate and store more energy. In Chinese this energy is referred to
as “chi”.
One of the aims of Tai Chi is to increase Chi
and foster the popular circulation of it in your life. Not only are your health
and vitality enhanced but your mind becomes more focused, less negative and
able to manifest good things.
However the benefits spiritually and mentally
are what seem to blow most people’s mind when they become addicted to this
ancient discipline. The benefits include a calmer and more tranquil mind and
also a better connection to the higher self.
You are also less vulnerable to stress, especially those caused by
emotional distractions and will be able to work, study and sleep deeper and
longer.
For more information about the Healthy & Active Program please visit
our website at www.healthy-active.com. You may also
call us in Toronto at (41) 440-2217 and ask for Adrienne Wright Bulow or Dr.
Michael Rahman or email us at adrienne@healthy-active.com.
