Ba Duan Jin (Part 5 of 8) – Head and Tail Swaying to Get Rid of Heart Fire

This week's post is a detailed look at the Ba Duan Jin qigong exercise called Head and Tail Swaying to Get Rid of Heart Fire. It is also known as Big Bear Turns from Side to Side and as Sway the Head and Shake the Tail. It is traditionally the fifth of the exercises.

Ba Duan Jin is a traditional qigong routine with hundreds of variations. It is variously translated as Eight Silken Brocades, Eight Pieces of Silk Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Exercises, Eight Fine Exercises, or many other names.

Qigong is all about body, mind, and breath. These exercises contain specific movements that are synchronized with the breath while the mind concentrates on the movements. The exercises are intended to help develop mental focus and calm, peaceful movements. At all times, keep your knees loose and flexible.

Explanation:

This exercise reduces qi in the heart (heart fire). Excess heart fire leads to heartburn, restlessness, lack of sleep, mental uneasiness, colds, and hypertension. This exercise pushes the qi from the middle dan tien, into the heart and lung area, and out through any obstructions.

NOTE: Inhale when you are in the beginning position and exhale when you bend forward.

Standing Instructions:

1. Bend your knees slightly and stand with your feet two shoulder widths apart. Bend slightly and place your hands on your thighs with thumbs pointing out.

2. Slowly wave your head from side-to-side a total of four times.

3. Bend left and down from the waist and rotate your upper body down and around toward the right in a circle. At the same time, sway your buttocks towards the left. Continue rotation to beginning position.

4. Do this exercise eight times.

Modification for seated form:

1. Sit in wuji.

3. Bend left and down from the waist and rotate your upper body toward the right. Continue rotation to beginning position.

CAUTION:  Do not overbalance. It is easy to lean too far and fall from a chair.

Modification for a more challenging form:

1. Bend knees to assume a deep horse stance with feet two should widths apart.

Benefits & Effects:

1. A general overall exercise induces perspiration and helps to relieve the symptoms of heart fire.

2. Strengthens the legs, waist, back, and neck. Opens up the governing vessel.

3. Enhance every organ and system’s function.

For the rest of this series, start with:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 1 of 8) - Support the Heavens

To continue with this series, see:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 6 of 8) – Pulling Toes to StrengthenKidneys and Waist

© 2012 Eric Borreson

The Art of Tai Chi

Here is what happens when a skilled tai chi play and a skilled film maker get together.

I don't have anything to add. Just enjoy the moment.

Ba Duan Jin (Part 4 of 8) – Looking Backward to Amend 5 Strains and 7 Impairments

This week's post is a detailed look at the Ba Duan Jin qigong exercise called Looking Backward to Amend 5 Strains and 7 Impairments. It is also known as Wise Owl Gazes Backward and as Turning to Tonify the Nervous System. It is traditionally the fourth of the exercises.

Ba Duan Jin is a traditional qigong routine with hundreds of variations. It is variously translated as Eight Silken Brocades, Eight Pieces of Silk Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Exercises, Eight Fine Exercises, or many other names.

Qigong is all about body, mind, and breath. These exercises contain specific movements that are synchronized with the breath while the mind concentrates on the movements. The exercises are intended to help develop mental focus and calm, peaceful movements. At all times, keep your knees loose and flexible.

Explanation:

This exercise increases the flow of qi in the neck and head. The five strains are the weaknesses of the 5 yin organs: spleen, lungs, heart, liver, and kidneys. The seven impairments refer to injuries caused by emotion: grief, joy, hate, love, happiness, anger, and desire. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), you can become ill when your internal organs are weak and emotions overcome your natural defenses. Strong emotions accumulate in the head. 

Standing Instructions:

1. Stand in wuji with your palms touching your thighs and your eyes lightly closed.

2. Inhale and slowly turn your head to the left and gradually open your eyes as you turn. When you turn to your maximum limit, open your eyes as wide as you can.

3. Exhale and return to the beginning position, with eyes lightly closed.

4. Repeat to the right.

5. Do this exercise eight times.

Modification for seated form:

1. Sit in wuji with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Place your right hand on the outside of your left knee to keep your knees from moving.

Modification for a more challenging form:

2. When you turn to your maximum limit, open your eyes as wide as you can. Lean back and look over your shoulder down at your opposite heel.

CAUTION: When leaning back to look over your shoulder, do not lean your head back. Lean your body and keep your head in line with your neck and spine to protect your cervical vertebrae.

Benefits & Effects:

1. Turning the neck and twisting the body strengthens your neck and straightens your spine, opens the yang meridian up the back, and improves the flow of qi in the head and brain.

For the rest of this series, start with:

Ba Duan Jin - Support the Heavens (Part 1 of 8)

To continue with this series, see:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 5 of 8) – Head and Tail Swaying to Get Rid of Heart Fire

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Accountability

This week, I want to write about a simple technique I use to motivate myself to maintain my practice and to write a new article every week for my blog. Do you want to know what it is? Reread the title of this week's article.

Accountability is a key to accomplishment. I have promised my readers that I will write another article every week. I have missed a few weeks in the last three years, but not very many. I really want to deliver what I promise.

I have asked my students to practice often. Every week I ask them how they did. I am starting to ask them to ask me how I did in the last week. They are my partners in accountability.

Who do you have in your life that you can partner with? A friend? A relative? A teacher? Find someone. It's worth it.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Preparing for the Rest of Your Life

"If you wait for an emergency to happen before you decide what to do, you're already dead."* We need to be prepared for unexpected things to happen. However, it's even better to be prepared to prevent unexpected things from happening. Prevention is way better than cure.

We all expect to live forever. We all expect to be healthy and competent. Maybe hope is a better word than expect, but it doesn't change the message. Life is full of unexpected things: injury, illness, and loss. There is a certain amount of randomness to these things, but we can develop plans to minimize the probability of these things happening.

If you really, truly want to prepare for the rest of your life, you need to plan for ways to maintain health and prevent injury. If you really, truly want to plan ahead, you should be living a healthy life right now. Tai chi is proven to help with improving health, reducing depression, and preventing falls and other injuries. Don't wait for the time when stress has already caused damage to your body. Don't wait until your health deteriorates. Don't wait for the depression of old age and poor health.

Here is a brief list of benefits of Tai Chi for Health that have been proven through extensive studies:

Improved balance, reduced falls, and reduced fear of falling

Reduced blood pressure

Improved strength, range of motion, and endurance

Improved management of chronic pain

Improved strength in the deep stabilizer muscles

Strengthened immune system

Reduced bone loss in post-menopausal women

Improved outlook on life (symptoms of depression and stress)

Enhance mind-body connection through improved proprioception and kinesthetic awareness

You have a choice about how you live the rest of your life. You can be proactive and take charge right now. Or you can be reactive and wait until the damage is done. Prevention is much easier than cure.

