Tai Chi Movements
The Energy Wheel
Preferably standing, with spine straight and feet shoulders-width apart, knees slightly bent, release tension you are holding in your legs.1 - Visualise an oval ball in front of your body, the bottom of which would be at pubic bone level and the top at shoulder height 2 - With wrists out at hips level and parallel to each other 3 - Start to move the wrists forward and under the bottom of the ball, with the elbows and the fingers down
4 - Carry on slowly moving the wrists (arms will follow!) around the ball, up to shoulder height in a continuous movement
5 - And around the top of the ball, back down towards the chest until they reach the hips againBreath Breathing in as your arms and hands rise This movement stimulates the 2 main energy channels of the body in the trunk. Some of the major Benefits of this exercise Correct Breathing during Tai Chi Movements is important. Here are some simple instructions: - Deep Abdominal Breathing using your diaphragm is deep breathing using the full extent of your lung capacity, which is called abdominal breathing because the movement of your diaphragm will expand your lower abdomen during the inhale and contract your lower abdomen during the exhale - Remain aware of your breath - Breathe naturally - Visualise the in-breath reaching the active muscles and helping the movement - Visualise the out-breath releasing the tension held in those particular muscles The practice of Tai Chi exercises (and Chi Kung exercises) develops what is called the 'Full Breath', which allows vital energy to flow throughout the entire body. Here is my viewpoint on Tai Chi for today.... Benefits of Tai Chi As we progress we learn to integrate our breath with the movements. Along the way we learn relaxation by loosening up while moving, which is essential for vital energy to flow. We learn the principles of Tai Chi for efficient action, one of which is proper alignment of the body, which is actually a wonderful reality check on our posture. We also learn to relax while standing and moving, as opposed to doing so in the lying down position while falling asleep ! And we learn to deep breathe properly while in movement. As we integrate all these different aspects, Tai Chi exercise can be called a meditation in movement . We might recognise that often in our life when our body is in one place, we think of another place and situation, while our emotions are, maybe, moving in another direction. Tai Chi Movements are a training in concentration. They help us BE where we are (in our body), THINK of what we are doing (direct our mind to do the proper movement) and FEEL our body sensations. I did try to be brief, but.... hope you enjoyed the above! PS. Some links to good Tai Chi videos will be found here soon. Tai Chi Philosophy Tai Chi Breathing Tai Chi Postures Chinese Healthy Exercise Energy Healing Therapy Return to Balance Exercises page Leave this 'Tai Chi Movements' Page to return to 'Success-with-Stress' Home Page
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