What Is Tai Chi?

Tai chi was once only known in China. Today it is practiced all over the world. This article explores the ideas that lie at the center of this energizing health-giving system of exercise. And it looks at what the graceful art of tai chi can do for you.

Tai chi is a gentle form of exercise that anyone can do. In China it is practiced daily by millions of people, old and young. And it is becoming increasingly popular in the West, primarily the United States.

Tai chi is rooted in the theory that well-being depends on the circulation of life force (chi) around the body—the same idea lies behind acupuncture and other Eastern therapies. When chi becomes blocked or depleted, ill health or unhappiness are the result. Tai chi uses a combination of structured movements, deep breathing, and mental focus to enhance the flow of chi, thus promoting good health and helping to prevent illness.

The movements in tai chi are done gracefully and rhythmically— as though you are performing a dance (or a stylized fight) in slow motion. The actions appear very simple at first, but in fact it takes strength and awareness to maintain the degree of balance and muscular control demanded.

The movements are done in a strictly choreographed sequence, which is known as the form. The order never varies: tai chi practitioners, from the beginner to the master, do the same form. This element of repetition is key to tai chi because, once you know the basic moves, the only way to improve is to go deeper. The repetition does not become boring because tai chi engages the mind as well as the body. And there is always some element that can be improved upon—the flow of your breathing, the erectness of your posture, or the position of your hands.

What is more, tai chi is remarkably concise: once learned, the” entire form takes about six minutes to perform. You need spend just a few minutes a day on tai chi, and very soon you will be reaping the benefits of this ancient and beautiful practice.