The Inner Structure of Tai Chi

Author: Mantak Chia
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1594778426
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 216

Book Description
Explores the deep, internal work necessary for the effective practice of tai chi • Reveals the Taoist principles that gave birth to the Yang-style tai chi forms • Shows how tai chi can circulate powerful healing energies through the body Taoist adepts developed tai chi as both a martial art and a way to cultivate their physical body, energy body, and spirit body. Like all Taoist exercises, its main purpose is to form a connection to the basic energy that is the foundation of all life: chi. Until the beginning of the twentieth century, tai chi was considered a secret practice that was passed down only within a closely knit structure of family and loyal disciples. Despite its widespread growth in popularity as a martial art and health exercise, many of its underlying internal practices remain unknown. The Inner Structure of Tai Chi explores the deep, internal work necessary for the effective practice of tai chi. Designed for practitioners at every level, the book contains step-by-step illustrated instructions for mastering the 13 forms of early Yang-style tai chi, also known as Tai Chi Chi Kung. The authors demonstrate the relationship of the inner structure of tai chi to the absorption, transformation, and circulation of the three forces that animate all life--the Universal force, the Cosmic force, and the Earth force--revealing the principles and practices necessary to receive the full spectrum of physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits that tai chi can bring.

Tai Chi Fa Jin

Author: Mantak Chia
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1594778116
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 231

Book Description
A guide to the seemingly effortless yet explosively powerful martial art techniques of Fa Jin • Explains how to collect energy within and discharge it for self-defense as well as healing • Explores how to counter the natural instinct to resist force with force and develop yielding softness through the 13 Original Movements of Tai Chi • Illustrates routines for the partner practice of “Push Hands” (Tui Shou) Fa Jin, an advanced yang style of Tai Chi, complements the physical, mental, and spiritual conditioning available through solo Tai Chi practice and the internal martial arts of Taoism. Fa Jin enables adepts to harness the energy of yin, yang, and the earth in the lower tan tien and discharge it as an extremely close-range yet explosively powerful blow in self-defense and partner practice as well as in healing techniques. Integrating the teachings of many Taoist masters, including Chang San-Feng, the creator of Tai Chi; Wang Tsung-Yueh, the legendary 19th-century master; Bruce Lee, the actor and martial artist who made the “one-inch punch” technique famous; and the Magus of Java, a living master able to discharge energy in the form of electric shocks, this book explores the history, philosophy, internal exercises, and physical practices of Fa Jin. Drawing on Iron Shirt Chi Kung and Tan Tien Chi Kung techniques, Master Mantak Chia and Andrew Jan reveal the secrets to collecting yin and yang in the lower tan tien and discharging the energy in a seemingly effortless yet explosive blow. Illustrating several routines of the Tai Chi partner practice of “Push Hands” (Tui Shou), they explain how to apply Fa Jin techniques by “listening” to your opponent’s intentions and countering the natural instinct to resist force with force through yielding softness and redirection. The authors also detail how to prepare for this advanced practice through stretching, meditation, breathing, relaxation, and energetic exercises.

Tai Chi Wu Style

Author: Mantak Chia
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1620550059
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 225

Book Description
A guide to the internal martial arts exercises of short-form Wu-Style Tai Chi • Details the 8 core forms of Wu-Style Tai Chi with fully illustrated instructions • Ideal for older practitioners as well as those with health disabilities due to the “small frame” primary stance, slower and smaller movements, and conservation of energy • Explains how Wu Style provides a natural introduction to martial arts boxing • Reveals how Wu Style eases stiffness, relieves back pain, and reduces abdominal fat Following the flow of chi energy, rather than directing it as in traditional Tai Chi, Wu-Style Tai Chi focuses on internal development, seeking to conserve chi energy and gather jin power from the Earth through the tan tien. Centered on a “small frame” stance--that is, feet closer together and arms closer to the body--and a slower progression of movements in solo practice, Wu Style offers a gentle Tai Chi form for beginners and, when practiced with a partner, a grounding introduction to martial arts boxing and Fa Jin (the discharge of energy for self-defense). The more functional stance, smaller movements, and conservation of internal energy make Wu-Style Tai Chi ideal for older practitioners as well as those with health disabilities. Condensing the 37 movements of Wu Style into 8 core forms, Master Mantak Chia and Andrew Jan illustrate how to build a personal short-form Wu-Style Tai Chi practice. They explain how Wu-Style Tai Chi removes energetic blockages and helps to elongate the tendons, reducing stiffness and allowing the limbs to return to their natural length and full range of motion. Regular practice of Wu Style relieves back pain as well as reducing abdominal fat, the biggest hindrance to longevity. Exploring the martial arts applications of Wu Style, the authors trace its history beginning with founder Wu Chuan-Yu (1834-1902) as well as explain how to apply Wu Style to “Push Hands” (Tui Shou) and Fa Jin. Through mastering the short-form Wu Style detailed in this book, Tai Chi practitioners harness a broad range of health benefits as well as build a solid foundation for learning the complete long-form Wu Style.