Don't think you have time? I believe that TV should stand for "The Vacuum" because it sucks your brains out. I believe that investing 15 minutes a day in maintaining and improving your health is more important than having your brains sucked out by The Vacuum.

Sign up for a tai chi class now. They're everywhere.

Please share this article with anyone that you think would benefit from it.

*Quote from the movie, A Perfect Getaway (2009)

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Book Review - Tai Chi Theory and Principal Precepts

Book © 2011 Larry Costner - Book review by Mari B. Hamilton Gromer

A short book (275 pages) by any reader's standards. But the facts are all here. After many hours of practice and study, I think I have finally found a book that helps me not only to play at tai chi with renewed vigor, but to understand why it is important to not only go through the motions, but to internalize the many concepts some instructors leave out. There are no steps to learn, no videos to watch, no explanation of tai chi forms.

One should practice daily. Mr. Costner boasts he has not missed one day in the past twelve years. An accomplishment to be proud of, surely. The quality of his practice though, is also so internalized that he promotes it to his daily living. A fascinating thing about tai chi is that it really does "get under your skin".

Mr. Costner translates the more esoteric aspects of tai chi into a concise and understandable notion. My practice has improved after reading about the history, roots and language of tai chi. His theory is that although you may play at tai chi unless you internalize the concepts and conception of the art it can be merely a "pretty dance".

In the first chapter he discusses that tai chi is a good investment for life. His philosophy is that in the coming years tai chi will ride two strong demographic and societal trends to become a dominant form of exercise through out the world. The first being the dynamic growth and increasing influence of China. The next is our aging population, which is not just an American phenomenon. As tai chi is a sport that one can enjoy well into their nineties and more, the handwriting is on the wall as far as more acceptance.

In the following chapters he discusses origin of tai chi, qi, jin, three treasures and the mind-body. Mr. Costner has a way of expressing these concepts in a simple, understandable and applicable way.

In the mind-body section, he helps you realize that along with yoga, tai chi is the preeminent mind-body exercise. The encouragement to use your mind to move your body, the concept of it, is so highly appropriate! Mr. Costner has really nailed this in his writings. I mean, so many people do just think of tai chi as a "pretty dance", but when you focus the power of your mind, tai chi becomes so much more fulfilling and relevant to daily life.

The most relevant area, in my mind, of the book is the chapter entitled The Seven Principal Precepts. All beginning in the letter P-they are as follows: Presence, Poise, Peace, have better Proprioception, have better Prolepsis, Persistence, and Patience. Each important precept is explained fully. When you internalize these precepts there is limitless knowledge to be gained by yourself and your students.

The encouragement to GO SLOWLY is something that I think is sometimes lost in the wish to rapidly advance the movements rather than to enjoy the movements you have already mastered. Through out the book, Mr. Costner continues to impress slow movement and gentle mindfulness.

The end of the book pulls it all together with a simple sort of haiku-like verse:

Not future, not past

Dignified grace

Muscles not taxed

Awareness of space

Creative intent

 Like a dog on a bone

Time well spent

Water melting stone

Whether master or novice, instructor or student, this book should be recommended as a 'must read' for all tai chi players. And I now return to page one.

Tai Chi for Heart Failure Patients

A recent study showed that tai chi is more beneficial to heart-failure patients than simple aerobic exercise. The study was conducted by the Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and the VA Boston Healthcare system. It was a small sample size, but it was a good study because they compared tai chi to aerobic exercise. This study is one of the few studies that gave very complete details on the tai chi that was taught. They used adapted forms from Chen Man Cheng's Yang style tai chi.

This study looked at 16 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). Definitive therapy for this disease is unclear. Aerobic exercise has been shown to help this group. However, compliance with the exercise regimen is typically fairly low.

This study lasted 12 weeks. Compliance in the tai chi group was 89%. There were several measures where the tai chi group improved more than the group that did the aerobic exercise. These include 6 minute walk distance and Profile of Mood States-Depression scores. During exercise, the tai chi group showed reduced oxygen uptake, respiratory rate, and heart rate. This indicates that the tai chi group wasn't working as hard. This indicates a lower cardiovascular risk.

There were several other measures where there was no difference between groups. These include Minnesota Living with Heart Failure scores, self efficacy, and peak oxygen uptake.

The authors concluded that tai chi is feasible and safe in this study group. Therapeutic endpoints appear similar with tai chi relative to aerobic exercise despite a lower aerobic training workload.

My conclusions are that the improvement in Profile of Mood States-Depression is very important. It means that tai chi improves health, which we already knew, and it improves attitudes about life. In other words, this study shows that tai chi works with the mind and body to improve a patient's outlook on life.

The article was published online on Oct 12, 2012 ahead of publication in Congestive Heart Failure. The article is available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/chf.12005/full.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Ba Duan Jin (Part 3 of 8) – Separating Heaven and Earth

This week's post is a detailed look at the Ba Duan Jin qigong exercise called Separating Heaven and Earth. It is also known as Harmonizing Spleen and Stomach by Raising Arm Separately and as Raise Each Arm to Regulate the Spleen. It is traditionally the third of the exercises.

Ba Duan Jin is a traditional qigong routine with hundreds of variations. It is variously translated as Eight Silken Brocades, Eight Pieces of Silk Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Exercises, Eight Fine Exercises, or many other names.

Qigong is all about body, mind, and breath. These exercises contain specific movements that are synchronized with the breath while the mind concentrates on the movements. The exercises are intended to help develop mental focus and calm, peaceful movements. At all times, keep your knees loose and flexible.

Explanation:

This exercise increases the flow of qi in the stomach and spleen. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the stomach is known as the sea of grain and water and is responsible for digesting food. The spleen is responsible for transporting nutrients throughout the body. 

Standing Instructions:

1. Stand in wuji with your feet two shoulder widths apart. Hold your arms in front of your chest with your palms down and fingertips pointing at each other.

2. Shift your weight to your right foot, inhale, raise your right hand overhead, and turn your palm up, its fingers pointing to your left. Simultaneously, press your left hand down with its palm down and fingers pointing to the front.

3. Exhale and return both hands to the beginning position.

4. Shift your weight to your left foot, inhale and repeat Step 2, but this time raise your left hand overhead and press your right hand down.

5. Exhale and return both hands to the beginning position.

6. Do this exercise eight times.

Modification for seated form:

1. Sit in wuji with your feet flat on the floor.

2. Simultaneously, press your left hand down and forward with its palm down and fingers pointing to the front.

4. Press your right hand down and forward.

Modification for a more challenging form:

1. Start in horse stance.

2. As you stretch and extend your hands, rise from the horse stance.

3. As you relax and return to neutral, exhale and return to horse stance.

NOTE: Continue moving from horse stance and standing wuji as you alternate hands.

Benefits & Effects:

1. The alternating stretching stimulates the muscles in the front of the upper body, improves circulation to the stomach, liver, and spleen.

2. The muscles of one side of the body are stretched against the other side. This kind of exercise harmonizes and adjusts the digestive system; the energy level of the body, particularly the stomach and spleen; and the vital energy circulating through to coordinate the internal organs.

3. The internal organs, especially the stomach, spleen, liver, and gallbladder are massaged and stimulated through this exercise.

4. This exercise brings favorable effects to patients who are suffering stomach and duodenal ulcers or stomach inflammation.

5. Stimulates the digestive process and the peristaltic action of the intestines.

6. A prophylaxis and a treatment for intestinal and stomach diseases.

For the rest of this series, start with:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 1 of 8) - Support the Heavens

To continue with this series, see:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 4 of 8) - Looking Backward to Amend 5Strains and 7 Impairments

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Why Do I Blog?

For those of us of a certain age, blogging is a fairly new phenomenon. Why did I start writing in this format? Why do I place myself "out there" by opening up my thoughts to the world? Isn't it a risky thing to do, to open myself to the internet trolls that search for ways to criticize others?

I can answer this question in several ways:

First, there are real benefits to blogging.

Reason 1: They are very few people writing useful blogs about my topics of interest (tai chi, stress management, and meditation). There is a real need to inform. I get a lot of feedback when something I write is helpful or meaningful to someone. (For example, see What I wish I Had Known at the Beginning). I wish I would get more.

Reason 2: Blogging is a low cost way to communicate. I only spend a few hours a month blogging. It's not too expensive in terms of time and entirely free in terms of out-of-pocket expenses. Do you have any idea how long it takes to write a book?

Reason 3: It's a great way to meet people. I have had many people contact me about something I wrote. Such wonderful people are hard to find any other way. I have readers from around the world.

Reason 4: Blogging makes me think. Therefore, I learn. I have to think about how I can communicate some difficult concept. My process is simple. Write it down, read what I wrote, think about for a few days, and reread it. Then I can clarify what I am trying to explain. I even learn when I have to fine tune my argument for people that disagree with me.

Reason 5: It makes me a better teacher. The more thought I put into my writing, the more I learn about how to communicate my ideas to my students. Feedback from students helps my writing. I also use my blogging as a teaching tool in my classes. I give reading assignments to my beginning students.

Second, there are real risks to blogging.

Reason 1: They are very few people writing useful blogs about my topics of interest (tai chi, stress management, and meditation). There is no track record to tell me how it will be received.

Reason 2: Occasionally I write an article intended to "poke a stick in the eye" of those that have an inflated view of their own importance. (For example, see Authenticity in Tai Chi). Very few of these people will respond and tell me that they think I'm a jerk. They are just going to remember my name and avoid me or boycott me in the future. I'm willing to take that risk.

Reason 3: I'm not making any money from blogging. I am not independently wealthy. I need to earn a living to pay the mortgage. Blogging takes time. Not a lot, but it does take some time that I could be using to earn money.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Using Tai Chi to Deactivate the Fight-or-Flight Response

Our bodies have a physiological reaction to danger called the fight-or-flight response. When we are facing danger, our body reacts to help us survive. This is also called the sympathetic nervous system. Several involuntary responses follow, such as the release of stress hormones, increased heart rate and blood pressure, the activation of our immune system, etc.

Under normal circumstances, our bodies respond as needed and everything returns to normal after a time. However, a difficulty appears when we realize that our body responds the same way whenever we face emotional stress, like anxiety, anger, fear, or any other destructive emotion. We all face chronic stress because of the way we live our modern lives. Long-term chronic stress causes damage to our bodies because the stress hormones contribute to chronic illnesses like hypertension, autoimmune diseases, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and many other illnesses.

Fortunately, our bodies have a complementary physiological response called the relaxation response. This is also known as the parasympathetic nervous system. The relaxation response calms down our bodies and minds to help us deactivate the fight-or-flight response and reverse the effects of stress.

Breathing is something that we do both voluntarily (conscious) and involuntarily (unconscious). We can use conscious breathing to affect the parasympathetic nervous system. Since the parasympathetic nervous system works to counteract the sympathetic nervous system, we can use conscious breathing to control, or even to reverse, the effects of stress on our body.

Tai chi is a nearly perfect way to practice conscious breathing. Tai chi can use abdominal breathing. Abdominal breathing is a breathing technique that helps you learn to calm the mind and body.

To practice abdominal breathing, start in a normal wu ji posture. Take several deep breaths with long exhales to allow your mind and body to relax. Place your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your abdomen just below your belly button. Pay attention to how your hands move while you are breathing. Inhale through your nose and consciously expand your abdomen. Exhale through your mouth and contract your abdomen. You should notice that your right hand (on your chest) barely moves. Your left hand (on your abdomen) should move much more. After you become comfortable with this technique, you no longer need to place your hands.

Breathing is also part of "Sinking the Qi". The slow, continuous movements of tai chi lead to relaxed breathing. The rhythmic yin-yang movements can be used to match the inhales and exhales of abdominal breathing. The mental focus required by tai chi helps us develop a mind-body connection and awareness. This all leads to teaching our mind and body to relax and calm down in order to counteract the fight-or-flight response.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Ba Duan Jin (Part 2 of 8) - Drawing the Bow

This week's post is a detailed look at the Ba Duan Jin qigong exercise called Drawing the Bow. It is also known as Shooting Eagle with Bow and Arrow and as Drawing the Bow and Letting Arrow Fly. It is traditionally the second of the exercises.

Ba Duan Jin is a traditional qigong routine with hundreds of variations. It is variously translated as Eight Silken Brocades, Eight Pieces of Silk Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Exercises, Eight Fine Exercises, or many other names.

Qigong is all about body, mind, and breath. These exercises contain specific movements that are synchronized with the breath while the mind concentrates on the movements. The exercises are intended to help develop mental focus and calm, peaceful movements. At all times, keep your knees loose and flexible.

Explanation:

This exercise places emphasis on the kidneys by increasing the flow of qi in the lower back.

Standing Instructions:

1. Stand with your feet two shoulder widths apart and your knees loose and flexible. Cross your hands in front of your chest, with your hands in fists. Place your right hand outside and left hand inside.

2. Extend your left hand out to the left with your arm parallel to the ground. Extend your index and middle fingers and the other three fingers curled (sword finger). Turn your head toward your left hand.

3. Hold your right hand at your left shoulder as if it were holding the string of a bow. Inhale slowly and bring your right hand in a fist back toward your right shoulder, with the elbow extended out and forearm parallel to the ground. As you inhale, also bend your knees slightly to assume an easy horse stance. Imagine that you are aiming at a target.

4. Exhale and release the fingers of your right hand. Imagine that you can see an arrow traveling through the air and hitting the target. Return your hands to the starting position, but with your hands reversed. Repeat to the other side.

5. Do this exercise eight times.

Modification for seated form:

1. Sit in wuji with your feet flat on the floor.

2. No change.

3. No change.

4. No change.

5. No change.

Modification for a more challenging form:

1. Start from a low horse stance with your thighs parallel to the ground. Stay in a deep horse stance for the entire exercise.

2. Tense all your muscles as you inhale and turn it into an isometric exercise.

3. No change.

4. Relax all your muscles as you exhale.

5. No change.

Benefits & Effects:

1. The horse stance and the twisting action strengthen and stretch the legs, hips, and waist.

2. The draw of the bow stretches the muscles of the upper body, opening the chest and strengthening the lungs.

Another key benefit of this exercise is an increased ability to concentrate and focus.

For the rest of this series, start with:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 1 of 8) - Support the Heavens

To continue with this series, see:

Ba Duan Jin (Part 3 of 8) - Separating Heaven and Earth

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Ba Duan Jin (Part 1 of 8) - Support the Heavens

This week's post is a detailed look at the Ba Duan Jin qigong exercise called Support the Heavens. It is also known as Uphold the Sky with Two Hands to Nurture Triple Warmer and as Press the Heavens with Two Hands. It is traditionally the first of the eight exercises.

Ba Duan Jin is a traditional qigong routine with hundreds of variations. It is variously translated as Eight Silken Brocades, Eight Pieces of Silk Brocades, Eight Section Brocade, Eight Silken Exercises, Eight Fine Exercises, or many other names.

Qigong is all about body, mind, and breath. These exercises contain specific movements that are synchronized with the breath while the mind concentrates on the movements. The exercises are intended to help develop calm, peaceful movements and sharpen our mental focus. At all times, keep your knees loose and flexible.

Explanation:

This exercise improves the flow of qi in the triple warmer. The triple warmer is separated into upper, middle, and lower portions. The triple warmer functions to regulate the activities of the internal organs and participates in the control of fluid metabolism.

Standing Instructions:

1. Stand in wuji and relax all your joints.

2. Inhale slowly and circle your arms overhead. At the crown of your head, turn your hands so the palms are up. If it is comfortable to do so, interlace your fingers. Exhale and press your hands up as if holding up the sky. Visualize pushing against a resistance.

3. Inhale slowly and lower your hands to your head, rotating them so they are palm down. Exhale and separate your hands, circling your arms out and back to your sides. Visualize moving against a resistance.

4. Do this exercise eight times.

Modification for seated form:

1. Sit in wuji with your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands at your sides in any comfortable position.

2. No change.

3. Return your hands to your sides.

4. No change.

Modification for a more challenging form:

1. No change.

2. Raise your head and eyes to follow the movement of your hands as they travel. Simultaneously, rise up on your toes. This challenges your balance.

3. Simultaneously, lower your heels to the ground.

4. No change.

Benefits & Effects:

1. This exercise balances the metabolism of your Triple Warmer. It is only through the intermediate function of the Triple Warmer that your body can absorb and transfer the vital energy necessary to life.

i. Shangjiao – The Superior Warmer, the upper portion of the Triple Warmer, corresponds to the body cavity above the diaphragm. Functionally, it includes the heart and lungs. It has the function of distributing the nutrients to the whole body.

ii. Zhongjiao – The Central Warmer, the middle portion of the Triple Warmer, corresponds to the body cavity below the diaphragm and above the level of the belly button. Functionally, it includes the stomach and spleen. Its chief function is to digest, absorb, and transport nutrients obtained from food.

iii. Ziajiao – The Lower Warmer, the lower portion of the Triple Warmer, corresponds to the body cavity below the level of the belly button. Functionally, it includes the small and large intestines, kidney, and urinary bladder. Its chief function is to eliminate wastes from the body.

2. Stretching the torso and back prepares you for the following exercises.

To continue this series, see
Ba Duan Jin (Part 2 of 8) - Drawing the Bow

© 2012 Eric Borreson

What I Read - Buddhism and Meditation

This week, I wanted to share information about sources of information related to Buddhism and meditation that are available on the internet. This is not intended to be a comprehensive ranking or listing. It only reflects my opinion and experience about learning some aspects of Buddhism from internet sources.

Web Sites

Here are some of the web sites that I have found useful along with a brief description of each.

Mid America Buddhist Association

The mission of MABA is to practice, preserve, and promote the teachings of the Buddha. This site has a few online articles and an extensive collection of podcasts of dharma talks given at MABA. It also has a link to past issues of Rightview Quarterly, a magazine dedicated to helping us on our path. This is the web page for the home monastery of my teacher, Carl Jerome. This has a Chan Buddhism tradition, the tradition I have been studying. Chan is the Chinese ancestor of Zen Buddhism.

BhuddaNet, A Buddhist Education and Information Network

This is a web site that provides an online eMagazine and many free articles and ebooks about various aspects of Buddhism. It has so much information that it can be somewhat overwhelming. It helps to have a specific topic in mind.

Wildmind Buddhist Meditation

This web site is all about meditation. It includes several free meditation guides. A big emphasis is mindfulness of breath. They have a monthly newsletter with links to their blog. I recommend that you start with that.

Shambhala Sun, A magazine of Buddhism, Culture, Meditation,and Life

This is the online presence of the magazine of the same name. There are links to articles about popular topics in Buddhist studies, including How to Meditate, and articles by and about several well-known teachers. The site also a link to the publication, BuddhaDharma, The Practitioners Quarterly. I recommend that you sign up for the newsletter.

Western Chan Fellowship

The web site includes an extensive collection of online articles about various aspects of Buddhism. It also includes links to an online magazine, Chan Magazine. I recommend that you start with reading their Selected Articles.

Vipassana Fellowship

The web site includes an online meditation course, a collection of texts from the Pali Canon, and a large online library of articles about meditation. It also includes a copy of the excellent book, Mindfulness in Plain English by Ven. Henepola Gunaratana.

Blogs

Here are some blogs I regularly read, a brief description, and what I get from them.

North Shore Meditation and Dharma Center

This is by my teacher, Carl Jerome. He writes about one article a month for his students on topics related to his Buddhism classes. A main emphasis is using meditation and Buddhism to reduce stress. Here is what he says about his teaching: " I assume that it is my responsibility as a teacher to shine a light on the Path in ways that allow students to see clearly how to reduce their everyday stress and anxiety (dukkha)."

Open Embrace

This is by Stephanie Noble, a meditation teacher and author. She is a good writer and focuses on how to apply Buddhism to everyday life. Here are a few quotes to give you a flavor of her writing: " We didn’t come into this life to sit on the sidelines and watch!" and " Once you have begun a meditation practice and find you are noticing your thought patterns, you can begin to hear the words you are using to talk to yourself, especially when you do something you didn’t intend to do."

Buddha Fields

This is by Ven. Kongmu, a Chan Buddhist monk. He has been pretty busy lately with other things and hasn't had much time for writing. I am hopeful that he can get back to it more in the future.

Qigong 365

This is by Marcus Santer. It's a source of daily inspiration for qigong practitioners. He has written a short article for every day of the year. I actually follow on twitter instead of checking in on the blog every day. He also has a website at www.qigong15.com where he links to his free qigong lessons. He uses this to promote his paid online lessons.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Guest Blog - Tai Chi and Addiction by Lillian Sanders

The ancient practice of Tai Chi can be a great alternative support in patients who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction. The reason many recovery programs fail is because the patient is experiencing additional stress caused by their withdrawals and new way of life. Tai Chi proves to be an effective outlet.

When someone has an addiction to alcohol or other drugs, this becomes their natural means of coping with stress and tension. Taking away their coping mechanism when they are extremely stressed is the reason many addicts turn back to their old ways. The longer someone has been an addict, the harder it is to break these habits. When they stop using the substance, their body chemistry and internal systems are out of balance. They have become accustomed to the substance they have been abusing. Tai Chi is one way to put their mind and body back in balance naturally.

Tai Chi is a martial art that focuses on low impact, relaxing movements. It is an exercise that is slow and gentle, and it focuses on breathing deeply and meditating. While it can be performed in a variety of styles, all Tai Chi utilizes these elements.

It is these features that allow it to do much more for recovering addicts than other types of exercise or meditation. The ancient practice is a powerful complementary therapy for many types of addictions. It can help with drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex, or more. Practicing Tai Chi on a regular basis allows the addict to have a heightened feeling of well-being mentally and it improves the workings of their bodies.

Research studies are being performed to conclusively test the effectiveness of Tai Chi on addicts. The research has shown that using drugs and alcohol clogs the body with toxins in their tissues and blood. The stimulation of Tai Chi helps the lymph system to speed up. It removes the impurities from the blood. Initially, the patient may feel uncomfortable because they have become used to the toxins. Removing them can feel unsettling. However, after several sessions, they begin to feel better. They can release their stress through the movements and focus on the recovery.

Tai Chi can be part of a holistic therapy for those recovering from an addiction. While it is not a substitute for other treatments, it can be extremely effective when coupled with other medications, therapies, or diets. Holistic drug rehab programs often times include Tai Chi as a main focus for recovering addicts.

In the Zone with Tai Chi

This article is about being "in the zone” with tai chi. This is the feeling you get when you get lost in the moment. This is when you hardly even notice anything going on around you. This is sometimes called "flow". When someone is in the zone, their emotions become energized and aligned with the task at hand. People perform their best at everything and have the most enjoyment when they are in the zone. They are able to maintain intense concentration on the task they are working on.

How do we get into the zone? First, have a clear short-term goal for each practice. When you are beginning to learn tai chi, your goal may be to remember how to perform the movements. For a more advanced student, your goal may be to focus on the substantial and insubstantial weight shifts during the form or maintaining the proper tension in your hands. For another student, it may be to follow the flow of yin and yang throughout the forms.

Second, it is important to receive immediate and relevant feedback. Your feedback may come from knowing that you completed the movement correctly. For a more advanced student, the feedback may come from you knowing that you completed the form or set and were aware of your weight at all times. Your feedback may be from your teacher. In each case, the feedback must be appropriate to your skill level.

Third, match your goals to your skills. You want an achievable challenge. There is no point in beginners trying to apply silk reeling skills as they learn their forms. They need to learn the gross movements first.

Every time you practice, have these 3 factors in mind to help you develop the feeling of being in the zone. As your tai chi improves, you will be in the zone more and more often. This improves your enjoyment and encourages you to practice more often. Tai chi follows the rhythms of nature, so being in the zone should also help you feel in tune with nature.

Agitation and anxiety prevent you from getting in the flow. I find that meditation before practice is tremendously helpful.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Qigong Shown to Help Symptoms of Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic condition characterized by widespread pain and fatigue. The cause of fibromyalgia is not clear, but it appears that the condition amplifies pain signals by affecting how the brain processes signals. There are some western medicines and therapies that may help with the symptoms, but many people with the condition claim that they are receiving no benefit and have to live with the pain.

There was a recent study published that a particular type of qigong could help alleviate the symptoms of fibromyalgia. In the study, 100 participants were randomly assigned to either the study group or the control group. For the study group, qigong training was given over 3 days and was followed by weekly follow-up sessions for 8 weeks. The participants were asked to practice for 45 to 60 minutes per day during the study.

Participants reported improvement in all measured outcomes: pain, impact, sleep, physical function, and mental function. These outcomes continued to the end of the study at six months.

Qigong (pronounced chee gung) is two words from the Chinese language. The word qi is often translated as “internal energy”, but this doesn’t really seem to be a very good translation. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, it primarily refers to connecting different parts of our body. It also refers to communication where our mind, or intention, moves our bodies. Gong can be translated as exercises or work done on a regular basis. So qi gong can be used to mean “exercises that enhance our vital energy and connectedness”.

There are thousands of qigong exercises for everything from curing illnesses to preventive medicine. This study used a type of qigong called Chaoyi Fanhuan Qigong (CFQ). According to the study,

Qigong training consisted of an initial workshop conducted over three consecutive half-days by a qualified CFQ instructor. Participants received training in level 1 CFQ; this consisted of instruction in seven key movements known as "the hexagram" and ancillary exercises. Hexagram movements consist of choreographed movements that emphasize softness, relaxation, downward releases and full body distribution of "qi".

The follow-up at 4 months and at 6 months indicated that the participants that maintained their CFQ practice for at least 45 minutes per day were able to maintain the improvements. Participants that practiced significantly less reported less benefit after the end of the practice training.

