10 THINGS ABOUT TAI CHI that you might just want to know

By Paul Read (the teapotmOnk) learntaichi.online

CONTENTS

1. WHY LEARN TAI CHI? 2. WHAT HAPPENS IN A TAI CHI CLASS? 3. WHAT DOES TAI CHI CHUAN MEAN? 4. WHAT ARE THE MAIN STYLES OF TAI CHI?5. HOW ARE THE SCHOOLS DIFFERENT FROM EACH

OTHER?6. WHICH STYLE WOULD BE BETTER TO LEARN?7. WHAT IS THE TAI CHI FORM?8. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO LEARN THE TAI CHI FORM?9. WHERE CAN I FIND A TAI CHI CLASS?10.WHO IS THE TEAPOTMONK?

http://www.learntaichi.online

Q1. Why learn Tai Chi? Tai Chi is a practice for health. For some people, that means physical health, for others it is interpreted mentally, spiritually, philosophically or even culturally. Each school or teacher will have their own interpretation.

This makes it difficult to be definitive about what Tai Chi is or why people practice it. So the first answer is that there are no fixed answers. Everything depends on who you are and what you are looking for.

But that does little to help us answer the question. So let’s try again, this time taking a sip of tea before answering.

When we begin to learn Tai Chi we embrace something unique in our lives. Tai Chi teaches us to slow down, to relax and to let things be. It teaches us that by emptying our minds we can find space to learn about other things. Often, we find this very difficult, as our culture does not always look too favourably on self-examination nor going slow. However, in this instance, the little time we put aside to reflect, to sip tea maybe, is genuine, qualitative time for ourselves and for our 'health'. Time for replenishing the spirit, time for leaving behind the toil of daily activities, time to recharge, rebuild our strength and quieten the mind.

Whilst the rest of the planet finds itself distracted by the communications age and consequently accelerates in order just to keep up, the Tai Chi practitioner slows down, steps back and watches as it all rushes by. S/he breathes deeply, and while s/he may be distracted by technology and shiny new phones, a Tai Chi practitioner's attention is also diverted pleasantly by the texture of sunlight, the path of the moon or the movement of wind over water.

All of these are reasons to learn Tai Chi, yet for many it begins, once more, with health. Physically, you are choosing to do something positive in life, something that will play a consistent, incremental and beneficial role in building your overall constitution, developing balance and coordination, changing your posture, deepening your breath and improving your overall strength.

Finally, people all over the world are learning Tai Chi for it is good to learn something that will not disappear like an app that hasn't been updated, a passing fad or yet another fitness-gadget that ends up unused in the garage.

Tai Chi has has stood the test of time and of all the Eastern arts, it is getting more popular each year. In part this is because it is so open to all sexes, all ages and cultures. It is an art that you can practice today, and still be perfecting it when you are walking your last days on this planet. It is an art that is relatively cheap to learn, requires neither special equipment nor clothes, and can be carried with you everywhere you go! Imagine, if you will, an exercise and health regime in the 'cloud', which is always there, pushed down to you at any time, in any place.

Tai Chi is an art for life.

Q2. What happens in a Tai Chi Class? The best way to find out is to go and view a class. Find out where your nearest classes are and go and visit as many as you can. If there are none nearby, or your work schedule prevents you attending a regular class, try sampling some sessions with on-line schools - you’ll find a link at the end of this ebook if you want to try some practical exercises once you have read this ebook.

If you find a local class, introduce yourself when you visit, say you are there to watch (or join in if invited) and just see what you think and how you feel. Some instructors will be happy for you to do this, others less so and ask for payment and insist on participation. If that happens, then my suggestion is to walk away and look elsewhere.

WARM-UP: Most classes begin by running through a series of movements and exercises that introduce you to the varying aspects of Tai Chi. For example, a warm up usually involves movements that loosen the body, improve flexibility and begin to build an awareness of body-tension. These may be followed by visualisation exercises, specific breathing exercises or drills in certain techniques or parts of the Form.

