The Three Keys of Tai Chi / Qigong Practice

When we practice Tai Chi Chu’an and Qigong there are three, key elements that need to be understood and utilized together. We might picture these elements forming the triangle below. 

Technique, Breath and Mobilization are the three keys that will transform your Tai Chi practice from a fun, interesting exercise into a dynamic, life-changing, spiritual tool.

 1.     Technique

Technique comes first and involves learning how to do the actual moves. This is where the rubber meets the proverbial road and where we learn how to dance, Tai Chi style! Before anyone can dance the Salsa, Foxtrot, Flamenco or Hip Hop they need to learn the actual steps and body movements. “This foot goes here, that hand goes there, the waist pivots like this and the chest turns like that!” In many ways Tai Chi Ch’uan is an elegant, beautiful dance but in reality it’s so much more. It is an ancient wisdom, passed down through the generations that can be used for personal defense but also to transform and liberate the mind and soul.

2.     Breath

Next comes the breath. Once we are comfortable with the technical aspects of the Tai Chi form we now start learning how to integrate breath into our dance! Breath is a natural part of movement and when it comes to Tai Chi Ch’uan, proper breathing is vital. It’s important to understand how our breath corresponds with our physical movements. “When my hand is moving this way, am I breathing in or out?” “When I step this way, should I be inhaling or exhaling?” Tai Chi Ch’uan will teach us that the breath is a powerful symbol for the Yin / Yang process. To inhale is to surrender to the Yin state, where all is contracting, tightening, and condensing and to exhale is to open to the Yang where there is expansion, extension and unwinding.

 3.     Mobilization

Finally, after the integration of technique and breath we can begin to mobilize our internal energy (Jin). Tai Chi Ch’uan is an internal martial art. When we study external martial art forms like Karate, Jujitsu or Kung Fu we learn body mechanics and how to utilize and move our bodies in such ways to maximize our power, speed and efficiency of movement. For example we learn the correct way of turning the foot and the hip when we punch so that the power comes from the entire body rather than just through the shoulder. However when we study internal martial systems the focus is very different. We learn how to cultivate, mobilize and direct our internal energy (Jin) so that it travels through the body with startling and devastating effect. And here is where the real fun begins! It’s where Kung Fu Panda and Air Bender step into our practice and the ‘wow’ factor starts to kick in. While, from the outside, it might not look like much is happening there’s a whole lot going on just beneath the surface! Tai Chi Ch’uan without mobilization of Jin is not real Tai Chi Ch’uan, it may look beautiful and have some health benefits, ultimately it’s an empty shell. This is why it’s so important to find a qualified teacher who will lead you through each of these essential steps!

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taichi@skeegoedhart.com

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