Taijiquan

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As the snow falls this evening, I’m in my living room moving slowly. I’m slightly perspiring, my hands are in front of me; my weight is entirely on one foot. After a couple minutes, I shift slightly to the other foot and turn gently.

No, I’m not re-enacting The Karate Kid…

…but I am practicing a martial art. For about seven months I’ve been studying a Yang-style of Taijiquan (better known as Tai Chi) at Great River Taoist Center in downtown DC. I really like it, and I thought I’d explain why.

• Taiji is a system. Like any system, there are parts—and these parts’ value diminish when taken in isolation. I found this out when I breifly became interested in yoga. Yoga is also a system developed by Hindu practitioners for greater control of the body—meditation’s greatest distraction—not for health or fitness. You will not find this basis in most of the yoga studios you visit. Of all the people who I know who have practiced or are studying, only one have I seen progress into the actual deeper application. Taiji was developed as a fighting style. There are poses or forms, that when given application, can be used in physical engagement(be it fixed routines or free sparring). Thus, practitioners gain mindfulness as well has heath and martial benefits. GRTC is the first place I’ve found of any such kind that presents a full system rather than the more popular (and profitable) packaged parts.

• Taiji is slow and laborious. I am not a fast person, and I appreciate taking my time. Everyone wants to be great, but very few care how they become great. People balk at the idea of dedicating extensive time to fully understanding something; it’s much more common to hear “give me the basic points” than “let’s cover each point in detail.” Taijiquan’s famous slow progression through forms is specifically to highlight every point, and to establish the structure that will support (later) fast movement. It also provides room for reflection, while the cyclical practices make review a norm. You will always learn something new, and you can always extend your understanding of even the most basic concepts. Taiji seems to be designed with this in mind (in fact, the center’s director advocates giving a school “about 2 years” to see if its teachings are sound!). In this streaming, always-on, multitasking world, taijiquan brings repose without inactivity. I have no goal to make, no record to beat; only myself to improve—and all the time in the world.

• Taijiquan avoids a focus on strength, instead embracing right intent and application. I grew up in a relatively rural, where strong guys abound. But unlike the swollen gym rats that scurry around DC streets, most of these guys are not huge. They know how to correctly apply their strength, and this does not require obscene bulges. Taiji emphasizes proper structure over big muscles—the center’s favorite phrase is “steel wrapped in cotton”—which makes it accessible to all sizes, ages and genders. It also makes note of key areas in application which make less effort work more.

Image via Wikipedia