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By Martin Dean
If you have ever decided to take a walk of a morning in the "Green
Lung" of the Bangkok metropolis which is otherwise known as
Lumpini Park, chances are that you will notice any number of people
practicing the art form of Tai Chi. The age range is from 8 - 80
and varies as much in age as skill levels. It is not an art form
that I myself have practiced but I have long been interested in
it and my mother has practiced it for many years. I have not indulged
it because I thought it too measured and methodical and only suitable
for those too aged to take part in an extreme or active sport. Upon
further research I was surprised as just how wrong I can be. Read
on and you will see what I mean.
Tai Chi as it is practiced today can perhaps be thought of a moving
form of yoga and meditation combined. There are a number of so called
forms also known as "sets" which consist of a series of
movements. Many of these are derived from martial arts (and perhaps
even more ancestrally than that, from the natural movement of birds
and mammals) although the way they are performed in Tai Chi is slowly,
softly and gracefully, with smooth even transitions between them.
The "Chi"
For many and arguably most practitioners the focus in doing them
is not first and foremost martial, but as a meditative exercise
for the body. For others, the ancient combat aspects of Tai Chi
are of considerable interest. In Chinese philosophy and medicine
there exists the concept of "Chi" - a vital force that
animates the body. One of the avowed aims of Tai Chi is to foster
the circulation of this "Chi" within the body; the belief
being that by doing so, the health and vitality of the person is
enhanced. This power then circulates in patterns that are closely
related to the nervous system and vascular system and thus the notion
is in close union with that of acupuncture and other oriental healing
arts.
The Meditative Concept
Yet another aim of the art form is to foster a calm and tranquil
mind, focused on the precise execution of these exercises. Learning
to do them correctly provides an avenue for the improvement of balance,
alignment, rhythm of movement and the genesis of association from
the body's vital centre. Thus the practice of Tai Chi can in many
ways contribute to being able to stand, walk, move, run and sit
better; as well as improving other areas of life that only a practitioner
with first hand knowledge will truly understand. Many also, it has
been said, notice improvements in poor posture, back alignment or
movement patterns associated with growing old or injuries, but the
meditative nature of the exercise is calming and relaxing in itself.
A Martial Artist
Tai Chi movements have their origins in the martial arts and practicing
them does have some martial implications. In a two person exercise
known as "push hands" Tai Chi principles are developed
in terms of being sensitive to and responsible for another person
"chi" or vital energy. Long term practitioners who use
this slow moving tempo can become quite adept at any form of martial
art that they choose. The emphasis of this art form is on being
able to channel away destructive energy - in the form of a kick
or punch, in a manner that will dissipate the energy or send it
in a direction where it is no longer a danger.
Tai Chi also has, amongst eastern practitioners, a long connection
with the "I Change" a Chinese system of divination. There
are associations between the eight basic "I Change" trig
rams plus the five elements of Chinese Alchemy (metal, wood, fire,
water and earth) with the thirteen basic postures of Tai Chi created
by Change Sanding.
Roots
This ancient art form traces its roots back to approximately the
second millennium B.C with the practice of yoga in ancient India.
In China, yoga came to be developed into what is called Saolin chuan
(Chuan meaning boxing) In the 13th Century A.D a Taoist monk by
the name of Chang Sang Feng modernised and developed what it now
called Tai Chi. Subsequently it came to be associated with different
families in China - these family names designate the different styles
of Tai chi. The style from which all current forms are derived was
that of the Chen family. A man by the name of Yang later modified
the form of the Chen family. The Yang style has three different
forms being practiced today; the simplified form, the short form
and the long form.
Mythology
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There are many other stories about the origins of Tai Chi rather
than that which came out of India and the Saolin boxing. The one
that is in general given the most credibility is that centred on
Chang San-Feng; reputed to be the greatest teacher of the system.
He was described as a wise man with the "arched back of a tortoise"
and the "figure of a crane"; signs apparently of great
intelligence and character. He studied the Shaolin arts for about
ten years, mastering all the exercises. At the age of sixty seven,
he met a Taoist, Ho Lung who taught him the method of being immortal.
He practiced this method for about four years with little or no
success and it was not until he travelled to Wu Dang Mountain that
he finally became aware of the true nature of Taoism.
There are also several stories how he developed Tai Chi, but the
one that I thought was the best and perhaps in the true spirit of
the art form is the following. One night Chang witnessed a fight
between a magpie and a snake. Every time the magpie spread its wings
to attack the snake would move slightly to escape the attack, but
maintained its visual circular shape. This contest continued throughout
the night, up and down across the mountain. Through this activity,
Chang realised that soft wins over hard but also recognised the
true value of circular movement, enabling grace and re-channelling
the energy field.
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Whether one decides to believe the myth or the other origin is
a personal choice, I personally prefer the later version simply
because it is more visual and much more fun. However, whatever one
believes will not detract from this ancient art form. Now as I jog
around Lumpini Park and notice the people of a morning in their
meditative state I have nothing but admiration for them and the
diligence it takes perform Tai Chi well. Perhaps in the near future
I may well stand up and be a practitioner myself, but for the moment
I will just admire it from afar like so many others and not experience
the joys and benefits it can bring.
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