Do you think of Tai Chi as merely a slow-motion form of exercise? What if it could be so much more than that? No, not the martial art, but the PRINCIPLE of Tai Chi itself. What IS Tai Chi, anyway?
The name Tai Chi refers to the two Universal Forces of Yin and Yang, in a constantly changing state of dynamic balance. You have probably seen the Tai Chi Symbol numerous times
Many sciences and technologies of old China were based upon this principle.
Now why should this be of any importance to you? Well, the Yin/Yang principle forms the basis for a consistent system of health practices for lifelong health and vitality. If you have been confused by the multitude of claims regarding widely differing nutrition and exercise systems, the Yin/Yang Principle can act as a set of “magic lenses” to let you see clearly and make sense of it all.
In a couple of weeks, I will have a set of audio MP3’s available at http://www.totaltaichi. com
The name Tai Chi refers to the two Universal Forces of Yin and Yang, in a constantly changing state of dynamic balance. You have probably seen the Tai Chi Symbol numerous times
Many sciences and technologies of old China were based upon this principle.
Now why should this be of any importance to you? Well, the Yin/Yang principle forms the basis for a consistent system of health practices for lifelong health and vitality. If you have been confused by the multitude of claims regarding widely differing nutrition and exercise systems, the Yin/Yang Principle can act as a set of “magic lenses” to let you see clearly and make sense of it all.
In a couple of weeks, I will have a set of audio MP3’s available at http://www.totaltaichi. com
which will explain the “magic lenses” in detail.
For now, let’s just look at a few of the lifestyle areas that are included in the “Total Tai Chi” approach to lifelong health and wellbeing. Many of them embrace the Yin/Yang Principle.
Overall, there are Nine Lifearts which I have dubbed the “Nine Taoist Lifearts,” since many of them were influenced by Taoists. The Taoists might be called the “scientists” of old China. They were tireless experimenters in diverse areas such as herbs, Qi-development movement systems, meditation systems, Feng Shui, and even alchemy.
The Nine “Taoist” Lifearts are:
Meditation. This is the most important of all. It provides a way to calm the physical body and focus the mind, so your energy body, the source of your health and vitality, can be restored to coherence and stability after the disturbances of daily life. It is very easy to learn a practical and very effective form of Meditation.
Nutritional Science (which is much more elegantly called the art of Yang Sheng, or “Nurturing Life” in Chinese) is the study of the properties of foods, and their exact appropriateness for varying body types and physical conditions. This Lifeart categorizes foods into Warm and Building and Cooling and Cleansing. So depending on whether you are a “hot” person or a “cold” person—and depending on whether you are congested or depleted, you can find the right spectrum of foods for your exact needs.
For now, let’s just look at a few of the lifestyle areas that are included in the “Total Tai Chi” approach to lifelong health and wellbeing. Many of them embrace the Yin/Yang Principle.
Overall, there are Nine Lifearts which I have dubbed the “Nine Taoist Lifearts,” since many of them were influenced by Taoists. The Taoists might be called the “scientists” of old China. They were tireless experimenters in diverse areas such as herbs, Qi-development movement systems, meditation systems, Feng Shui, and even alchemy.
The Nine “Taoist” Lifearts are:
Meditation. This is the most important of all. It provides a way to calm the physical body and focus the mind, so your energy body, the source of your health and vitality, can be restored to coherence and stability after the disturbances of daily life. It is very easy to learn a practical and very effective form of Meditation.
Nutritional Science (which is much more elegantly called the art of Yang Sheng, or “Nurturing Life” in Chinese) is the study of the properties of foods, and their exact appropriateness for varying body types and physical conditions. This Lifeart categorizes foods into Warm and Building and Cooling and Cleansing. So depending on whether you are a “hot” person or a “cold” person—and depending on whether you are congested or depleted, you can find the right spectrum of foods for your exact needs.
Learning the basic of Nutritional Science is very easy, and takes just an hour or so. After that, you will be able to critique ANY recommended "diet" and see whether it is right for you.
Movement is the study of QI-developing movement systems (Qigong), whether purely therapeutic or therapeutic and martial, like Tai Chi, Xing I and Ba Kua. Meditation, Nutrition, and Movement are your Top Three daily health disciplines. The remaining six Lifearts are supplementary, and can be used occasionally, as necessary. I will describe each of them only briefly.