The complete study can be read here:

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Qigong for Fibromyalgia

Arthritis Research & Therapy. 2012 Aug 3;14(4): R178. By Lynch M, Sawynok J, Hiew C, Marcon D.

http://arthritis-research.com/content/14/4/R178

© 2012 Eric Borreson

What I Read - Tai Chi and Qigong

This week, I wanted to share information about sources of information related to tai chi and qigong that are available on the internet. This is not intended to be a comprehensive ranking or listing. It only reflects my opinion and experience about learning some aspects of tai chi from internet sources.

Web Sites

Here are some of the web sites that I have found useful. I recommend them to other people.

Tai Chi for Health Institute

This is Dr. Paul Lam's Tai Chi for Health website. At this web site, you can find a teacher and/or a workshop, read an article related to tai chi, and purchase books and DVDs. I recommend that you subscribe to the newsletter.

Yang Martial Arts Association

This is Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming's website. At this web site, you can read about Dr. Yang's tai chi, qigong, and martial arts programs, purchase books and/or videos, or read an article related to these topics. Dr. Yang has sold the YMAA business and is putting his energy into his YMAA Retreat Center in Northern California.

Gilman Studio

This is Michael Gilman's website. At this web site, you can take a free online course, read a few interesting articles, or buy a book or DVD. In addition, he has placed many videos online at YouTube

Yang-Sheng eMagazine

This is the home page of the E-magazine, Yang-Sheng, an online magazine and a network for all healthcare professionals of preventive medicine, practitioners of mind-body exercise (such as Qigong, Tai Chi, Yoga, Reiki, mindfulness and meditation), health seekers, and spiritual cultivators. It promotes philosophy and methods of self-healing, positive mind and health preservation, and shares knowledge and experiences with those who are interested in the subjects and their applications in everyday life. I write a regular column titled Meditation in Motion. I recommend that you sign up for the email notification.

Ian Sinclair Tai Chi Central

This is the home page of Ian Sinclair. At this web site, you can take a free online course, read about tai chi news and events, and find a tai chi school. He is publishing a collection of tai chi teaching videos to go along with his online course at YouTube. 

Qi Magazine

This is the web site of Qi magazine. The magazine is no longer published, but the archived journals are available online at no charge. There are articles about many topics, including tai chi and qigong.

 

Blogs

Here are the blogs I regularly read, a brief description, and what I get from it.

Huan's Tai Chi and Beyond, by Huan Zhang

n this blog, you can read about basic tai chi principles, like standing in wu ji, relaxation, and slow movement. Huan Zhang writes clearly and covers each topic in depth. I only wish he would write more. He averages about 1 new article a month.

Internal Gong Fu, by Mike Buhr

In this blog, you can read about Mike's journey as he learns about the whole-body techniques of wujifa. He is very open about his successes and failures in applying the techniques he is learning. He writes a lot, typically about 5 or 6 new articles each month.

The Bean Curd Boxer, by Paul Read

In this blog, you can read about Paul Read's thoughts on tai chi. He also publishes a weekly podcast that is fun to listen to.

SpiralWise, by Dr. Howard Tripp

In the words of the author, "Turning Internal Arts Hippie Babble into Scientific Enlightenment". I don't agree with everything he writes, but it is usually pretty useful.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Want a Bigger Brain? Tai Chi May Help

This is one of occasional articles I plan to write on the health benefits of tai chi. Tai chi has become popular as an exercise to promote good health. There have been quite a few studies done in the last few years that support this.

There was a recent study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease that evaluated interventions designed to reduce dementia risk. A representative group of elderly men and women from Shanghai were randomly assigned to one of four groups for the 40 week intervention. The groups were tai chi, walking, social interaction, and a control group with no intervention. The type or style of tai chi were not described in the paper.

Previous studies have shown that physical exercise can reduce dementia risk. In addition, increased social interaction has been observed to reduce risk, this is the first study to use randomized trials to evaluate this. Brain MRIs were performed before and after the study. In addition, a battery of neuropsychological tests were included.

Increases in brain volume were found in both the tai chi group and the social interaction group. This means that the brain was increasing the number of neural connections. There were no overall average increases in brain volume for the walking group and the control group. However, when the walking group was stratified according to walking speed, it was found that the members of the group that walked fastest had the most increase in brain volume. This suggests that more vigorous exercise could give more favorable results. This may not be possible for the elderly.

In addition, there were improvements in many of the other tests for the tai chi group. The social interaction group also showed improvement in some of the other tests, but not as many as with the tai chi group. No differences were found between the walking group and the control group in other tests.

This study excluded people that had ever practiced tai chi. However, it did not exclude people that had never walked. One of the inclusion criteria was that participants must be able to walk 2 km. I suspect that this decision by the researchers may have reduced a possible effect of improvements for people that start walking for the study. They are already in fairly good shape. Nevertheless, it is a fairly good study that shows that activities that require complex mental activities, like learning tai chi or practicing social interactions, increase brain volume and improve cognitive functioning. It does not show that practicing tai chi has any effect on fitness over that of simple walking.

Complete article here:

Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease 30 (2012) 757–766

DOI 10.3233/JAD-2012-120079

IOS Press

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Spirituality in Tai Chi

What does spirituality mean in tai chi and in everyday life? The word has been used in popular literature to mean many things. To many, spiritual means living with our inner selves instead of living for the external things in our lives. People who are spiritual are comfortable with who they are and are not motivated by the external. Spiritual does not mean believing in a higher being outside of themselves. That's religion. Spiritual people may be religious. Religious people may be spiritual. However, the words do not mean the same thing.

Spirituality (inner self) is important to maintaining health and well being. Long-term experience of any kind manifests itself in our bodies. For example, if we are feeling a lot of external stress, our shoulders become hunched over because we "store" stress there. Wherever tension is held in our bodies, we develop blockages to qi flow. If we habitually stand with locked knee joints, we develop blockages and stagnant qi that manifest as foot, leg, hip, or back pain.

What does any of this have to do with tai chi? Tai chi can help us learn to see and understand the internal aspects of ourselves. Sun Lu-Tang, creator of Sun style tai chi, claimed that the highest level of tai chi is when the practitioner merges with the Dao and is in harmony with nature. Jing (精) describes how the tai chi mind quiets down and ignores the mental chatter that normally bombards us. Jing means to be focused and aware of your self and our surroundings.

My friend, Caroline Demoise, wrote a book, Tai Chi as Spiritual Practice. In it she says,

"Slow movement calms your mind and leads you on a path inward to experience the stillness at the center of your being. The energy of tai chi is innately meditative and produces this inner alignment. The underlying principles teach you to harmonize with Tao and flow with change."

Slow movements help the mind to focus when taking deep breaths and help to sink the qi to the dan tian. It can take time to develop a quiet mind. With practice, the forms become second nature and the mind begins to lead the body and mental quietness develops. With each successive practice, it takes less time to return to a quiet mind. Mental quietness calms the mental chatter. It helps us cope with stress and crisis.

