Tai Chi translated is “the supreme balance” and refers to the the cosmological relationship of Yin and Yang. Chuan means “fist”, or “boxing” and refers to being a martial art.

It can be written in different ways:

• 太极拳 (simplified chinese)
• Tài chí chuán (Wade-Giles)
• Tàijí quān (Pinjin)

Sometimes it easier to say what its not:

• Although it can quiet the monkey mind and help you being in the moment, it is not just a meditation.
• In spite of the wonderful health benefits, it is not a fitness exercise.
• There is no hard hitting in the practice, no stress simulation and no tricks, so a Tai Chi Class is usualy not a self defence course.
• and there are also no rules and no points to gain, so its not a combat sport.

So what is it?

• It is a inner martial art that originated from China.
• It is a complete system that focuses on strengthening the health and rejuvenating the body.
• It can be practiced by people of all ages and fitness levels.
• and finally, as Master Ma (Tun Kuen) has put it:

Tai Chi is a philosophy, that is understood through the body._
Ma Tsun Kuen

Tai Chi Principles

The Tai Chi classics is a collection of early writings about tai chi. They are a set of principles that guide the practice and understanding of Tai Chi Chuan. You can find an overview here.

In short essence, the principles (as i understand them) are:

• Don’t use your muscle force.
• Don’t lean or over-extend or use your body weight momentum.
• No double weightedness: When one part gets full, some other part gets empty.
• Everything moves together: When one part is still, all parts are still and when one part moves, all the parts move.

Health aspect

Self
Reconnect body and mind, through harmony and relaxation, balance and focus.

Regular practice works on posture, breathing, the ability to cope with stress, releases tension and improves balance.

It can quiet the monkey mind and strengthen mental focus.

Martial aspect

Self & Other: The “Chuan” in Tai Chi Chuan
There are no rules in martial art, only politeness. That said, this not a self defence class, nor a combat sport, yet all aspects of tai chi chuan root deeply in martial art and are practised as such.
All movements in the form stem from martial applications and we examine them in partner work, to understand the techniques and the principles behind them. “Boxing” tui shou, partner work, can take different forms and therefore also be seen as a soft sparring, that focuses on technical aspects. It is much more than that of course, creating the possibilty to “listen” with your hands and to create connection without words, learning about the balance and boundaries of your opponent (and yourself).

The soft overcomes the hard, everybody knows it, but nobody is able to act upon it.
Lao Tzu

Holistic aspect

Self? & Universe: The Tai Chi in Tai Chi Chuan
The Tai Chi symbol visualizes the supreme balance and the cosmological relationship of Yin and Yang. As mentioned before, TCC is also a philosophy, that is understood through the body. The practice can be a way to connect to the universe, to the Tao, to the way of things. It can be a way to understand the world and your place in it. This is of course a personal journey and quite probably a very different experience for each and everyone.