Whilst the instructor will be showing these exercises to the class, s/he will also be watching to see how students are picking up the movements - who perhaps is struggling, who is sprinting ahead and whether the aim of each exercise is being correctly transmitted. You may also see some walking exercises that will help you reach a quiet state of mind before engaging with more detailed parts of the class.

FORM: Very likely, there will be a section where the Form is taught and practiced (the pattern of moves you will probably have seen people practising in parks).

Students will follow the teacher’s movements in the Form, initially to emulate them, but in the long term to internalise the patterns and eventually to produce a version that will hopefully, be a reflection of who you are. We are all different after all, and no matter how much we might want to copy another person, ultimately we must find and interpret our own way of movement.

There may be other sections that follow the Form, some of which may involve working with a partner: yielding, sticking, push hands, rooting and martial applications. These terms are standard descriptions of activities most schools will offer.

Q3. What does 'Tai Chi Chuan' mean?

Literally it means the supreme ultimate fist. Now, this probably does not help you very much so we need to take a look at something other than the literal meaning. We need to explore some of the ways in which Tai Chi has been defined, and how it continues to be defined by different people for different reasons.

The two words, Tai and Chi together, mean the unity of Yin and Yang, or in Taoist circles: the mother of the 10,000 things. See! I told you that literal meanings would get us nowhere!

The 10,000 Things is really just a name used to represent everything from the lunar winds to the clippings of your toenails. It was a description used a lot in early Taoist texts, and although it's not necessary that you grasp all the

philosophy of Taoism to learn about Tai Chi, it is useful to know some of the key concepts, such as Yin and Yang. For now it is important to remember that when these concepts are brought together, Tai and Chi they mean the ideas and not just the physical movements. Now, when you add the third name chuan to the first two, you get the complete name and the complete concept: T’ai Chi Chuan - The system of fighting based on the principles of the mother of all things.

There, clear now?

Q4. What are the main Styles of Tai Chi?

There are three main styles found across the world: Yang, Chen and Wu. Within each of these is a multitude of variations and nuances that are not of significant importance for the beginner. In fact I’m not convinced that they are that important for teachers either. As Mao said: "Let a Hundred flowers bloom".

Were we to encourage this approach in Tai Chi, we would see an even greater diversity of styles that would perhaps address the needs of all those who tread the floors of training halls around the world.

But the world is not always as we would like it to be, and in the world of Tai Chi certain names or schools dominate the practice and the public image of the art. Some styles are seen as more traditional and pure, others as more recent with unproven modifications. Others still are considered outdated and increasingly antiquated.

Although you may think that selecting the right school is paramount and your teacher (if asked) will most likely reinforce this idea, the truth is that most styles

share more in common than their practitioners would probably care to admit and it really doesn’t matter at the beginning which style or school you approach. It’s more important that you start something.

So rather than fixate on names and categories, it would be better to remember that it is the teacher and the ambience of a class that will determine much of a student's progress, rather than simply a name or a possibly dubious historical time-line.

Every teacher will place a different emphasis on some aspects of a Form over others, and in time these will ultimately distinguish their style from those of others. This is the nature of teaching and it is part of Tai Chi’s rich legacy and development over the centuries. Some may deny this, others may embrace it. But rest assured you will always find in a class the fundamentals of the Form, pushing-hands, rooting, breathing, qigong exercises, sticking and yielding.

Q5. So how are the schools different from one another?

The Chen style, from which all others are said to have derived, still incorporates both fast and slow movements, as well as explosive and soft techniques. Many other styles have levelled out these variations and tend to offer a more uniform pace in their Forms and practice. The official modified Chinese Form, and the original Yang Style have a much more regular flow and incorporate lower postures and angular stances.

Other styles such as Wudan and Wu still teach much of the martial side, while the popular Cheng Man Ching Form on the other hand tends to balance the martial with other softer aspects. This is notable in the Form's upright stances, softer moves and consistent flow with an emphasis on circularity. Fundamentally, the styles have come to reflect their teachers. Ask your teacher about their interests and you will often find why the Tai Chi school is the way it is.

Q6. Which Style would be better to learn? What sort of person are you? What are you looking for in a class? How best do you learn? Although we talk a lot about styles in Tai Chi, ultimately we do not, as individuals, fit neatly into pigeonholes.

