Practicing Taiji - Magic Moments

I have learned and practiced Taiji for almost 10 years with different teachers and groups of Taiji enthusiasts. Initially I was attracted to Taiji by its graceful movements and potential health benefits. Later, I was also fascinated by Taiji principles and philosophy. Looking back, here are some positive impact and magic moments I have experienced:

Story 1 - My Ankle

I broken my ankle last year. After a few months of rest, I started Taiji practice again. During the practice, I felt a warm air or blood flow went from the leg to the injured ankle. The ankle was warm and became more flexible. There was no pain but warm feeling.

Story 2 - Pressure Relieve

A fellow partitioner told us that she had stomach problem. Every Saturday during the group practice, she could feel her stomach was lifted slightly which relieved the pressure to the lower abdomen. It was a good feeling.

Story 3 - Feeling Great

Amy, who has practiced Taiji for 8 years, told me a story few weeks ago. A Taiji beginner asked Amy to help her practice Taiji 24. During the practice, Amy experienced the great feeling of completing the entire form in a continuous flow. She never had that feeling before. It is from that moment, she realized the impact of years of Taiji practice.

Story 4 - Complete Relaxation

I spend 12+ hours working and commute during the week. I don't feel completely relaxed by Saturday morning. I wake up early. We practice Taiji in the park as a group. After the practice, I can feel my entire mind and body are completed relaxed. The nap I usually take on Saturday afternoon is the most relaxing nap.

I am sure there are many interesting stories and magic moments out there. As I collect them, I will share them with you.

Keep up the practice!

Tips for Taiji Beginners to Avoid Injury

You came to a park and saw a group of people doing Taiji, the slow and gentle exercise from China. You were curious about it and thought you could do it, too. It looked easy. You joined the group. After a session, you felt your knees hurt and there was some back pain, too.

As a Taiji beginner, if you do not pay attention to your body postures when you learn Taiji, you may hurt your knees and back.

Here are some tips for you when learning and practicing Taiji:

1. Warm Up

You must do some warm-ups before you start doing Taiji. Taiji routines have a lot of foot work which requires bending knees slightly and sometimes squatting. The movements are slow and the body weight shifts from one foot to another constantly. Warming up your lower body part including lower back, hips, knees and ankles is especially important to prevent injury. Suggest you do 10 - 15 minutes warm up every time you start doing Taiji.

2. Relax

You must first relax your entire body and mind before you start doing Taiji. Spend some time to check from head to toe and relax every part of your body. Completely relaxing your body is extremely important for beginners to avoid awkward postures and movements.

3. Keep Your Back Straight

Even though you should relax your body but it does not mean you should slouch your back. You must keep your back straight all the time. Check your lower back when in movements and transitions from time to time. Keep it straight and relaxed. Think about the head is leading the way making your spine straight.

4. Do Not Bend Your Knees Too Much

All most all Taiji poses and movements require bending knees. Advanced Taiji practitioners can bend their knees and squat to a very low position but you should not to do that. You should just bend your knees slightly. If you do not even feel comfortable doing that, keep your knees straight first. The goal is to be able to easily move without hurting the knees.

Make sure you do these checks every time you learn and practice Taiji. Once you have learned basic movements and can feel your body move smoothly and comfortably, you should learn more Taiji principles and incorporate them into your postures and movements. The goal is to exercise your body so that they will become more flexible, stable and can move uniformly and gracefully.