Add

Chen Tai Chi Class Description

Welcome, Its my honor to share with you what I’ve been privileged to have learned so far in my study of Tai Chi, meditation, and the internal martial arts. Chen TaiChi is a rare gem as far as styles of Tai Chi go. It offers something rarely found in any other style of the art - essentially the most ancient and pristine techniques and methods, originally discovered and then passed on from generation after generation of Tai Chi masters descended from the source of Tai Chi Chuan itself, Chen Village. It was there that the longest lived and arguably the most adept internal martial artists in the history of China, mastered their art for the purpose of maintaining their health as well as cultivating the mysteriously powerful martial arts ability for which they later became famous.

Classes begin with various Chi’Kung or chi cultivation exercises such as Ba Duan Jin or Eight Piece Brocade, designed to stir up vital energy and open the pathways through the body so that Chi can flow more efficiently and powerfully. This will be followed by a short series of stretches and warm-ups necessary to prepare the body to begin to work on the movements contained in the form the class will primarily study; Lao Da Jia or Old Large Frame. Before we move on to work on the form, there will be a pause for 5 to 10 minutes for Wuji (standing) meditation. (The importance of Wuji in the cultivation of Chi both for health and martial ability can never be over estimated.)

Lao Da Jia, although famous for its low stances and its wide open movements, is to be practiced by each student in accordance with the individual student’s internal development. The beginner will start in a relatively high stance throughout the form and as he improves his strength, depth of relaxation, and rootedness, his stances may deepen so as to make it easier to highlight internally where chi is flowing less efficiently. As one grows gradually more adept and chi flow comes more and more naturally, the stance will then customarily return to a moderately high position and the student should be able to feel very easily when their is a false movement or “double weighted” movement which blocks the flow of energy.

Beginners can expect to benefit rather quickly from their training, including improved blood circulation throughout the body as well as improved coordination, balance, and heightened mental alertness. In time, the body becomes fortified against most sicknesses and injuries in general may become more and more rare an occurrence. Further discipline and patience, eventually will begin to equip the body with increasingly formidable abilities to defend not only against health related issues but against any form of outside attack as well.

In Tai Chi as in life there is no end to learning and there is no end to the discovery of new insights at every turn. I’m glad to have this opportunity to meet and share the journey for a time. Please feel free to ask any questions at all. I’m always happy to help if I can and if I can’t answer the question myself, maybe its something we can look into together.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.