Experience Tai Chi

by langrentoh1 on 2011-08-25 13:46:22

Experiencing Tai Chi

Understanding Tai Chi is also a continuous process of self-awareness. The level of boxing skills stems from the process of recognizing one's simple and true self. In the arduous and continuous removal of artificial distractions, harmony and order with nature arise.

Tai Chi is essentially a manifestation of a spirit that is upright, vast, and all-encompassing. It integrates the wisdom of life between openness and restraint, possessing an incomparably grand demeanor, yet responding naturally to every sensation, acting spontaneously, appearing natural and logical. As an individual, due to differences in personality, interests, and cultivation in daily life, the methods of practicing Tai Chi are truly reflected in the form and charm of their boxing posture.

To truly integrate oneself into Tai Chi, one must be on the fringes of mass conformity. One needs a sense of reverence and sanctity, discovering things yet unknown and unapprehended through devoted pursuit and repeated refinement, gaining a perpetually renewed experience in a continuous and unpredictable state of practice.

Tai Chi is one of the significant forms of realization of Chinese traditional culture. The essence of traditional culture, such as the unity of man and nature, the highest good being like water, achieving balance and harmony, cultivating a mighty moral force, etc., are all fully manifested in Tai Chi. As cultural inheritors, individuals display the technical aspects of Tai Chi, which can be said to approach the Dao, where the Dao manifests as skill. The longer the practice, the more profound and lingering its charm becomes.

Like literati painting, Tai Chi can be called the scholar’s boxing. The subtlety and profundity of traditional culture, the realm beyond words, are embodied in the postures of Tai Chi. After resolving the contradictions between self and environment, body and mind, there arises an indescribable joy, akin to the literary imagery of misty Penglai and crescent moons before the courtyard.

In the continuous practice process, experiencing the lightness and stability, fluidity and stillness, strength and flexibility of Tai Chi in harmonious and natural ways, I hope to incorporate my respect and understanding for it. Through the silent integration of body and mind, it is fully expressed, allowing the beauty, kindness, and simplicity of human nature to flow and flicker in the movements, inviting those with affinity to savor, resonate, and collide, sparking the illumination of wisdom, as seen in Chen-style Tai Chi sword.

A person's character can be revealed in their Tai Chi practice. As the saying goes, different people practice different kinds of Tai Chi. If someone is outgoing and extroverted, their Tai Chi will be lively and expansive; if they are restless and anxious, their Tai Chi will be floating and stiff. Through continuous practice of Tai Chi, one can return to authenticity and perfect one's character. It is indeed an excellent means of personal cultivation.

Tai Chi emphasizes giving up oneself to follow others. In life, this also means letting go to gain ease and proficiency. Letting go of what you should is a necessity; letting go of what is hard to part with is a realm, a transcendence. This realm allows your heart to be as empty and vast as the universe. In the complex tapestry of life, one can grasp the essence of the Dao, finding solutions effortlessly and enjoying the happiness of walking with the Dao.