Therefore in order to answer this question, you need to ask yourself: Are you someone who once practised another martial art and now wishes to take things a little softer? Do you seek a method of meditation, or techniques for relaxation? Are you looking to build-up your immune system, or your muscles?

Whatever your answers to these questions, I always recommend that new students sit in on a class and just watch before deciding if it is right for them. Of course, all students can try out a class, but sometimes sitting to one side and observing gives an insight unattainable to the eager participant. signing up to test out if it is right for you.

Through the act of watching you can see how the teacher interacts with the students, how well they follow his or her instructions, and you can absorb a little of the ambience of the class. If you are participating, this is difficult to achieve whilst intent on trying to copy the moves and postures of a new style.

After talking with the teacher, take some time to talk to the other students. Ask them how they feel about their progress and how they feel about the class. It has been said that the best example of a teacher's skill is the level of proficiency attained by the students, their attitude and openness to newcomers and their enthusiasm for practice. Try to see a little of this in each class you visit.

Alternatively, if you are taking an online course, do a free session or two before signing up. take a look at the comments that other students have left, check out the full course curriculum, see how easy it is (or not) to contact the instructor.

Q7. What is the Form?

The Tai Chi Form is the most public representation of Tai Chi. It’s that series of rehearsed moves you see people doing together in parks and in groups. The Form is an important part of the practice of Tai Chi, but it is not the entire thing. It is a tool for practice but not an end to practice. Many confuse the attainment and completion of the Form with the end of their practice, but Tai Chi is so much more that simply a list of postures strung together over a period of time.

This is not to play down the importance of the Form, it is an integral part of Tai Chi. It is through the Form that we learn about good posture and how we can unite these different moves together in a graceful way, exercising body, mind and breath at the same time.

It is said that before the Form existed, the postures were practiced separately as martial art moves (not unlike the many drilled techniques that are practiced today in most martial arts). These separate postures were united by Chang San

Feng - the mythological founder of the art - who fused them together in the flowing and uninterrupted sequence that we have come to associate so strongly with Tai Chi today.

Each posture of the Form has different applications regarding health and self-defence. Depending on the class in which you choose to learn, you may be shown one or both of these applications.

PACE OF LEARNING: In most classes, a new posture is learnt each week. The teacher will demonstrate the move from several angles, repeating it slowly with verbal and visual instructions so that students can assimilate the

subtle connecting points, and gradually build a familiarity with the posture. Each posture has a specific order, so missing a class traditionally meant having to repeat a session or learn it in your own time. Now, online classes mean that students learn in different ways and at their own pace, repeating moves as often as necessary before moving on. But, I digress, let’s get back to traditional ways of learning the Form.

Each style will emphasise slightly different versions of the moves, different numbers of repetitions or even different postures altogether. Despite this, it is still Tai Chi, and no-matter what your instructor says about the crucial importance of sequence and finer details, the truth is that the endless variations and subtle differences provide a fascinating tapestry and show just how much the art can adapt and evolve according to place and time. We should never get too obsessive about order and detail.

The endless repetitions performed when learning the Form may seem a bit pointless at times. But it is in their repetition that you can find the tranquility and grounding that Tai Chi offers and it is there where your Tai Chi studies really begin to deepen. The more you practice, the more you keep learning, the more you unravel and, like any language of the body or mind, the more you realise you have still so much to learn.

KEEP THE ENGINE TICKING OVER: Repetition and regular practice are crucial. It has been said that once you start Tai Chi, it's like a car's engine that ticks over if you practice often enough. If you do not practice regularly, then the engine stops, and you must work even harder next time to get it to start up again.

Q8. What is the best way to learn the Form?

It matters not whether you learn in a local class or online. What is important is your approach to learning. A teacher will tell you to empty the body of all tension, and the mind of all distraction. This is easy to say, but a little difficult to achieve. The Form however, gives us the answer.

Through constant repetition the body learns much better than the mind, because our conscious mind tries too hard to grasp the facts and the details of the move. Our bodies, on the other hand, focus on the pattern and the feeling of flowing from one move to another. It is these factors that make a practitioner competent, not the ability to recall the angle of a foot or the inclination of an elbow strike.

