Essay The Benefits of T'ai Chi

The first is qigong which is a health practice that utilizes body movement, breathing techniques and mental focus to assist in healing, relaxation and reconnecting (Winn, 2009). Next is that art of meditation. Meditation is an important element in the Tao religion. Many Taoists practice meditation to achieve mental serenity and heighten mental awareness. There are also various forms of exercise, such as yoga and Tai Chi, and therapies, acupuncture and moxibustion, which Taoists use to restore balance within the body and achieve healing.

It enables you to string together all parts of the body as a whole and, constantly under the command of your mind in a very relaxed manner. The second purpose is a technique for self-defense. Through this mind-body conditioning process, Tai Chi Chuan inevitably becomes a part of you. You learn to react not with your muscles, but with your mind which is always superior. As to self-defense, it is a matter of reaction in your mind, not your muscles. The third purpose is that Tai Chi Chuan can also act as a dancing art. It is solely for the benefit of the doer, not for the audience. The movement itself is as beautiful as it can be, but more important the wonderful feeling you experience within yourself as you do it. It also opens and cultivates excellent sensitivity for your mind and body. Finally, the fourth purpose is seen as a healing art. Is has won much acclaim as a healing exercise for various ailments and clinical conditions. Individual’s mental, physical, and emotional health as an entity can best be achieved and maintained by practicing Tai Chi Chuan.4

General exercise programs should be encouraged. The primary components of such programs should be training in balance, flexibility, endurance, and strengthening. (Reid, 2015) If necessary, a physiotherapist can be recommended to reinforce the education program, including coaching on fall risk, body mechanics, and balance training. (Reid, 2015) Another exercise program that has merit are Tai Chi and Yoga. Although there is very little research on both Tai Chi and Yoga in relation to chronic pain, there is some evidence to suggest that both can be utilized in pain reduction and is significant. Tai Chi and yoga are feasible for the older adult population and in the same study that found that Tai Chi and yoga significantly reduced pain also found that there were no reports of adverse effects or safety issues caused by practicing Tai Chi or

Shiatsu or Acupressure - this type of massage therapy uses the Chinese meridian system which is to locate pressure points on the body to release stress in that area. These pressure points are massaged with the thumbs, fingers, and palms by tapping, rubbing, and applying pressure to areas where there is an obstruction of chi or energy.

As an early form of martial arts, Tai chi emphasizes a softer and internalized approach to achieving Dao. While practicing Tai chi, one must internalize themselves in relation to their environment. The basis of Tai chi revolves around the idea that the human body functions as a microcosm of the universe. By understanding one’s qi—energy flow—one attains the capacity to function like the universe. The goal of Tai chi is to harness the energy (qi) of nature itself and bring it into the body. As a result, bringing the natural energy of the environment into the body will produce a balance and thus, improve mental and physical health. The art of Tai chi and its emphasis on the connection between the cosmos and the individual’s body heightens the Taoist idea that everything that exists has a source or a reason behind its existence. Furthermore, since the human body exists as a microcosm of the universe, it has the potential to develop and function similarly to the universe. This connection between the internal and external body can be examined through the Taoist representation of the human

This exercise helps to improve their total-body strength while decreasing stress levels. Body composition improves and eye-hand coordination increases. For these and numerous other reasons, every individual should take part in physical activity on a regular basis.

Tai Chi is about “creating a balance between the mind, body, and nature, while encouraging a heightened state of health and wellness” (Herzog, 2011, p. 1). Tai chi involves the constant movement with the left and right hand, until a sense of inner peace is reached. When tai chi is performed between two people, a relationship is established from the two individuals through movement. There is

BODY: At the beginning, my body is relaxed. As I begin the movements, I feel that my leg muscles are a little stiff. I can tell that Tai Chi requires a solid base and core for proper form.

Acupuncture is one of the biggest clinical trials to test the effectiveness and safety of the alternative practice.  Researchers have also found that acupuncture has complemented conventional therapy as it has effectively reduced pain associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Acupuncture, has also helped people deal with chronic episodes of tension-headaches, along with chemotherapy patients who experience nausea and vomiting. And, according to another study, 66 people with fibromyalgia, benefited from doing Tai-Chi. Results showed improved moods and sleep

Rather than releasing tension in the muscles and joints such as in aquatic therapy, manual therapy consists of constant pressure on the affected area, followed by a gradual relief of the pain overtime (Bennell & Hinman, 2011). Tai chi has become a popular land-based therapy that is beneficial for helping with pain, balance, function and flexibility in elderly patients suffering muscle pain (Bennell & Hinman, 2011). Both aquatic and manual therapies have benefits and downfalls, all wanting the result of improving the patient’s quality of

Traditional Chinese Medicine recognizes that chi, the internal flow of energy, sustains vitality, strength, mental clarity and overall health. Acupuncture. Restores optimal health by allowing energy to flow throughout the entire body smoothly, without interruption.

Below is the Evernote writing that inspired this episode that I jotted right before going to an introductory Tai Chi lesson (will give a review of my experience later  ).

Chinese traditional medicine refers to Qi, an energy force that is linked to the body’s health. Qi moves through the body via meridians, which are energy pathways that can be likened to blood vessels. If the flow of Qi is interrupted by injury, stress, a bad diet or another factor, then both physical and mental health issues can occur. The purpose of acupuncture is to release the pressure from certain points in the body, which allows the normal flow of Qi to be restored.

Traditional Chinese medicine, or TCM, is one of the oldest systems of medicine to exist among humans, and it is extremely prominent to this day. According to legend, the system has been in use since the third millennium BCE. The views of such an old system differ greatly from those found in modern western medicine. Perhaps most prominent is the fact that TCM focuses more on the patient than the illness. The system considers the human to be a microcosm of the universe, implying that the body is affected by the traditional Taoist forces of yin and yang, the five elements, and Qi in the same way the cosmos are. Each of these forces act upon the “zang fu,” or organ system, directly influencing a patient’s health. Healers use qigong to assist in the restoration of stability in the body. Achieving balance, both internally and externally, is the most important aspect of healing in TCM.

TCM, or Traditional Chinese Medicine, can be traced as far back as 1000 BC, where stone acupuncture needles were believed to be used. Texts from that period also talked of Yin and Yang and other concepts. The first written work on TCM is titled the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Classic, Huangdi Newijing (Gascoigne 11). This book was written in 300 BC, but entries date back to the early 2700’s BC. The book is still used in universities of Chinese Medicine around the world and is often called the bible of TCM. Today, TCM is still thriving in China and all of Asia. In recent years, information on TCM has become available to people in the United States. The United States has several schools of TCM, and it is now much easier to buy the necessary