Tai Chi = Grand Ultimate Energy
Tai can be translated as Grand Ultimate. So, Tai Chi translates as Grand Ultimate Energy. The full name of this Internal Chi Kung based martial art in Chinese is Tai Chi Chuan. Chuan translates as fist. Hence the real translated name of the style is Grand Ultimate Energy Fist. Yang style is the most popular Tai Chi style taught in the world today. Most of the time in the West the art is taught as Tai Chi without the Chuan. Also, more often than not the moves and choreography that make up the basics of the system are taught in a tranquil and slow moving pattern of 24, 48, 88 or 108 moves. There are at least 4 popular styles of Tai Chi and there are many other styles of Tai Chi including Family styles, modified styles and styles from specific parts of the country such as Wu Tang Mountain (the area of China and monks referenced in the movie "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon"). In Clear's Modified Yang style Tai Chi there is an 8, 13, 18, 48 and 108 movement pattern available. Any of the sets will provide benefit as long as the energy and proper body mechanics are present.
In this text and in all of our Tai Chi programs we are interested in the Chi aspect of the Tai Chi and submit that the moves without the Activation and Cultivation of the Chi are simply choreography and are like a pretty car without any fuel or spark and hence although the car can be pushed around it is at an expense of energy as opposed to building energy. If the Chi was not important then slow ballroom dancing could be used to accomplish the same benefits. It is our purpose in this text to illustrate how to activate, build and circulate the energy for health and vitality.
Tai Chi is still being academically researched and studied in the West and has already been proven to help and provide relief for a broad range of health problems including but not limited to arthritis, hypertension, high blood pressure, migraines, Muscular Sclerosis, balance and immune system deficiencies. It is the Chi part of the Tai Chi being activated, built and circulated that has this effect. You can practice Chi Kung by itself. However, once you can activate the Chi and understand how the energy feels while it is being built, accumulated and circulated you can practice your Chi Kung while doing Tai Chi. Then, you can really begin to get the more remarkable effects that have caused Tai Chi to become well known as an excellent alternative healing practice. If you are already a student of Tai Chi then after practicing the Wu Chi and 3 Dan Tiens Linear practice (presented on page 31 and 71 in this book) for awhile try to do the Tai Chi with these same body mechanics and energies flowing. The movements are secondary to the energy. Once again, it is working with the Chi in Tai Chi that provides the majority of the publicized benefits.
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