ABOUT T'AI CHI

T'ai Chi Ch'uan is the ancient Chinese art of moving meditation, it is based on the Taoist understanding that all things are comprised of the interplay of two complimentary forces - Yin and Yang.

With its distinctive grace and flowing movements, T'ai Chi Ch'uan is becoming an increasingly popular form of relaxation in the West, as it provides an effective antidote to our stressful and competitive society. Many people practise T'ai Chi solely for its benefits to health and as a means to relieve tension. However, with a little dedicated study we find that T'ai Chi is a complete training, starting with the mind which the body naturally follows. It is meditation in movement. The stillness achieved in movement is regarded as of a higher level than the stillness reached in stillness. This is a clear and practical bridge from meditation under special circumstances to meditation under every circumstance.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan is also an effective martial art and in the hands of a qualified master it is without equal - its name translates as 'Supreme Ultimate Boxing'. To achieve this level of understanding takes many years of dedicated study and practice, consequently, it is not suitable for a person whose sole concern is self-defence.

Through the practice of T'ai Chi we learn not to rely on external strength and hardness in order to overcome opponents and obstacles, but rather we apply principles such as the yielding overcoming the unyielding, the soft overcoming the hard. As the body gradually learns to soften and yield, the mind follows suit by becoming more open and flexible.

Thus, after much work, the habitual actions of mind and body - which at first seem natural - begin to fall away and one is eventually left in a natural state. In this natural state we learn to respond to each situation as it comes, unhindered by memories of the past and conceptions about the future. A clearer perception of the 'Heart of the Matter' develops.