Principles

Major Principles of Tai Chi

Body Posture and Position
Maintain upright, relaxed position
Hold head and neck naturally erect, with mind concentrated on the crown of the head
Round it: Keep chest slightly inward, shoulders relaxed, pelvis tucked
Ground it: Sink shoulders, elbows, ground feet, knees slightly bent over ball of feet
Relax the waist
Loosen, or song, your joints
Keep your tongue lightly resting on upper palate, behind front teeth

Breathing
Breathe deeply, expanding the abdomen with each breath (belly breathing)
Coordinate breathing with body movements

Empty and Fill
Shift weight from one leg to the other, allowing the body to move easily between postures: Xu (“Shoe”) is empty (weightless leg), Shi (“Shee”) is full, solid (weighted leg)

Internal Awareness
Integrate mind with the body
Cultivate consciousness through circulation of Qi, or life force within you
Be aware of the tan dien, or body’s center ( 3 fingers below navel, 3 fingers inward)

Coordination of Upper and Lower
The root is in the feet
The qi is launched through the legs
Controlled by the waist and torso
Expressed by the fingers
Into a harmonious whole

Harmony between Internal and External
Lead with the mind, the body follows
Open (yang) and close (yin) the gates (kai is open, he is closed)

Flowing Movement
Move like a river, flowing continuously
Move against an imagined resistance, like “swimming in air”

Mindfulness
Maintain tranquility throughout all movement: jing (quiet) your mind
Fill both mind and body with spirit
Be fully focused in the present moment

If it hurts, don’t do it!
Have fun! Smile!

Adapted from materials by Donna Frelick, AIMAS, Yeng Chengfu, and Dr Paul Lam