by Alonzo “Zochi” Young (ATCQA Certified Master Instructor)
I could list plenty of medical reasons and benefits of why one should practice Tai Chi. I could also speak of its martial / liberatory origins. I could speak about Qi, (energy and breath work) which it inherited from other disciplines and modified itself into its own form of Yoga. Instead, I choose to speak about the unique qualities of Tai Chi.
What makes Tai Chi unique and evolutionary?
Tai Chi ultimately is the art of stillness in motion. It is an art of mindfulness, intention, and above all… it is a practice of Tai Chi that is mental and self-liberating. Tai Chi requires the practitioner to be fearless in the eye of the storm and honest with themselves. This translates to a state of connectedness and being in relationship with the ALL, which further deepens our connections with our humanity.
Unlike some practices, Tai Chi is a practice of just being with what is (what we may not be able to change) and also working with those things we can change. Its historical liberatory, existential philosophies, and its core roots teach the practitioner how to maintain one’s center, balance, and awareness – all while embodying stillness as we navigate chaos. Basically, practicing Tai Chi cultivates the capacity to be with whatever arises. When we practice, we gather wisdom, knowledge, and support from those who came before us and bring these attributes forward into each unfolding moment.
My Zen teacher – Rev. angel Kyodo williams – would always speak about how there were many who sat on the cushion and evenly find levels of stillness but were unable to be a balanced human being in everyday life. The practice of Tai Chi is an active extension of seated meditation as we move like spinning dervishes with mindful intention adapting to change. All of this occurs while keeping our humanity intact and maintaining our awareness of the internal and external elements at the same time. Being “ONE “with what is presented in each moment that we may not be able to change while, working with or getting assistance to improve what is required for us to enhance our abilities and humanness simultaneously.
The Intimate Way of Touch
This state of “being with” what is and “working with” what is, has its practical everyday applications, especially since we spend most of our waking life in movements of some kind and facing unexpected challenges of various forms of conflicts during the course of our work/live & love lives. Not only are we moving… there is the requirement to be in relationship, to listen, and to connect. This practice of Tai Chi changes us at the quantum neurological level, with the ability to transform or shift our consciousness, mental fortitude, and spiritual well-being to manage conflict and/or chaos while enhancing our abilities to listen and communicate to one another first through the imitate “act of touch”. Then later, as we progress in our practice it expands our intuitive capacities to instinctively hear the unspoken. Therefore, reducing the intensity and our spontaneous reactions to stress and trauma (the very roots of chronic illness and death), offering us an alternative legacy of acquired immunities and ultimately a new shared vision.
As my Tai Chi teacher, Professor T.Y. Pang would say “Tai Chi allows us to move from our habitual life to our natural/authentic state of being”. Which in turn provides us the capacity to evolve and step away from the grand narrative worldview and re-member/embody all of our talents and abilities where we may thrive.
Why Tai Chi? Tai Chi is about manifesting and maintaining the elements of harmony (Maat) in our lives, and it is the sweet ambrosia of life.
