Taiji 37 and T'ai Chi
activating the dantian, spontaneous body movement, energy healing, chi development
Taiji 37
Taiji 37 is a specific form of T'ai Chi.
The form itself is very beautiful but more importantly we are encouraged to feel and explore how the postures ‘work’ from an 'internal forces' point of view.
We will work from both sides of the fence!...
... both by learning the Taiji 37 Form and by developing our internal energy system through practising the standing postures individually.
We will develop our understanding of the importance of the dantian and discover this as the ‘centre of the energy system’ and as the 'centre of movement' in its myriad forms and how it relates to the rest of the body, the meridian system and the energy channels.
The way that we work may be different from how people may have otherwise experienced learning T'ai Chi. We make an emphasis on really opening the joints and the ligaments of the body, of expanding the energy body and of using mental concentration to develop and understand the effects of the posture. We will develop, find and use ‘dantian force’, 'vibration force', 'earth force' and 'mental force'.
Generally T'ai Chi can be practised as a fighting art and/or as a healing art. Whilst there will be some references made to the applications the emphasis on my teaching is with movement, health, vitality, balance and connection – basically the influences on health and wellness. There will never be fighting, sparring or competition in these classes.
Why is this different?
Many people have tried T’ai Chi and are then put off because they find the series of movements complicated to remember or difficult to co-ordinate. We will seek to do this work in a different way, by exploring the internal connections of the postures and what it is that ‘drives’ them or makes one posture join up to the other. When the form is complete it is both defined (with each posture being known) and seamless (with the continuation of movement).
This means that our practise of T’ai Chi is not a floppy, over-relaxed series of unidentified movements. We will work to bring some ‘tone’ into the work; we will probably work up a bit of a sweat, and perhaps even find some of the work testing for our own particular ability. Through this approach we will develop in our T’ai Chi, find some of the secrets that are so often spoken about and make them our own ... and have fun along the way.
For further information please see www.Taiji37.com which is Dr Shen's official Taiji site.
The study and practice of T'ai Chi can promote great health benefits:
- encourage a positive attitude
- improve posture
- develop flexibility
- manage stress and cope with problems
- remove negative energy
T'ai Chi and Taiji are words that are synonymous.