The Internal Structure of Cloud Hands

Author: Robert Tangora
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
ISBN: 158394737X
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Book Description
An in-depth exploration of T'ai Chi through the practice of Cloud Hands, a foundational exercise common to all schools of this popular martial art Part theoretical treatise, part training manual, this book facilitates a deeper understanding of "internal" movement and training for students of T'ai Chi and other internal martial arts. Step-by-step exercises help to bring the theoretical into concrete practice and application. Author Robert E. Tangora, an accomplished practitioner and teacher of several different styles of T'ai Chi, places a heavy emphasis on the development of internal structure and building a solid foundation in the art's most basic movements. Intermediate and advanced practitioners will discover a deeply interconnected world of practice; beginning students will learn basic training methods that can help them bypass years of incomplete training and erase incorrect habits already formed. Tangora also stresses the importance of meditation and its crucial relationship to the art's health and martial aspects, as well as how to use the spine to integrate movements—especially important for practitioners with back problems who wish to learn how to move without inducing pain. Readers will learn to: • Cultivate internal power • Discover the inner workings of Tai Chi Ch'uan • Understand the meaning of the T'ai Chi classics • Move without injury • Relieve back pain

Internal Body Mechanics for Tai Chi, Bagua and Xingyi

Author: Ken Gullette
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692112663
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 194

Book Description
This is the book Ken Gullette wishes he had been able to read when he first began studying Tai Chi, Bagua and Xingyi in 1987. It gets to the point, stripping the mystical mumbo jumbo away, leaving detailed, real-world explanations of the six fundamental body mechanics that everyone should know when they study Tai Chi (Taiji), Bagua and Xingyi. For the first time, these body mechanics are organized and discussed clearly, with more than 250 images and highly-detailed but simple language. If you are a student or even a teacher of these arts, you should be able to learn something here that will deepen your own insight into the arts. Ken has studied with some top internal arts masters, and during the first ten years he was teaching, he boiled down the body mechanics he learned into six key concepts. In this book, he explains them in the same step-by-step detail that he uses in teaching his students, building on each of the concepts until you have a clear roadmap of what you need to practice for high-quality internal structure and movement. As Ken explains it, "The true intent of the internal arts is self-defense. The body mechanics in this book are the starting point you need to develop the structure and internal strength that is required for the relaxed power, the iron wrapped in cotton, that the internal arts are known for. This is the starting point upon which all other skill is built." Ken has studied these arts since 1987, is a tournament champion, winning in empty-hand and weapons forms, no-contact, light-contact and full-contact matches, and he has students worldwide who have studied his DVDs and his website, www.internalfightingarts.com. Concepts covered in these pages include: the ground path, peng jin, whole-body movement, silk-reeling energy, Dantien rotation, and opening/closing the kua. From the explosiveness of Xingyi to the relaxed power of Tai Chi and Bagua, the road to internal skill is long and difficult, but very satisfying. There is nothing "soft" about these arts. They are powerful arts of self-defense. And it all starts here.

The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan

Author: Kiew Kit, Wong
Publisher: Cosmos Internet (Publishing Division)
ISBN:
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 351

Book Description
Master the ancient Chinese art of Tai Chi Chuan with this informative guide. One of the most popular Chinese martial arts, Tai Chi Chuan is also one of the most effective stress relievers available. In China it is also used extensively for the prevention and treatment of illnesses, and its beneficial effects for health and fitness are now widely recognized in the West. The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan is a comprehensive and fascinating guide to the practical application and potential benefits of Tai Chi Chuan. Packed with step-by-step illustrations for practice at home, this tai chi guide covers everything you would want to know about this ancient art, including its benefits for mental, spiritual and emotional development. This tai chi book is both an ideal introductory guide and an invaluable reminder for those who have already taken classes. Topics in The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan include: Tai Chi Chuan as a Martial ArtThe Concept of Yin-Yang and Tai Chi ChuanThe Historical Development of the Various StylesAdvice from the Great MastersTechniques and Skills of Pushing HandsSpecific Techniques for Combat SituationsTaoism and Spiritual Development in Tai Chi ChuanAnd many more