In order to promote this attitude, some teachers try to emphasise the fundamental rules rather than the strict geometrical positions. Instead of saying: Raise left arm to North-East at precisely 3 inches above your collar bone, they say things like… move with empty weight, keep the spine straight, when one part moves, all parts move etc. These basic ideas can be found in what is known as the Tai Chi Classics, a set of principles (sometimes very abstract) that define the basic underlying rules of movement in Tai Chi.

The worst way of learning the Form is to try and memorise it. Only using our head to understand, imitate and then reproduce coordinated body movements teaches us very little, other than how to copy. Although this might give the impression of learning, it is in fact no different than learning to draw by using tracing paper.

A better approach is not to think, but just to flow with the moves; always

keeping your eyes open and alert to what is happening around you. In this way it is not necessary to memorise anything. Just learn to read the moves, and trust your body to follow the patterns that will become increasingly evident the more you train. This is why you’ll often hear teachers say: Play don’t Study!

Finally, one tip for learning the Form is to simply observe. Do not always try and do at the same time. Stop copying. Stand or sit to one side and watch the class go through a complete Form. Watch how the other students cope and how they interpret the moves and transitions. Do this regularly and you will gain an

https://youtu.be/FDvv7wabSmw

overall context for your learning that will feed directly back into your performance.

Q9. Where Can I find a Tai Chi Class? Remember, when looking for a class first ask yourself what aspects of Tai Chi most interest you? Then visit a class in your area to watch/try a session and talk to both the teacher and students. Does the class look like it will answer your needs? Look for ambience as well as technique. Some classes are so stifled and formal that learning can become a chore or an unpleasant discipline. Find a class that has lots of conversation with questions and answers from students and not just a monologue from the teacher. Find a class where everyone helps out and most importantly of all, find a class where you can feel relaxed and at ease.

So firstly, go out and look for a class in your area. If you can’t find a class like this, or perhaps there are no classes near you, then consider an online class. This would mean you were not limited to just your local area. It would enable you to pick any teacher in the world and the style that best appeals to you. It would enable you to train according to the hour of the day and the day of the week that best suits you. It also would allow you to train according to your own pace and not that of the teacher or the better students in the class. You could also find a class that might better suit your budget.

Q10. Who Is the teapotmOnk? After teaching Tai Chi classes in the United Kingdom and in Spain for over 25 years, I got fed-up with all the nonsense about allegiance to names and styles. repackaged Tai Chi for the 21st century in a freshly brewed and guru-free way and gave it the silliest name I could think of: Teapot Tai Chi.

Back in 2009 I began to write a trilogy of books on Tai Chi, record podcasts and began to compile a series of videos on key concepts of Taoist ideas that underpinned the basic movements of the art from the perspective of someone not belonging to only one style or another.

These prompted requests from listeners and readers for an online training course. Dismissing the notion as a passing digital phase, I carried on doing things the same way as always until…

As the demand grew, I began to work on the idea of a comprehensive course that would go beyond the content of a normal class, exploring all aspects of Tai Chi: Instructional, informative, historical, martial and cultural - all in a playful, yet educative way that would focus on how we apply these ancient lessons to the stresses of living in the 21st century.

In 2016 those ideas were born when I launched the Online Tai Chi school known as the teapot temple.

I can be reached pretty much most places. Google teapotmonk and see what comes up :)

THANKS FOR TAKING OUT THE TIME TO READ THIS EBOOK

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paul-Read/e/B0058CXOKI/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1http://www.learntaichi.online

NOW TAKE THE NEXT STEP

Remember there are lots of ways to begin your training.

• Connect up with the Facebook teapotmonk page for updates on live sessions throughout the year, as well as notices re-workshops, books and training aids.

• Find a local class • Work with a friend already learning. • Read more on the subject • Or jump in with an online course.

A lot of students like to start with the basics of breathing: If this interests you then take a look at this £40 Udemy course - you can get it for just £10 using the button below.

Start your Tai Chi today

BEGINNERS GUIDE TO BREATHING - FIND OUT MORE

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