{"id":4520,"date":"2022-03-16T11:59:18","date_gmt":"2022-03-16T16:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/?p=4520"},"modified":"2022-03-16T12:27:16","modified_gmt":"2022-03-16T17:27:16","slug":"meditation-in-motion-how-to-use-tai-chi-to-improve-your-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.northwestpharmacy.com\/healthperch\/meditation-in-motion-how-to-use-tai-chi-to-improve-your-health","title":{"rendered":"Meditation in Motion: How to Use Tai Chi to Improve Your Health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019re often inundated with new tips, tricks, and tools to combat the stressors of everyday life. While it\u2019s great to test innovations and find what works, we can also learn from the people and practices that came before us. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese mind and body martial art, is a gentle form of exercise that goes beyond stress management. It has been shown to reduce pain, anxiety, and depression while improving balance, strength, cognitive performance, and overall quality of life. That\u2019s not too shabby for an exercise practice that requires nothing more than your body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Interested in learning more about this ancient art? Keep reading to discover the origins of tai chi plus helpful tips for beginners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The Ancient Roots of Tai Chi<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tai chi, which some people call meditation in motion<\/a>, blends slow and soft movements with faster-paced explosive movements. While other forms of exercise build in breaks between sets or rounds, tai chi keeps the body in continuous motion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Though the practice of tai chi originated in China roughly 350 years ago<\/a>, the term appeared in the Chinese \u201cBook of Changes\u201d three centuries earlier. The ancient Chinese philosophy text says, \u201cIn all changes exists Tai Chi, which causes the two opposites in everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand tai chi, it helps to understand the concepts of qi (also spelled chi) and yin and yang, which are baked into the fabric of the movement practice. Qi describes the energy force<\/a> that flows through our bodies according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Yin and yang represent<\/a> opposing but complementary elements, such as light and dark and summer and winter. Tai chi improves the flow of qi while promoting the balance of yin and yang, according to TCM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tai chi, sometimes called shadow boxing, can be practiced while sitting, standing, or walking<\/a>. Tai chi movements often mimic certain animal actions, as in the case of \u201cwhite crane flashes its wings\u201d and \u201csnake creeps through the grass.\u201d Other movements are more straightforward, such as \u201cright heel kick\u201d and \u201ccross hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tai chi is divided into five main styles<\/a>, also called \u201cfamily styles\u201d: Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, and Hao. While the styles share certain movements, each has distinctive characteristics. No matter the style or combination of styles, a tai chi session moves through forms, which are sets of movements<\/a>. Some forms include just a handful of movements while others can surpass a hundred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Benefits of Tai Chi<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tai chi, at its core, is founded on the fluidity of slow, graceful movements<\/a> that flow from one to the next. Because this type of movement is low impact, meaning it puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, tai chi is generally safe for a wide range of fitness levels and ages. Additionally, it requires no equipment \u2014 aside from your body \u2014 and can be done just about anywhere. But the benefits don\u2019t stop there. