The Internal soft strengthening of the entire form through breath and moving meditation. This is the art that requires clear good mental intent fortitude and spiritual nourishment of the heart through Tai Chi. A language that speaks abundance of lives into a great force.
Zhang Sanfeng stretched to greatness thrice abundantly, home to the Wudang Mountains, with exceptional skill and longevity. He witnessed a snake and a crane fight, where he noticed yielding techniques over brute force, achieving physical health with flowing energy, harmony, and self-defense capabilities. This is a soft, internal martial art that is designed to be used in combination with strong external martial arts, as a balance is required of both Yin and Yang.
Key points:
Yin and Yang balance, complementary opposite forces. True balance is achieved by harmonizing these elements within the body and in movement. Where softness overcomes hardness. Pliable, soft movements can overcome rigidity and strength, allowing a smaller opponent to win or neutralise a stronger one. Wu Wei – effortless action. To move naturally without unnecessary tension or exertion. Action should feel spontaneous and natural, instead of being forced. Mindfulness and stillness. Tai chi is moving meditation where the mind controls the body. Internal quietness in motion fosters mental clarity, reducing anxiety, and improving self-awareness. The cultivation of chi, life force: Slow, intentional movements with deep, relaxed breathing cultivate and direct life force, improving health and building internal strength.
The core skills: There are 13 postures of Shi San Shi, eight hand techniques, and five movement directions. The eight gates, also known as Ba fa, hand/arm techniques:
Peng, (ward off). Upward, outward, expansive, and supportive. It connects internal energy to the outside, creating a rounded, strong defense.
Lu (roll back). A yielding, guiding energy that redirects an opponent’s forward force diagonally down and back.
Ji (press or follow). Forward pressing energy used to control or attack.
An (push). Downward, forward pressing energy, using both hands to push the opponent away.
Cai, (pluck or grasp). Quick, downward pulling energy designed to break an opponent’s balance.
Split. A chaotic, centrifugal force that forces an opponent’s energy in two different directions.
Zhou (elbow) a striking tool in close combat.
Kao (shoulder/body strike), using shoulders, back, or hip to bump strike an opponent.
The five steps: Which are known as Wu bu, are lower body skills, how to move the center of gravity.
Jin bu (advance forward). Moving forward with awareness and balance.
Tui bu (retreat backward). Moving backward while retaining control of the center.
Zou gu (look left). Shifting weight and orientation to the left.
Yu pan (look right). Shifting weight and orientation to the right.
Zhong ding (central equilibrium): maintaining a centered, vertical balance, regardless of movement, enabling one to be stable.
Key internal and external attributes:
Releasing unnecessary muscle tension for smooth movement and free-flowing energy. Yi, or mind, intention. Using the mind to lead movement, not muscle power. Empty or full, the leg bearing weight allowing for agility. Continuous movement, flowing like a river with no stops or breaks. Roundness. Limbs and movements are curved to improve stability and deflection.
Tai Chi practice leads to health and wellness, for any age group, whether young or old. The cultivation of an abundance of life force and internal strength requires daily practice of three to five intervals of 15-20 minutes each, to enable gentle, good, kind, and compassionate attributes, leading to spiritual refinement and overall good health, sound hearts, minds, bodies, and words and actions, resulting in the acceptance of living eternally as a well-good immortal after the last breath is taken.