Tan Tien Chi Kung

Author: Mantak Chia
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1594778418
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 185

Book Description
A fundamental Taoist practice for enhancing and utilizing chi • Includes breathing and movement exercises to promote vitality and healing through the cultivation of chi in the tan tien and perineum areas • Presents the foundational exercises that are essential for more advanced practices such as Iron Shirt Chi Kung and Cosmic Healing Tan Tien Chi Kung is the art of cultivating and condensing chi in the lower abdomen--the tan tien--the fundamental power storehouse of the body. Known as the Ocean of Chi to the ancient Taoists, this lower abdominal area holds the key to opening the body and the mind for the free and continuous movement of chi. Tan Tien Chi Kung contains specific breathing and movement exercises that develop the power of the chi stored in the body to increase vitality, strengthen organs, and promote self-healing. Mantak Chia explains how these exercises also provide a safe and effective method for receiving earth energy, which allows the practitioner to achieve balance physically, mentally, and spiritually--all of which are essential for the more advanced practices of Iron Shirt Chi Kung and Cosmic Healing. It is our mind that directs and guides our chi, but if the mind and body are out of balance or under stress, the mind cannot perform this function. The tan tien actually contains a large quantity of neurotransmitters, making it a key source of body intelligence. It is for this reason the Taoists also referred to Tan Tien Chi Kung as Second Brain Chi Kung and created exercises that would allow practitioners to gain awareness of the tan tien’s function to restore the mind-body balance that is essential for spiritual growth and optimal well-being.

Qigong and the Tai Chi Axis

Author: Mimi Kuo-Deemer
Publisher: Courier Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486844463
Category : Body, Mind & Spirit
Languages : en
Pages : 259

Book Description
Reduce stress, release pain, and create bodily harmony with this introduction to qigong and tai chi. Includes practical information, insights, and widely practiced sequences and forms that lead to improved health.

T'ai Chi For Dummies

Author: Therese Iknoian
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0764553518
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 379

Book Description
For nearly 5,000 years, people have practiced T’ai Chi as a way to prolong life, build strength and stamina, improve concentration, and achieve psychological balance. Hundreds of millions of satisfied customers can’t be wrong. Whether you already dabble in T’ai Chi and would like to get a deeper understanding of the basics, or you’re only thinking about trying it and want to find out more before you take the plunge, T’ai Chi For Dummies is for you. In plain English, Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes demystify T’ai Chi principles and practices for Westerners. They unravel exotic sounding terms and concepts and break down movements in ways that more traditional instructors and authors either can’t or won’t. And with the help of crystal-clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions, they get you on track with a T’ai Chi fitness program guaranteed to help you: Increase balance and flexibility Combat fatigue and reduce stress Tone muscles Unlock your power centers and boost energy Improve focus and concentration Breathe “mindfully” and meditate Enhance your sense of inner peace and well-being Discover just how easy it can be to make T’ai Chi and its sister discipline Qigong part of your everyday life. With this friendly reference as your guide you’ll quickly master the basic movements and forms, as well as: T’ai Chi’s Yang 24-Movement Form Qigong and Push Hands techniques Techniques that help speed recovery from specific injuries T’ai Chi movements for aerobic exercise Exercise is good for the body and soul. Now let Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes show you how to energize, find inner peace, and tone your muscles with the gentle art of T’ai Chi.

Taijiquan

Author: C. P. Ong
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780615874074
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 368

Book Description
This book diverges from traditional exposition on Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) as it engages rather than shuns the role of muscles in elucidating the cryptic practice dictum of "using yi (mind) and not li (muscle force)." It centers on the core principle of Taiji balance-the balance of yin and yang, but presents the metaphysics of balance the way the body comprehends it, developmentally, through practice in the musculo-skeletal framework. In the process, the fog of mystique lifts, and the many abstruse concepts of Taijiquan become clear. Taijiquan training is physical at the initial phase, but the slow-motion exercise nurtures a meditative discipline of the mind. As it progresses, the soft methodology grows into one of building qi-energy, and then the practice becomes more internalized. The process fortifies the body with qi and cultivates a holistic balance of the organ systems. The book explains how the training methodology, in pursuing Taiji balance, leads to the development of a highly refined strength called neijin (inner strength). By incorporating the training of "silk-reeling energy" in Taiji balance, the practitioner develops the coiling power (chanrao jin) that underlies the magic of Taijiquan kungfu.