Herbology embraces the thorough study of herbs and in the Total Tai Chi context, often the use of tonic herbs for long-term health. Herbs should only be used in conjunction with proper Nutrition and Movement.
Acupuncture is the adjustment of the body’s bio-electrical flow through the insertion of fine needles at nodal points in the energy channels where the flow can be most easily adjusted for very specific effects.
Sexual Science is the study of male and female energies and how to best bring them into perfect harmony. It also includes regimens for healthy pregnancy and after birth.
Feng Shui aims to create a perfect flow of life energy within a space, or even on a piece of land. Sometimes a person experiences difficulties in creating good health, even after they have applied the Top Three Lifearts mentioned before. That can sometimes be traced to a bad energy flow in or around their dwelling or workplace. Feng Shui can address this discrepancy.
Divination deals with deriving information from sources beyond the physical. Now this sounds very far out, but today, we would use the term ”channeling.” In ancient China there were no data banks or computer models! So the rulers would consult specially-trained “Diviners” for their intuitive read on whether crops would succeed, whether it was the right time to engage in battle, whether the Great River would flood, etc.
Finally, Bodywork includes the numerous massage techniques of China and also includes the Chinese unique traditional approach to bonesetting, and external injuries. There is an entire branch of medicine for treating injuries incurred in martial arts training and real combat. This medicine is now extended to any kind of external injury.
I hope that has given you an interesting overview. Thorough mastery of any one Lifeart might well be a life-long endeavor, but some knowledge of a few of them is a good way to preserve your health and vitality for a long time.
As T.T. Liang, my main Tai Chi teacher said, “You should know something about everything—and everything about one thing.”
There is no need to try to master all nine; just remember to practice the “Top Three” Lifearts consistently and you can live a long and QI-ful life.
Movement is the study of QI-developing movement systems (Qigong), whether purely therapeutic or therapeutic and martial, like Tai Chi, Xing I and Ba Kua. Meditation, Nutrition, and Movement are your Top Three daily health disciplines. The remaining six Lifearts are supplementary, and can be used occasionally, as necessary. I will describe each of them only briefly.
Herbology embraces the thorough study of herbs and in the Total Tai Chi context, often the use of tonic herbs for long-term health. Herbs should only be used in conjunction with proper Nutrition and Movement.
Acupuncture is the adjustment of the body’s bio-electrical flow through the insertion of fine needles at nodal points in the energy channels where the flow can be most easily adjusted for very specific effects.
Sexual Science is the study of male and female energies and how to best bring them into perfect harmony. It also includes regimens for healthy pregnancy and after birth.
Feng Shui aims to create a perfect flow of life energy within a space, or even on a piece of land. Sometimes a person experiences difficulties in creating good health, even after they have applied the Top Three Lifearts mentioned before. That can sometimes be traced to a bad energy flow in or around their dwelling or workplace. Feng Shui can address this discrepancy.
Divination deals with deriving information from sources beyond the physical. Now this sounds very far out, but today, we would use the term ”channeling.” In ancient China there were no data banks or computer models! So the rulers would consult specially-trained “Diviners” for their intuitive read on whether crops would succeed, whether it was the right time to engage in battle, whether the Great River would flood, etc.
Finally, Bodywork includes the numerous massage techniques of China and also includes the Chinese unique traditional approach to bonesetting, and external injuries. There is an entire branch of medicine for treating injuries incurred in martial arts training and real combat. This medicine is now extended to any kind of external injury.
I hope that has given you an interesting overview. Thorough mastery of any one Lifeart might well be a life-long endeavor, but some knowledge of a few of them is a good way to preserve your health and vitality for a long time.
As T.T. Liang, my main Tai Chi teacher said, “You should know something about everything—and everything about one thing.”
There is no need to try to master all nine; just remember to practice the “Top Three” Lifearts consistently and you can live a long and QI-ful life.
[I use the spelling "Tai Chi" in these blogs, rather than the older T'ai Chi or the modern pinyin Taiji. "Tai Chi" has the greatest name recognition at the present time.]
Excellent post. Nice overview of the The taoist Lifearts. I look forward to hearing more. I'm particularly interested in Yang Sheng. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDeleteJohn