Contents
Part 1: T’ai Chi: Relax into Raw Power
1 Why Practice T’ai Chi and QiGong?
Subtle Adjustments Equal Powerful Changes
Relaxing the Mind, the Body, and Our Lives
Unfurl Your Constricted Creativity
Getting Centered MakesLife Magical
T’ai Chi and QiGong as Physical Engineering Principles
Getting Daily Biofeedback Untangles Life Issues
T’ai Chi and QiGong as Biofeedback
Seeing the Physical and Mental Health Link
T’ai Chi and QiGong are Powerful Life Medicine
Reboot Your Nervous System for Clarity
T’ai Chi and QiGong for Career Enhancement
Multi-Tasking: Meditation, Fitness, and Massage
2 Medical T’ai Chi & QiGong: The Prescription for the Future
The Health Benefits of T’ai Chi and QiGong
Zang Fu: Massaging Internal Organs for Health
Your Organs Are Related to Your Emotions
Western Medicine’s Research on T’ai Chi and QiGong
Stress Is the Root of Your Health Issues
T’ai Chi Is Your Heart, Head, and Body’s Best Friend
How Does T’ai Chi Fight for the Immune System?
Reducing Free Radical Damage to Age More Slowly
You Can Dramatically Improve Your Balance!
T’ai Chi & QiGong: Healthcare of the Future
Access the Healing Power of the Mind
3 Expanding Your Mind and Lightening Your Heart
T’ai Chi Is Smelling the Roses
Remember to Breathe (Everything Else Takes Care of Itself)
Lose Your Grip on Reality: The Power of Effortlessness
Our Flexibility Is Our Strength
Learning to See Patterns in the Chaos of Life
Calming the Chaos Within Changes Our World
Releasing Old Patterns Enables Our Evolution
T’ai Chi Dispels the Idea of Wrongness
T’ai Chi and QiGong Expand Imagination
4 Finding Your Center—Feeling Your Center
T’ai Chi Walking: Practice Feeling Centered
T’ai Chi Deprograms Antiquated Cellular Programming
How T’ai Chi Frees Us from Ancient Patterns
T’ai Chi Enables Us to Function Effectively in the Modern World
Demystifying What Makes a T’ai Chi Master
Overcoming Unconscious Issues Affecting Conscious Actions
Becoming a Master Entails Not Being a Victim
T’ai Chi Can Affect the World Around Us
Part 2: Suiting Up and Setting Out
5 Planning Ahead: Where and When to Practice T’ai Chi
Making the Most of Learning T’ai Chi by Book
Making the Most of Video/DVD T’ai Chi
Understanding TCM’s Horary Clock
The Benefits of Practicing Outdoors
Choosing a Surface to Practice On
The Pros and Cons of Large Classes
The Pros and Cons of Private Lessons
T’ai Chi Is a Model for Easing Life Changes
Let Go of Your Grip on Expectations or Results
The Value of T’ai Chi’s Social Aspect
6 Be Prepared: Your First Day of Class
Choosing Your T’ai Chi Wardrobe
Class Rules and Internal/External Hygiene
External Hygiene and Class Rules
Internal Hygiene—A State of Mind
Resistance to Change Tempts You to Drop Out
“Wrongness” Is Our Culture’s “Resistance”
How to Address Your Instructor
How Are T’ai Chi Movements Taught?
Yes, There Is Homework Involved
7 Horse Stance and Other Terms
The Horse Stance and Three Dan Tiens
The Vertical Axis Aligns Posture
Never Pivot a Leg You’ve Sunk Into
Active Bones Under Soft Muscle
T’ai Chi Motions Are Round Motions
Breath Is the Root of T’ai Chi and QiGong
Knowing Your Martial Terms for T’ai Chi
Part 3: Starting Down the QiGong Path to T’ai Chi
T’ai Chi vs. QiGong: What’s the Difference?
Is Your Mind Half Full or Half Empty?
Mental Healing and QiGong Challenges
Trying Too Hard to See the Light?
Allow Healing Qi to Flow Through You
9 Sitting QiGong (Jing Gong or Nei Gong)
Kirlian Photography: Seeing Qi Is Believing
Having Smooth Qi Means Being in the Zone
Don’t Control Qi, Let Qi Radiate
E = MC2 Means You Are Only Energy
On Sitting QiGong, Jing Gong, or Nei Gong
Mindful Movement vs. Mindless Exercise
Letting Your Dan Tien Move You
Let the Dan Tien Propel Your Movement
Sinking the Qi Is Like Filling a Sandbag
The Chinese Drum’s Kaleidoscopic Sensations
Deep-Tissue Cleansing Leaves You Radiant
Fling Off and Exhale the Weight of the World
Experience Your Incredible Lightness of Being!
