Qi Gong/Chi Kung and Tai Ji Quan/Tai Chi Chuan

Qi Gong and Tai Ji Quan are human physical manifestations of the Tao: stillness and movement, softness and firmness, sensory awareness and response, Yin and Yang. Focusing on breath, relaxation, balance and flexibility can lead to an increasing awareness of both our internal and the external environments. We can learn to sharpen our senses and our awareness, while learning to calm our mind and relax. There are many forms and practices used to accomplish this: Wu Ji and Soaring Crane qi gong; Yi quan standing meditation; stretching; tai ji/hsing yi walking; Yang style tai ji quan form; stick and saber forms, among others; and push hands double exercises.

Tai ji quan [tai chi chuan in an older romanization of Chinese] seems to have originated in the 17th century in China at the end of or just after the Ming Dynasty. There are three main schools or styles of tai ji quan: Chen style, which was the original form, Yang style and Wu style. There are also some additional styles developed later, including more modern short forms developed for health. Tai ji quan has been translated variously as supreme ultimate fist, or supreme boundary movement. It is considered one of the three ‘internal’ martial arts, the others being xing yi quan and ba gua zhang. Internal martial arts are ‘softer’ in nature and practice than more ‘external’ martial arts such as kung fu or karate. Internal martial arts’ movements are generally slower and more meditative in nature. And their learning and practice usually includes meditative practices.

Internal martial arts practitioners aim to get in touch with their internal energy, called Qi [chi, or Ki in Japanese], and learn how to utilize this energy. While being a martial art, the philosophy of tai ji quan is that the best offense is a superb defense- in other words it is a defensive rather than an aggressive art. This is achieved by honing the awareness and sensitivity of one’s own, as well as one’s opponent’s, energy.

There are numerous health benefits to these practices, including relaxation/stress reduction, improved balance, strengthening of the body, increased flexibility, lowered blood pressure and improvement in bone health. There has been an abundance of research into the benefits of tai ji quan in the last decade or so.

The tai ji quan form or set consists of a series of postures connected by movements, in a flowing sequence. While it may appear daunting to learn to an observer, the learning process itself immediately begins the journey of change and achievement. Those who pursue it find that very soon they look back in wonder at what they have learned. And the long term practitioner finds her or himself continuing to learn from the practice, even after many years of doing so.

Qi gong [chi kung in the older romanization system] can be variously described and translated as the work and effort put into breathing or energy. The Chinese term Qi can mean breath, as well as the circulating life force or energy within us. The word Gongfu [kungfu] means effort, thus qi gong implying the effort one puts into working with qi and breath.

There are numerous styles of qi gong. Many involve somewhat elaborate movements, coordinated with breathing. The style I practice and teach instead emphasizes stillness more than movement. One style, Wu Ji Qi Gong, can be practiced sitting or standing, with a focus on breathing into the dan tian, an area below and behind the navel. Wu Ji means before the beginning, emptiness or the ultimate void, from which sprang the duality of yin and yang. Tai ji quan represents the duality of yin and yang in movement. Thus, by practicing stillness qi gong, we become aware of the internal movement of qi within stillness; and in the moving practice of tai ji, we attempt to cultivate stillness within the movement!

The concept of focus on the dan tian, and over time bringing the breath there, is to cultivate qi, the dan tian being considered the ‘source’ of qi. As one cultivates qi, and relaxes more and more, the qi will begin to circulate through the body. It can even work through areas of blockage in the body, sometimes manifested by shaking or vibrating. My teacher of Wu Ji Qi Gong, Mr Cai Sang Fang, used to teach this practice in hospitals to patients to aid in their healing efforts. Qi gong evolved from early Taoist exercises called dao yin, with evidence of ancient dao yin exercises having been found in many archeological sites in China.

Another standing meditation practice I teach is called Yi Quan, which will be described separately. Click Here.

warriorsofstillness.com This is the website of my friend and tai ji colleague Jan Diepersloot, who has written three important books on tai ji, qi gong and our teachers.

Highly recommended.