Tai Chi for health

Most of us know of Tai Chi as the slow-motion, meditative movement that people practice in the parks. It looks peaceful and gracious. And they say it's good for your health. Well...

Tai Chi Chuan (the official spelling is "Taijiquan") is actually an ancient soft or internal martial art from China. Soft indicates the lack of fast and aggressive punches and kicks which are so characteristic of most martial arts, and internal points at a focus on the internal or "energy" aspect of this art of movement. Literally, Taijiquan means Fighting system based on the Taiji philosophy, which is commonly known as the Yin Yang theory.

There are several styles of Tai Chi: Chen style is the oldest, but Yang style the most popular. There is also the Wu style which is less known.

Tai Chi is good for your health, thanks to the gentle movement and the achieved relaxation. There are plenty of scientific studies that prove this and most of them can be found on the internet.
However, when applying the old and almost lost knowledge in your tai chi practice, Tai Chi becomes a true form of self-healing! The term "Old Yang Style" refers to this secret knowledge that has been left out in the traditional tai chi classes (an explanation for this can be found in our blog entry "History of Taijiquan").

The true healing effects of practicing Tai Chi are in the stimulation of the body's energy system: the activation of the dantian or energy center in your lower abdomen, the opening of the main channels or energy pathways and the resulting energy circulations. Resolving energetic blockages and expelling diseased energy from the body lead to improved physical health. This is not just a theory (be it a 2,000 year old and proven one), it is a tangible fact that all of our students experience!

At the Be Well Center, we teach Tai Chi "Old Yang Style." Students will learn the form, a sequence of 108 postures, with a focus on the energy aspect. It is self-healing, fun to practice and beautiful to watch. Health benefits are:

- Gently stretch the spine and joints
- Activation of your energy system
- Boost your immune system
- Release energy blockages
- Expel sick energy, relieving pain & disease
- Quiet the mind, and say goodbye to stress!
- Increased focus & concentration
- Improved breathing

A class schedule can be found on our website and Google Calendar.