Many years ago when I lived in Hong Kong I was first introduced to the science of Tai Chi. Every morning in the garden below my home, there would be a group of people practicing gentle movements in slow motion.
I was fascinated by how synchronized they were and sometimes it looked as if they were dancing in air. During my travels in Asia, I come across people often practicing Tai Chi in gardens or on the beach. Over the years the science has spread across the world and now people from all walks of life can be seen practicing Tai Chi regularly.
Tai Chi is a form of slow exercises made up of various movements. These movements represent specific philosophical principles and are derived from martial arts and natural movement of animals. In short Tai Chi is a practice of following certain sequence of slow movements that can be perceived as yoga in motion with a moving form of meditation. The roots of Tai Chi can be traced in Taoism in 6th century BC. However over the years it has become integral part of people’s lives in Asia and is now gaining popularity in the rest the west.
The aim of Tai Chi is to balance two extremes, the yin and yang. It works to balance the flow of energy through the body, which can help improve blood circulation, body heat retention, breath movement through the body and functioning of the lymph system. Along with these benefits Tai Chi is know to reduce blood pressure and help with asthma.
Like yoga, Tai Chi is a practice that can help you to balance chakras and achieve spiritual growth. The key is to focus inward while doing the movements steadily. In this wave of new age therapies you can choose from many forms of exercises and meditations. However Tai Chi and Yoga are the only two forms of exercises that integrate meditation in all movements and postures. Most people tend to focus on health benefits of Tai Chi, however with practice and dedication you can finally learn to empty your mind and enjoy some ME time to recharge your batteries!
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By: Shivani Adalja.