International Taoist Tai Chi Society Turns 40

International Taoist Tai Chi Society Turns 40

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society, the world’s largest nonprofit Tai Chi organization.

International Taoist Tai Chi Society logo

To celebrate this important anniversary, thousands of members around the world will simultaneously complete the 108 moves of the Society’s Tai Chi set on August 14 at 2 p.m. Greenwich time (10 a.m. EDT).

“This global demonstration of our arts -- all at once, yet in different cities – will symbolize how far we’ve come in realizing our mission of making the Taoist Tai Chi™ internal arts of health available around the globe and around the block,” said Dr. Karen Laughlin, president of the International Taoist Tai Chi Society.

108 Moves Become a Global Movement — His own health having benefited greatly from the practice of Taoist arts, Mr. Moy pledged to bring them to the greatest number of people. Upon arriving in Toronto, he quickly found a space and began teaching. Word of mouth spread rapidly and the early Society grew quickly. In time, its members raised enough money to purchase a building on Bathurst Street that is still a dynamic venue for the Society.

As Mr. Moy’s students learned and benefited from their practice, they themselves became instructors. When they were ready, Mr. Moy asked them to find other locations to teach their own classes on a volunteer basis. In this way, the organization has grown into a global movement. Among the current membership are 3,000 accredited instructors, who further their practice and training by regularly attending classes and workshops. There are only two levels of instruction in the entire organization, beginner and continuing—everyone is a student.

Maintaining and Recovering Health —Mr. Moy refined the instructional methods and the Tai Chi movements he had mastered from his teachers to better suit Western lifestyles and to maximize their health-promoting qualities. Today the Society continues research into the salubrious affects of the Taoist Tai Chi TM internal arts of health on the body and mind. The Society’s current medical advisor, Dr. Bruce McFarlane, contributes a regular series of articles explaining the anatomy and physiology in relation with these arts on the Society’s popular blog, http://www.thetigersmouth.org.

In addition to maintenance of general health and well-being, the Society offers a robust program of health recovery classes for people whose quality of life is seriously compromised by disease at its main campus near Orangeville, Ontario, and at other locations in its global organization. As at all the classes, the practice of the 108-move set Mr. Moy taught is a focal point of this especially gratifying work.

Moving in the Right Direction — The International Taoist Tai Chi Society reaches far beyond any individual’s physical practice. Through the spread of these arts and the community the Society engenders—at the banquets marking Chinese festivals, at the feeding the homeless days, the numerous social activities, and other events, large and small—all members help fulfill Mr. Moy’s vision and the organization’s primary aims and objectives of promoting health, helping others, and facilitating cultural exchange.

Go to http://www.taoist.org/files/pdf/40thKeydates.pdf for key dates in the Society’s development. For more information about the International Taoist Tai Chi Society, its locations, and the 40th anniversary celebrations, visit http://www.taoist.org. For specific information about the worldwide demonstration on August 14, 2010, contact 416-656-2110. And for the most current event and community information, see our blog at http://www.thetigersmouth.org.

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About the International Taoist Tai Chi Society: The world’s largest nonprofit Tai Chi organization, the Society was founded in Toronto in 1970 by the late Master Moy Lin-shin, a Taoist monk who immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong. The Society now counts more than 40,000 members in 26 countries.

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imaginando

imaginando

(Source: joaomt, via usual-408-suspect-deactivated20)

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Images for koi carp t shirt

Images for koi carp t shirt

Sweetness of Truth Boar- nature-based wealth, prosperity, success, protection, The Koi or Carp Fish represents wealth and prosperity, as the actual word in ... east eastern element growth ink isolated language oriental paint May 6, 2011 These symbols can be included as a part of your clothings like t-shirts, cuff links, e.

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How-To Tai Chi Video - The Waist. From www.internalgardens.com

How-To Tai Chi Video - The Waist. From www.internalgardens.com

http://www.internalgardens.com

Tai Chi Classics mention relaxing the waist and moving from the waist. The waist controls the fa jing of tai chi applications. But the Chinese tai chi concept of the waist is different than what most people commonly think! If you misinterpret the meaning of how to use "the waist" in tai chi, you will weaken your structure and energy flow. Learn how to do it correctly and you get more power and qi flow. Enjoy your online tai chi how to video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQL22N...

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How to keep the center

How to keep the center

This is a video clip of Master Chen Zhonghua demonstrating a method to keep the center from the opponent. It is filmed at the monthly Maple Ridge, B.C. Canada workshop on Jan. 16, 2010.

English site: http://www.practicalmethod.com

Chinese site: http://www.shiyongquanfa.cn

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How to Do Tai Chi's Horse Stance

How to Do Tai Chi's Horse Stance

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This posture is Tai Chi. It is the most common of all the tai chi (taiji) and qigong (chi-gung) postures, and is often used as a separate exercise to increase leg strength, concentration, deep breathing and chi (qi) flow.

The stance and directions shown here are for a posture and standing meditation known as the Zhan Zhuang or Embrace the tree posture. The advice is sound for this posture though readers should be aware that Tai Chi and Yiquan (a standing meditation internal art) work a traditional Horse Stance as well which is a wide and low position.

Turn the toes in so the outside of the feet are parallel.

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How to Do Tai Chi

How to Do Tai Chi

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Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) is an ancient Chinese "internal" or "soft" martial art often practised for its health-giving and spiritual benefits; it is non-competitive, gentle, and generally slow-paced.^[1] Contrary to the Western concept of "no pain, no gain," one hour of tai chi actually burns more calories than surfing and nearly as many as downhill skiing, so it's definitely a veritable workout.^[2] But that's just one of the many benefits! By increasing strength, flexibility, body awareness and mental concentration, tai chi can improve your health, too.

