A lotta words, but worth reading

FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions About T'ai Chi

Is there any special equipment needed?  No.  You don’t need any special uniform, belt or equipment.  Just loose clothing and comfortable shoes.
Do you have to be athletic to learn T’ai chi?  No.  Absolutely anyone can learn.  You can’t be too young, too old, or too uncoordinated.  T’ai Chi teaches coordination, balance and smooth, gentle movement.  T’ai Chi works for everyone.  The only people who do not benefit are those who do not practice regularly.  You progress at your own pace.
How long does it take to learn?  It takes several months or longer to learn the 88 movements of the New China Form.  However, many people begin to experience the benefits in just a few weeks.
Does T’ai Chi have any medical applications?  T’ai Chi has proven beneficial for people with chronic illnesses, pain and tension.  Tai Chi is particularly valuable for the musculoskeletal system.  Studies show it can minimize and prevent flexion deformity of the spine, improve skeletal muscle strength, limb coordination, joint range of motion and balance.   Improvement in muscle power and decreased incidents of stumbling and falling have also been documented.  T'ai Chi is also beneficial for increasing flexibility of the lumbar spine.   It helps align the body’s structure and harmonizes breathing with body movements.  This keeps the thoracic cage mobile and respiratory muscles strong.  Circulation increases and blood pressure frequently lowers.  T’ai Chi has also been demonstrated to be effective with many orthopedic conditions and fibromyalgia.  There has been work done with early Parkinson’s disease and head trauma patients which shows promise.
 Is T’ai Chi a religion?  Absolutely not.  Our practices use the Taoist philosophy of harmony, relaxation and mindfulness.  These traits are compatible with and enhance all aspects of your life regardless of your personal beliefs or “Way.”
Is there a video available?  Yes!  Chi Gung in Ten Gestures. 
What is the difference between T'ai Chi and Chi Kung?  First, let’s look at the dictionary definitions.  No, wait.  First let’s get the different spellings out of the way.  Chinese is phonetic and doesn’t translate into English very well so there are different spellings for the same thing.  Chi Kung, Chi Gong, Chi Gung and even Qigong are all the same.  Qigong seems to be gaining in popularity these days and that’s the spelling preferred by .  I use ‘Chi Kung’ because my good friend and teacher, Gary Barrett, the developer of ‘Chi Kung in Ten Gestures’ spells it that way.  The same is true of T’ai Chi or Tiji.  T’ai Chi Chuan (which means the physical practice of T’ai Chi) is sometimes spelled Tijuan. 

OK, back to those dictionary definitions.
Qigong.  Definition:   a type of ancient Chinese system of postures, exercises, breathing techniques, and meditations to improve one's chi/qi 
(energy field); also called chi kung, chi gong, chi gung,
Example:   may be used as a daily routine to increase overall health and well-being, as well as for disease prevention and longevity.
Etymology:   Chinese 'energy cultivation'  Dictionary.com's 21st Century Lexicon Copyright © 2003-2010 Dictionary.com, LLC 
T’ai Chi.  Definition a Chinese martial art and form of stylized, meditative exercise, characterized by methodically slow circular and stretching movements and positions of bodily balance.   Dictionary.com Unabridged.  Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010  
What is the difference between T’ai Chi and Chi Kung?  Well, as you can see in the definitions, not much.  Generally, T’ai Chi is a long form of moving Chi Kung.  Think of them as fraternal twins.  They are very similar, but still individuals. 

The T’ai Chi form I teach, the New China Form, is 88 postures.  It takes several months to learn and is a wonderful, nourishing practice.  The journey is an excellent adventure.  Chi Kung, on the other hand, looks very similar but we have, in this form, ten movements.  Each movement is repeated an equal number of times and equally to the left and right, forward and backward or up and down.  In the video there is a section where you simply follow the movements.  You’ll do this just a few times before you have it memorized.  Do this daily and you’ll experience tremendous benefits.  That’s it.  It’s that simple, but it doesn’t need to be difficult or complicated to work.

There are many forms of Chi Kung and many forms of T’ai Chi.  Chi Kung offers some standing and physically static options which we don’t see in T’ai Chi.  As we make comparisons between any two things the differences are frequently more important than the similarities.  Here I think the similarities are more important.  The fundamentals are the same.  We are rooted, balanced, relaxed.  We move and breathe.  We feel what it feels like to move and breathe.  We relax and let the Chi, the energy of the universe, course through our body.  Moving Chi is a very healthy thing to do!

