----------
I have something quite wonderful to tell you about. I found out about this incredible way of balancing your mind and body. It's totally unique to me. It's referred to as Tai Chi and finding out about it changed my life. And for the better I can tell you. Practicing this specialized form of martial arts has given me a sense of well-being and peace I never knew possible.
This is considered a form of internal martial arts, so if you think it is nothing but strange fighting stances and people talking without their lips moving like in the kung fu videos, you should think again. It is not like that. Tai Chi is very unique and I found it fascinating and immensely helpful with my tension and stress).
But first, I will tell you a little about the background of Tai Chi. The practice of tai Chi can trace its way back for hundreds of years but most modern schools date back to about 1820 and the Chen family. the Chens were the experts and I can tell you they really knew their stuff. Tai Chi is all about relaxation and finding balance within yourself. It uses slow motion moves that I found myself enjoying immensely. Often I wish I could go back in time and train with the Chen family. They used it mostly as a form of therapy to assist in health and longevity. Think of it as a moving meditation.
There are some key concepts of Tai Chi that you should know about. Understanding that many people considered it a form of meditation has kept it fun and captivating for me. Not only am I getting excellent exercise in by tensing and moving my muscles, but I am also training my mind by concentrating on my balance and breathing. It is such an incredible combination it makes me return to it, anticipating the practice of it, each and every day.
A vital idea is the notion that Tai Chi is used for health maintenance. If you are unwell in your body or even your head, it is hard to stand there patiently doing any of these movements. I know from experience I felt uncomfortable going through the movements at first. I wanted to do more! I felt restricted but that is the whole point. You must be centered before you can relax.
Another thing Tai Chi is excellent in achieving is the internal act of meditation. By aligning your body and mind as one, it becomes real easy to enter into a really neat type of meditation. I found myself getting deeper and deeper within my mind and relieving my stress better.
The ancient practitioners also knew that Tai Chi would be an excellent way for beginners to get into martial arts. It may not be the complicated fighting stuff you may be most familiar with, but for me it has become a devotional form of exercise I look forward to daily.
----------
Yoshi G Kundagawa is a freelance journalist. He covers the
mixed martial arts industry. For a free report on Master the Complex Sun Style of Tai Chi visit his blog.