1. 1 Warm up with proper breathing and centering. As with any martial art, it's not just how quickly and forcefully you can strike a board or knock a guy out. A huge part of it is having a firm grip on your mind. To clear yours, focus your chi, and tap into your potential, you'll need to start with proper breathing (which will, in turn, centre you).
   • Put your feet up to shoulder width apart, no further.
   • Place your hand on your lower abdomen, about 2 inches (5 cm) below your navel. Push in lightly.
   • Breathe in and out through your nose slowly (lips loosely together) from this area of your abdomen. If you can't feel this area moving, push in with your hand a bit more.
2. 2 Concentrate on all parts of your body one at a time. Once breathing like this feels normal, start relaxing every part of your body one at a time. Start with your feet and work your way up to your scalp. Get as tiny as you'd like -- down to your fingernails even. You'll find you were holding tension without even realizing it.
   • If you start to sway, that's actually a good thing! It means you're relaxing and your body isn't tensed to balance. If that does happen, consider slightly readjusting your feet or moving your concentration back to your balance until you're steady again.
3. 3 Root yourself. One of the concepts of tai chi is "rooting." It's fairly self-explanatory: imagine roots growing out from underneath your feet. You are a part of the ground, never losing balance, focus, or your centering. Your limbs sway like branches in the wind, never hesitating for fear or apprehension. You are rooted.
   • This does not mean you or your legs are stiff. Quite the opposite. Just imagine roots under you, a part of you, allowing you for freedom of movement because you cannot fall, you cannot fail, and you will always be a part of the natural world.
4. 4 Think about your frame. In Tai Chi, there are a few forms your positions can take. Generally, each style favors a specific form. Here's a rundown of the basics:
   • Small frame style. In this style (usually Wu or Hao versions) aren't very expansive. The movements are smaller (big surprise, huh?) and there's less extension in general. The focus is on correct internal energy to form correct movements and transitions.
   • Large frame style. The large frame style (Chen and Yang) involves low and high stances, more dramatic postures, and swinging arms. It emphasizes correct positioning of the body and alignment to channel energy.
5. 5 Experiment with different styles. Because all Tai Chi is good, it's more important that you do any rather than worry about which style is right for you. But once you get immersed in the world, you may want to experiment. Here's a brief rundown:^[4]
   • The Chen style mixes up the tempo, going very slow and then being explosive. It can be difficult for beginners.
   • The Yang style is the most popular. It has a steady tempo and, as discussed above, uses large frame movements. It's probably what you think of when you think of tai chi.
   • In Wu, the movements are almost microscopic. This makes it easy to do, but difficult to master -- there's a lot of focus on powerful flows of energy and inner, pressured movements. The movements are very slow and deliberate.
   • The Hao style isn't very widely spread. You probably won't find a teacher that practices it.

1. 1 Master the moves by understanding the philosophy and its makers. To understand the nature of Tai Chi Chuan (meaning "Supreme Ultimate Fist") we have to put it into context with the culture from where it has come. This means we have to look closer at the Chinese culture and, in particular, the spiritual tradition of Taoism which is where Tai Chi Chuan finds its roots and sustenance.
   • The art of tai chi is said to improve the flow of Chi (Qi), the traditional Chinese concept of a physically intangible energy or life force. In scientific studies, tai chi has been proven to improve a host of medical conditions including, but not limited to: muscular pain, headaches, fibromyalgia, cardiovascular problems, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, Diabetes and ADHD. Though its low-impact workout is especially helpful to seniors, tai chi is for everyone and is deceptively simple in appearance.
   • The thing to keep in mind about Taoism is that it is about an attunement with nature. Not just nature outside of us, but also the nature within us. This principle is called Tzu Jan, or Ziran in pinyin, and it is the principle of being "self-so" or embodying one's "self-nature". So beyond the health benefits and stress relief, Tai Chi Chuan is also a means to tap into one's inner self.
2. 3 Try the single whip move. We're just going to outline a few here (there are tons), but a pretty standard one that is seen in every variety is the single whip. It's where every point along your arms and upper torso is part of a whip -- they could explode with a force of energy at any moment, becoming the end of the whip. Doesn't seem so effortless now!
   • For this move, generally one hand stays in the "beak hand" position. You can probably guess why -- it sort of looks like a bird's beak. Your four fingers should be lightly touching your thumb and your palm should be facing downward. As for your arms, each style of Tai Chi is slightly different, but generally, they're at shoulder height and spread like loose wings.
3. 4 Do the white crane spreads wings move. For this one, your weight should always be on one leg -- but both feet should always be on the ground. You'll be shifting back and forth as you test your balance. So to your arms should be opposite -- one should be moving fast and on different planes and the other should be slow and deliberate (but never flaccid and weak).
   • The name of this moves sounds docile, but it does have a fighting application. Think about it: your weight and arm position is always changing. And when you have 100% of your weight on one leg, it frees the other up to kick. There's your purpose!
4. 5 Practice "pouring." This can even be something you do waiting in line at the self-check out. You simply stand with your feet on the floor, parallel, shoulder-width apart. Then you pour your weight onto one leg and hold; after a few breaths in and out, you begin slowly pouring your weight onto the other leg and holding. Do this for a few minutes, clearing your mind and becoming aware of your balance.^[5]
5. 6
6. 7
7. 8 Go from short form to long form. For most beginners, you'll probably want to stick to the short form. That's 13-40 moves long and generally lasts about 5-20 minutes. But once you get that down, you may be craving more. That's where the long form comes in! It's 80 or more moves and can take over an hour.^[7] Talk about stress relief!

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