Breathing is another important part of tai chi. Slow deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system to calm down the body and mind. This can also help with stagnant qi. Stagnant qi can feel like a heaviness or slowness in the body. Abdominal breathing can be used during the forms practice to help with developing calmness and focus. Speed can be controlled by using one inhale for each opening movement and one exhale for each closing movement.

Long-term practice of tai chi promotes the flow of qi. The movements loosen the joints, muscles, and tendons. In fact, one of the fundamental principles of tai chi is song (松), which means relax and loosen. When practicing tai chi with song in mind, the joints open up and the qi flow improves. Further tension in the muscles can be relaxed by being aware of substantial and insubstantial in our weight shifts. In addition, song can refer to relaxing and loosening the mind.

Learning tai chi requires the interaction of the mind and body in ways that cannot be done with Western exercise systems. The meditative aspects achieved through jing help maintain calm when the chaos of everyday life constantly surrounds us. The relaxation from song helps relax the mind to help us focus in our inner selves. Long-term practice teaches us to integrate mind, body, and spirit so we can calm down and live from our inner focus. When you use your mind actively to focus on and enhance your body movements, you build a strong mind/body connection. Your energy follows your intention. This is tai chi.

© 2012 Eric Borreson

This was previously published in a modified form in Yang-Sheng magazine.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a mental practice used to get beyond the unaware mind into a deeper state of awareness. According to Wikipedia,

“Different meditative disciplines encompass a wide range of spiritual and/or psychophysical practices which may emphasize different goals -- from achievement of a higher state of consciousness, to greater focus, creativity or self-awareness, or simply a more relaxed and peaceful frame of mind.”

A common form of meditation is mindfulness meditation. This is relatively easy for beginners to do. During meditation, we try to keep our mind on a single point of focus. The point of focus could be a short repetitive prayer, our breath, a breath count, qi energy flows, or anything else.

Meditation has a long history. It has been part of Buddhist culture for thousands of years. The two common types of Buddhist meditation are shamatha and vipassana. Shamatha consists of types of concentration meditations used to develop focus. Vipassana consists of practices to develop insight into the true nature of reality.

Step eight of the eight-fold path of Buddhism refers to “Right Concentration”, referring to meditation. In this context, concentration refers to a mental state where the entire mind is directed toward a single object. Through meditation, people develop the ability to remain calm and focused in everyday situations.

Christians have practiced meditation for almost as long, although they prefer the term "contemplation" nowadays. Some Catholics use the rosary to practice meditation. There are many biblical references to meditation among the prophets. Many scholars and religious officials of the Middle Ages wrote guides to meditation. In addition, there are many secular meditation practices.

Regardless of our motivation or background in meditation, our first efforts at meditation are difficult. Before we even notice it, our mind has wandered away. We find that our mind bounces around from one idea to another and it seems that there is nothing we can do to stop it. Some people describe it as your “monkey mind”, where your mind jumps around like a monkey jumping from one branch to another.

Mindfulness meditation is the process of recognizing when our minds have wandered away from our point of focus and bringing it back. Your mind may wander away during every single breath. That's OK. Just notice when it happens and bring it back. It is important to avoid judgment about how you are doing. There is no such thing as a "good" meditation or a "bad" meditation. It just is. Live in the moment during your meditation. It is not about forcing a result. It is about developing a skill. That's meditation.

The idea of meditation is to learn to become aware of our thoughts and emotions. It is not about stopping those thoughts. With practice, we can develop the ability to concentrate and focus so that we can control distractions and ignore all the stories we make up that cause us stress and discomfort.

Exercise develops your muscular strength or endurance. Meditation develops your “concentration muscles” and helps us learn how to maintain focus. When the mind wanders, all that is necessary is to bring the mind back to that point of focus. Do not allow recriminations or frustrations to develop. It is more important to meditate regularly than to meditate for a long time but only occasionally. If you are a beginner, start with 10 minutes a day. When that feels comfortable, go ahead and extend the time a little bit.

Let's finish with a quote from ZBOHY, the Zen Buddhist Order of Hsu Yun (http://www.hsuyun.org/chan/en/essays/bychuanzhi/204-healing-breath.html)

As the mind is quieted by the slow breathing exercise, the brain becomes better able to regulate serotonin (c.f. Bujatti, M. and Reiderer, P., Journal of Neural Transmission 39: 257-267, 1976) and other chemicals responsible for regulating our biochemistry: we sleep better, our overall mood improves, and we become calmer and less agitated. In addition, muscles relax, the cardiovascular and pulmonary systems become stronger and healthier, physical endurance and stamina increase, digestion improves, and mental capacity for concentration and memory are enhanced.

Here are some links to articles with some specific meditation guidelines:

You can read about breath counting meditation here 

You can read about meditation for relaxing and energizing here

You can read about walking meditation here

You can read about labyrinth walking meditation here

You can read about meditation in tai chi here

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Three Ways Tai Chi is Not Just a Fitness Program

I'm a little frustrated. It's my own fault, so it's not anything to be concerned about. I was just talking to someone about tai chi and he referred to it as "just another exercise program for fitness". This was a medical professional and I expected a little bit more from him.

Does tai chi improve fitness? Absolutely! Does it "just" improve fitness? NO! Tai chi is not the same as Zumba. It is not the same as kick aerobics or spin class. There is nothing wrong with any of these things. They can be an important part of a fitness program for some people. But tai chi should not classified as a fitness program the same as these. It does so much more. Here are 3 ways tai chi is not just a fitness program.

Fitness is not the goal of tai chi. Tai chi does much more for you than improving your fitness. That's only a side effect. Tai chi develops physical coordination, proprioception, and a strong mind-body connection.

Tai chi helps develop balance in your life. I don't mean the physical ability to balance. I mean balance in your life. It helps us develop calmness and stillness. It helps us deal with the ups and downs that happen in life. It helps you slow down and enjoy the pleasures of the moment, the slow movement as you shift your weight from one posture to another, the feeling of the muscles working together, and the way your mind learns to lead the movements.

Tai chi has incredible mental and physical depth. Every time you think you start to understand something in tai chi, you realize that there can be more to it. It's not that there is a precise way that tai chi "must" be done. It's that it takes you time to understand the correct way for you to do it. The correct way is different for every person. Your teacher can help you start to understand what this means.

Additional reading:

See here for an explanation of proprioception

See here for an explanation of weight shifting

See here for an explanation of the depths of tai chi

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Health Benefits of Tai Chi

This is one of occasional articles I plan to write on the health benefits of tai chi. 

