I write about T’ai Chi as a meditation because the slow, gentle “forms” are like a moving meditation. You gain physical strength and balance through the series of concise rhythmic movements, while at the same time you are focussing your full attention (mindful meditation) on each individual movement.
With the careful concentration and slow actions involved in this martial art you are not likely to end up with injuries. My aunt started going to tai chi classes when she was about 85! Now, don’t let that fool you into thinking that it is going to be too easy, because much like yoga, the more you practice and learn, the more challenging it can be. There are many dvds available for learning tai chi at home. This one T’ai Chi Beginning Practice –
I’ve only attended a couple of drop in sessions of Tai Chi so I had to enlist the help of Google to find good information for you. This article called Essential Tai Chi Principles by Dr Paul Lam and Nancy Kaye outlines the basic principals that anyone considering learning Tai Chi should know. The same website has a whole series of useful articles about Tai Chi.
Debu says
Meditation. It seems like such a simple word, but it has the power to chngae your life, attitude and priorities. There are times when I sit down to meditate and my puppy mind starts to wander. It’s amazing the things your mind will come up with to keep you from being quiet and restful. All the errands that need to be run, all the things that need attending to .. I breathe and concentrate on my breath and tell my mind to take a break. I breathe and breathe in and out and then THERE IT IS. The colors I see when I close my eyes and get in the zone of wonderful glorious breath. As I breathe the colors deepen and my body starts to calm and disappear. And just for that 15 or 20 minutes (sometimes even 10) I am at one with everything. I’m calm and tuned in to me and my connection to this universe and beyond. As I come back into myself my breath steady, my heart beat in time with life, I open my eyes and its as if I am seeing the world in technicolor. I notice things I didn’t before my practice, and for a few hours afterward I see the world as a kinder, gentler place. Because for a few hours I am a kinder and gentler being. Namaste’
Totally Meditation says
Thank you for this well written excerpt. All the best to you!