Most importantly, the benefits are the same.  So, why learn T’ai Chi?  I think of T’ai Chi as a 7 course gourmet banquet where as Chi Kung is a healthy, delicious dinner. 

Learning T’ai Chi isn’t a lot of work, but it does take time, dedication, and a commitment to a lifetime of practice.  Chi Kung is easy to remember and delivers almost all the same benefits. I’ve been teaching T’ai Chi for almost 20 years and I’ve had hundreds of students.  Yet, the number of students who have actually learned the entire form is less than 20.  Am I a bad teacher?  No.  Students come for one of three reasons.  One: They’re curious.  Two: They are in pain and want it fixed.  Three: they insist on learning T’ai Chi.  Most are in the first two groups.  Once the curious have their curiosity sated they move on.  The second group usually wants an easier fix, which is understandable.  Learning the T’ai Chi form is a life-long commitment.  You jump in the deep end of the ocean and go from there – or you don’t.  Most don’t.  The third group, like me, just have to learn T’ai Chi, and that’s all there is to it.  Why?  I suggest you read or listen to my book, “Coming Full Circle: Everyone’s guide to the ancient wisdom of T’ai Chi.”

I keep thinking about the second group.  Those that come because something is broken, or they’re looking for something real, but who understandably aren’t ready to jump in with both feet.  The answer is Chi Kung.  Chi Kung offers 90% of the benefit with 1% of the work.  This video is for them.

About T'ai Chi

The Gift of the Snake and the Crane
One spring day about 700 years ago, Chang San-feng stood motionless in the woods, staring into the clearing before him. For hours he watched as a snake and a crane sparred.  Each time the snake struck, the crane simply waved its wings and danced out of the way.  When the crane attacked, the snake gracefully slipped aside and the bird struck only air.  Chang San-fen was deeply impressed by what he saw and, legend tells us, he used what he learned from the snake and crane to begin developing the art of T’ai Chi Ch’uan.
Now, whether or not you buy into legends, it is true that T’ai Chi Ch’uan (pronounced Tie Jee Juan) was developed in Northern China some 700 years ago.  At first, it was reserved for royal families because of the powerful minds and bodies that it created.   But around the year 1900, Yang Chen Fu broke with tradition and began teaching the art to the public in order to realize his dream of strengthening his people and his country.

Moving Meditation There are four basic styles of T’ai Chi Ch’uan: Chen, Sun, Wu and Yang.  Each is named for the family that developed it.  Full Circle T’ai Chi uses a style called The New China Form (sometimes called Chen Synthetic) that is a synthesis of all four families’ styles.
At Full Circle, we practice T’ai Chi for its preventative and therapeutic benefits.  Sometimes called moving meditation, T’ai Chi is effective and appropriate for people of any age.
Unlike martial art programs that rely on physical strength, T’ai Chi focuses on developing power through relaxation, flexibility and mindfulness.

Improve body, develop mind T’ai Chi is based on the Taoist idea that the mind and body are one.  We experience this when we react physically to emotional situations.  When we cry at a wedding, laugh at a joke or become tense in heavy traffic we are having a physical reaction to our emotions.   We experience the connection between our mind and body constantly.
T’ai Chi is based on the fact that this connection works both ways.  We can and do have emotional reactions to our physical movements.  As we practice the movements of T’ai Chi we are working the mind through the body.  When the body relaxes, the mind relaxes.  If we are physically balanced, we are mentally balanced.  If we are physically open, we are mentally open.  If we are physically connected, we are mentally connected.  If we move with purpose, we will think with purpose.

A New Way Psychologists have told us that we have two possible reactions to stress: “fight or flight”.  Traffic, kids, bills, the boss . . . the list can seem endless.  Since most of us are under stress daily, we are almost constantly in “fight or flight” mode.  Whether we choose to fight or run, our unthinking, instinctual reaction to incoming stress can be to relax instead of tensing,  If we relax physically we will be relaxed mentally.  If we can think clearly we can then choose our reaction to stress!  This is a radical departure from the norm for most of us and it starts with the simple movements of T’ai Chi.

Limitless Energy The New China form taught by Full Circle has 88 movements, or postures, which take about 10 minutes to perform.  A complete workout, including the opening and closing Chi Kung or breathing exercise, takes as little as 1/2 hour.
T’ai Chi keeps the body and the life energy, what the Chinese call “chi”, fit.  It raises the metabolism and benefits the cardiovascular system.  It promotes muscle strength, control, coordination, relaxation and peace of mind.  And, after practice, you feel relaxed and energized instead of exhausted.  The psychological and physiological benefits are far reaching.