I recently read an article titled, A randomized controlled trial of Tai chi for balance, sleep quality and cognitive performance in elderly Vietnamese. The objective of this study was to " evaluate the effects of Tai chi exercise on balance, sleep quality, and cognitive performance in community-dwelling elderly in Vinh city, Vietnam". It was published in the journal, Clinical Interventions in Aging.

For this study, 96 healthy participants were divided into two groups. The study group was assigned 6 months of tai chi training. The control group was asked to maintain their normal routine.

Now comes the tricky part: understanding the results.

The authors say that the results of the study indicate that the tai chi group improved scores on falls prevention, sleep quality, and the trail making test, a test of motor speed and visual attention, compared to the control group.

Let's look a little closer.

Every study has a control group that they compare with the test group. We need to understand what the control group did. In this case, the control group did nothing. That's a red flag. In other words, the study shows that learning tai chi is better than doing nothing. We know that the controls were already suffering the debilitating results of aging and inactivity. This paper does not show that tai chi is better than other forms of exercise.

Here's why I say that.

This study suffers from many of the problems that some other tai chi studies do. The authors do not give an adequate description of the method of teaching or how much the participants practiced when they were not in class. The study was not clear, but it appears that they learned the Yang 24 form tai chi. It does not show that tai chi is better than weight lifting or aerobic exercise. It does not show that tai chi is better than having the participants go for a morning walk and randomly wave their hands in the air. It shows that getting up and moving is better than sitting around.

One really good thing that this study did show was that the majority of the study group stayed with the program for the entire 6 months. Only 19% of the people dropped out. This indicates that exercise in a group setting was fairly effective at improving health.

My conclusion.

This study was a waste of time and money. There are many high-quality studies that show the health benefits of tai chi. This is not one of them. Always read claims like this with a critical eye.

The entire study can be read at

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3396052/pdf/cia-7-185.pdf

© 2012 Eric Borreson

Authenticity and Tai Chi

I read quite a few blogs and articles on web sites related to tai chi. I am constantly amazed at the amount of arguing going on about the tiny details about lineage and authenticity. You've probably seen them: "My style is older and more authentic." "Your style is merely derivative." "The true elements of tai chi have been removed from your style." "You shouldn't even call that tai chi."

Let's start with a definition. To some, authentic means traceable back to the original. To others, it means done as has always been done. My definition is different. You can see it at the end.

Lineage

I've even seen people claiming an authentic lineage back to the legendary Master Chang San Feng (Zhang Sanfeng). He is legendary because absolutely no historical facts exist about his life! According to one source, he lived from the year 1247 to 1447 (200 years). Another source claims there were two people with that name. One lived from 960 to 1279. The other lived from 1279 to 1368. Another source claimed that he never existed. There is absolutely no contemporary historical evidence that supports the claim that Chang San Feng had anything to with developing Nei Jing (internal arts). The earliest records claiming Chang had anything to do with martial arts was 1669. It strains credulity to accept that accurate oral records were kept for hundreds of years before being recorded much later.

My opinion: Get a life. In the words of Stanley Henning, "... the prestige of tai chi rises with hot air." (You can read his entire article here.)

Styles

There is some evidence that what we now call Chen style tai chi originated in Chen village with Chen Wangting in the early 1600s. The Chen family claims that all other styles of tai chi are derived from Chen style. I am skeptical of claims that use the word "all", but we do know that Yang, Wu, Wu (Hao), and Sun styles are derived from Chen style. I'm not sure about others.

The claims start to become unbelievable after we accept that Chen style is probably the origin of what we now call tai chi. The claims begin by saying that tai chi was completely developed at that time. Anything added later weakened, or degraded, the art. I disagree.

Yang Lu Chan, the originator of Yang style tai chi, was known by his contemporaries as Yang the Invincible. Do you really believe him guilty of degrading the art of tai chi?

Sun Lu Tang, the originator of Sun style tai chi, was a master of the fighting arts of baguazhang and xingyiquan before he learned tai chi. Do you really believe him guilty of degrading the art of tai chi?

My opinion: get a life. Different styles of tai chi were developed by skilled masters. If the new styles were not effective, they would not have survived and would no longer be taught.

Terminology

Another continuing debate is about the terminology. Is it tai chi or tai chi chuan? Or should it be t'ai chi ch'uan or t'ai⁴ chi² ch'üan²? Is it tai ji or tai ji quan? Or is it 太 极 拳  or should it be 太 極 拳? Some people practice for the martial aspects of tai chi. They prefer to include the word chuan (or quan), except when they don't. Some people practice for the health aspects of tai chi. They don't usually include the word chuan, except when they do.

Language changes and evolves. There is no evidence that the Chen family originally used the term tai chi chuan at all. According to Wikipedia (not a reliable source), the scholar Ong Tong He first used the term tai chi (taiji) to describe Yang's style of fighting.

How far back do we have to go to be authentic? Should I be speaking "Olde Ænglisc" in order to be an authentic speaker of my native language? An early translation of the bible in Old English is not even intelligible by modern readers of English:

Fæder ūre þū þe eart on heofonum

Sīe þīn nama ȝehālgod

Once again, get a life. Language changes. It's not reasonable to expect me to learn this in order to be "authentic".

Tai Chi for Health

Another debate is about modern tai chi for health programs. One person told me that I shouldn't use the term "Tai Chi" for health programs because it's not real tai chi without at least 10 years of study and experience with a tai chi master. He wanted me to call it qigong. Guess what? Qigong in this context is a modern term, dating to the 20th century. Perhaps it really should be called dao yin (guide and lead qi) or tu-na (focused breathing) in order to be authentic.

Once again, get a life. Yes, Tai Chi for Health generally does not include the Martial Arts aspects of tai chi. It is not the complete art. So what? It's Tai Chi for Health.

What Is Authentic Tai Chi?

Times change. Things evolve.

o Is it only authentic if it's old? (Has no one developed anything new?)

o Is it only authentic if it is taught by a master from China? (Has no one else ever learned enough?)

o What if it is taught in English instead of Chinese? Is it still authentic? (Translations are always imperfect.)

o Is it even authentic to say "Chinese language"? Can it be taught in Mandarin and still be authentic? Modern languages are not the same as the languages used when tai chi developed. (That translation problem again.)

o What language was used in Chen village in the 16th century? Let's all learn that language so that we will really be authentic.

My point here is that there is no end to history. What is authentic? You never reach the beginning. Nothing comes into existence out of the air. There is always something that precedes it. What counts in authenticity is something that works and achieves your purpose, not what someone else prefers to call authentic.

I welcome thoughtful comments on this post.

© 2012 Eric Borreson