Videos
In order to help combat the isolation of Coronavirus, we tried to put together a series of videos which will show you what a typical class looks like, and allow you to practise in the comfort of your own home. Unfortunately, videos can never replace the interactive practice of t'ai chi with others, so now that we have clear safety procedures for classes, please come and join us for the full experience.
T'ai chi's health benefits are derived from chi / qi, or energy. Before the energy can get going, students need to relax the body and get rid of anything blocking the movement of the chi. A warm-up in t'ai chi will always loosen the joints and the larger muscle groups so that the energy can start to flow.
In order to activate the chi / qi, we start with a breathing exercise which draws energy into the body through breathing into the tan tien, and sending it from the middle of the body to the extremities, at the same time oxygenating the blood.
More experienced students will easily be able to "switch on" their energy from this exercise alone.
Kai Men means "open door". These two-stage breathing exercises are designed to relax the muscles, allow the energy to flow through them from the centre, and through an "extension" part of the exercise also allow the student to start to become much more aware of the muscle and energy changes in their own bodies.
These exercises differ from Kai Men in that they tend to only have one set of movements, but also use a variety of different types of breathing, such as Yin breathing, Yang breathing, Yin-Yang breathing, all of which activate different energy centres in the body.
T'ai chi Dance is an exercise performed in classes in a slow, fluid set of movements which are again designed to move the energy around the body, healing the tissues as it goes.
The t'ai chi form is a little slower than the dance, and allows the student to begin to focus the energy in the body, and move it through what Chee Soo called "dynamic mental control", strengthening mind, body and spirit.
A good t'ai chi will get the energy going very quicklyl Many new students feel the effects within a matter of a few short weeks. This exercise is designed to prevent us wasting that precious energy after class by locking it back into the centre, for use when we really need it.