Part 4: Learning a T’ai Chi Long Form
12 Introducing the Kuang Ping Yang Style
The Origin of T’ai Chi: The Snake and the Crane
The Shao-Lin Temple: Where It All Began
13 T’ai Chi Long Form Instruction
Strike Palm to Ask Blessings, #1
White Crane Cools Its Wings, #4
Push Turn and Carry Tiger to Mountain, #7
Spiraling Hands to Focus Mind Toward the Temple to Parry and Punch, #8
Stork Covers Its Wing/Sword in Sheath, #11
Raise Right Hand and Left: Turn and Repeat (Part I), #13
Wave Hand Over Light/Fly Pulling Back, #14
Green Dragon Rising from the Water, #16
Single Whip (Part II), #17
Wave Hands Like Clouds (3), #18 (Part I, Linear Style)
High Pat on Horse/Guarding the Temples, #20
Wind Blowing Lotus Leaves (4), #23
Step Back/Lower Block/Upper Block, Kick Front, #27
Lower Block/Upper Block Separation of Right Foot, #28
Chop Opponent with Fist (Pivot and Rotate Fist)(3), #30
Sink to the Earth/Backward Elbow Strike, #31
Single Whip, 3/4 Single Whip (Part IV), #32
Partition of Wild Horse’s Mane (4) and Single Whip, #33
Fair Lady Works at Shuttles, #34
Grasp the Bird’s Tail (Part II), #35
Wave Hands Like Clouds (Part II, Linear Style), #37
Single Whip Down, Return to the Earth (Part I), #38
Golden Cock Stands on One Leg (×4), #39
Repulse the Monkey (3) (Part II), #40
Fan Through the Arms (Backhand Slap), #45
Step Push/Box Opponent’s Ears/Cannon Through Sky, #46
Single Whip (Part VI), #47
Wave Hands Like Clouds (Round Style; Part I), #48
High Pat on Horse (Part II), #50
Cross Wave of Water Lily Kick (Part I), #51
Parry Up; Downward Strike, #52
Step Up to Form Seven Stars, #57
Retreat to Ride the Tiger, #58
Slanting Body/Turn the Moon, #59
Cross Wave of Water Lily (Part II), #60
Stretch Bow to Shoot Tiger, #61
Grasp the Bird’s Tail (Right Style), #62
Grasp the Bird’s Tail (Left Style), #63
Grand Terminus; Gather Heaven to Earth, #64
Part 5: T’ai Chi’s Buffet of Short, Sword, and Fan Styles
14 Mulan Quan Basic Short Form
Mulan Quan Promotes Elegance and Health
Left Foot Half-Step with Eyes on Sword
Forward Step, Holding Sword Under Elbow
Sword Exchange, Turn Body, and Low Jab
Body Return, Step withSword Upright
Vertical Sword and Balance Body
Turn Around, Lower to Sitting Position, Sword Upright
Step Up, Lower to Sitting Position, Sword Up-Jab
Level Sword, Turn Body, and Lift Knee
Lift Leg, Side Step, Side Chop with Sword
17 The Art & Science of Push Hands
18 T’ai Chi as Therapy for Young and Old
Preparing for Athletics and Life
Treating Attention Deficit Disorder
The Therapeutic Powers of T’ai Chi and QiGong
19 T’ai Chi’s Philosophy of Balance and Flow
Chinese Herbs and Teas for Health Conditions
Feng Shui: Architectural T’ai Chi
T’ai Chi Teaches Mindful Living
20 T’ai Chi as Corporate Wellness
The Bottom Line on Stress Costs to Business
Using T’ai Chi as Stress and Pain Relief
Investing in Creative Potential
Helping with Lower-Back Problems and Carpal Tunnel
T’ai Chi Is a Natural for the Office
21 Do T’ai Chi and Change the World
T’ai Chi and the Healthcare Crisis
Helping Students Stay Current in a World of Change!
Studying Health from the Inside Out
T’ai Chi and Crime and Law Enforcement
22 Celebrating World T’ai Chi and QiGong Day
Unleash the World-Altering Power Within You!
Photos of Past World T’ai Chi and QiGong Day Events
A The T’ai Chi and QiGong Yellow Pages