By: Zorana Jagodić |
Tai Chi – an ancient martial art for inner peace and health |
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Tai Chi Chuan is an universal martial art with specific movements that lead to unity and balance between the mind and the body by moving all parts of our body as one.
When you think about a modern way of life you will probably think of frequent psychical loads, irregular diet, lack of movement and lost contact with the nature.
Modern people live in a bustling world and main objective is to accumulate material wealth, while spiritual values are set aside.
Therefore, a growing number of people who search for inner peace and overall health reach out towards alternative lifestyles.
Among them are alternative physical activities that are not exclusively based on sports, but also on reaching the balance between the body and the mind.
Tai Chi – a combination of gentle movement and inner peace
Chinese martial art Tai Chi Chuan is a combination of gentle movements and inner peace that have a goal of starting a life energy called “Chi”.
Founder of Tai Chi, Chang Sang-Pheng, lived on a holy mountain Widang in China in the 13th century. He developed martial art that was completely opposite to what people believed in those days about what martial art should look like.
For a long time, he watched skills used by crane and snake when they were fighting.
After long refinement, applying his vast knowledge about the natural laws of energy of the sky, man and earth, Tai Chi Chuan basics were created.
When you learn basic principles of exercises, Tai Chi Chuan becomes “Supreme martial art", which is a literal translation of its name.
Taoist philosophers refer to Tai Chi as an “Elixir of youth”. This martial art is a part of traditional Chinese medicine based on energy flow and healing mechanisms.
Due to its gentle movement and continence, Tai Chi became popular in the world as a mass form of recreation and exercising for achieving longevity.
Restores lost balance
Tai Chi Chuan is for people that like gentle and natural movements.
As Tai Chi practitioners emphasize, practicing Tai Chi restores lost balance in our bodies.
Exercising every day brings enhancement of overall physical and psychical health, which allows normal energy flows within our body.
The benefits of daily Tai Chi exercises are numerous:
- regulation of blood sugar level
- heart muscle strengthening
- muscle tone balance
- vital energy activation
- reduced stress level
- enhanced concentration and focus
- emotional stabilization
- movement coordination
- better balance control
- better posture
- breathing regulation
Burns a lot of calories
Despite using gentle and slow movements, advantage of Tai Chi when it comes to physical state and condition are numerous.
Gentle and focused movements of Tai Chi burn more calories than surfing and almost as much as skiing.
Tai Chi enhances balance and movement coordination and helps us build strong bodies for healthy life.
It also allows for an individual to be more relaxed in his movements and provides easier energy flows.
Although Tai Chi includes almost no resistance at all and uses only minimal weights, a positive effect of this martial art on bone health is confirmed, such benefits include slowing down bone tissue loss and reduced occurrence of fractions with women in post-menopause stage.
People practicing Tai Chi are healthier and their sick leaves are reduced up to 60%.
Tai Chi Chuan helps people suffering or recovering from:
- stroke
- osteoporosis
- heart failure
- high blood pressure
- heart attack
- multiple sclerosis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s disease
- fibromyalgia
Enhances mental health
Apart from the physical benefits, Tai Chi brings numerous positive effects on mental health.
It is confirmed that Tai Chi significantly alleviates mental states such as anxiety, depression, stress and lost self-esteem.
People that practice Tai Chi are happier, their productivity is higher, their concentration is sharper and their other mental functions are enhanced.
Their coordination and movement harmony is better, their relations with other people are more successful and they are more adaptable to stressful changes.
In that sense, this ancient Chinese martial art can bring inner peace and harmony of the body and the spirit to Westerners. That is exactly what we all need at this bustling time.
How to practice Tai Chi
You can learn Tai Chi only under the guidance of an experienced instructor. We recommend a short video and for more information you can go to Tai center.
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