Root into the Feet: Feel your weight drop into the feet, especially into the bubbling wells (Yongquan points).
Song (松): Begin releasing tension from the upper body into the ground. The movement is initiated from relaxation, not force.
Mind and Breath: Coordinate the rise and fall of the arms with your breathing—inhale as the arms lift, exhale as they lower.
Dantian Awareness: Start to bring awareness to the lower Dantian. The motion is guided by the intention from your center, not the arms themselves.
We begin with alignment in Tai Chi, which allows us to develop a quality known as 'Song.' In this state, we focus on skeletal structure and specific positioning to allow the muscles to relax optimally
Standing meditation or Zhan Zhuang: This practice is always done at the beginning of each training session. It regulates the nervous system and brings the body back into balance. We become aware of our body.
Follow along with me in this routine. We’ll start with standing meditation and then move on to other Tai Chi movements.
We'll begin with a light warm-up and move on to the first Tai Chi Movements.
Movements:
Opening - Awaken the Qi
Parting the Horse's Mane
White Crane spreads it's Wings
The kua is essentially the engine of our practice. Through the kua, we connect the lower body with the upper body. Tai chi is practiced from the kua. It helps us channel energy throughout the body.
In most Tai Chi systems, the Commencement Form (sometimes called Opening Form, Beginning Posture, or in some traditions Awakening the Qi) is much more than “just starting the form.”
It’s a reset for the body and mind that sets the tone for everything that follows.
Physically: Aligns posture, centers weight, and switches from normal standing to Tai Chi structure.
Energetically: Sinks Qi into the Dantian, connects to the ground, and begins the upward–downward circulation.
Mentally: Drops daily tension and places awareness in the present moment.
Movements:
Opening - Awaken the Qi
Parting the Horse's Mane
White Crane spreads it's Wings
Brush Knee
Playing the Lute
Repulsing the Monkey
Parting the Horse’s Mane teaches how to move from the Ground through the Dantian, letting the arms be led by the body rather than moving independently.
It trains the separation of Yin and Yang — one hand rising and projecting, the other sinking and rooting.
Physically: Develops balance, weight transfer, and whole-body connection while keeping Song in the joints
Energetically: Channels Qi from the feet to the palms, creating both expression and reception at the same time.
Martially: It can uproot, deflect, or enter while maintaining stability and root.
Movements:
Opening - Awaken the Qi
Parting the Horse's Mane
White Crane spreads it's Wings
Brush Knee
Playing the Lute
Repulsing the Monkey
Grasping the Bird's Tail
Single Whip
Cloud Hands
Single Whip (2)
High Pat on the Horse
The step in tai chi looks simple and fluid, but it is actually divided into several parts. It teaches mindfulness and helps the weight to be evenly spread across the foot, thereby protecting the joints.
Cloud Hands trains continuous waist-driven movement, with the arms following in soft, circular paths.
It develops lateral stepping while keeping root, balance, and connection between upper and lower body.
The movement constantly alternates Yin and Yang in the hands, maintaining openness in Lao Gong.
Physically: Builds coordination, fluidity, and the ability to redirect force without breaks or stiffness
Energetically: Circulates Qi side-to-side like rolling waves, with the Dantian as the driver.
Movements:
Opening - Awaken the Qi
Parting the Horse's Mane
White Crane spreads it's Wings
Brush Knee
Playing the Lute
Repulsing the Monkey
Grasping the Bird's Tail
Single Whip
Cloud Hands
Single Whip (2)
High Pat on the Horse
Side Kick & Double Punch
Golden Rooster stands on one Leg
Maiden working the Shuffles
Balancing on one leg unites rooting and rising, training the body to stabilize from the Dantian and spine. The lifted hand expresses upward while the standing leg grounds deeply, ensuring yin–yang separation and whole-body integration.
It teaches stability through micro-adjustments, aligning the vertical axis and keeping balance between earth and sky.
Physically: Strengthens root, leg stability, and fascial integration along the standing chain (foot → hip → spine → arm). Trains posture and balance without collapsing.
Mentally: Develops focus, presence, and confidence in instability. The mind learns to stay calm and upright even when challenged.
Energetically: Directs Qi upward through the spine while rooting downward through the foot, creating a continuous flow along the vertical axis without “breaking” in the middle.
Movements:
Opening - Awaken the Qi
Parting the Horse's Mane
White Crane spreads it's Wings
Brush Knee
Playing the Lute
Repulsing the Monkey
Grasping the Bird's Tail
Single Whip
Cloud Hands
Single Whip (2)
High Pat on the Horse
Side Kick & Double Punch
Golden Rooster stands on one Leg
Maiden working the Shuffles
Needle at the Bottom of the Sea
Parry & Punch
Closing Form
This sequence embodies the essence of Tai Chi — expansion, yielding, integration, and release. Each phase flows from the Dantian and Kua, ensuring the whole body moves as one through the four core energies:
Peng, Lu, Ji, An.
It integrates yin and yang into a complete cycle, training resilience by balancing softness with strength.
Physically: Builds whole-body coordination through four qualities: Peng (ward-off/expansion), Lu (rollback/yielding), Ji (press/forward integration), and An (push/release). Strengthens legs, waist rotation, and connected arms.
Mentally: Trains adaptability — expanding when there is space, yielding when pressured, uniting when stable, and releasing when complete. Builds timing, patience, and responsiveness.
Energetically: Cycles Qi through all directions — outward, inward, unifying, and releasing — keeping the energy wave intact while teaching transformation of force.
The body moves as a unit. The hands and feet are always connected. Not just physically but also mentally and energetically. Learn how to move with all harmonies.
Most People come up when they step, but this causes pain in the future. The knee has to carry the whole body weight. In this lesson I show you how to adjust the movement so it prevends you from future knee pain.
imagine inside your body a strand of silk or a fine thread running from chest to fingertip; when the kua folds, that thread is drawn, but you avoid snapping it; you allow it to lengthen like a delicate instrument, then let it settle.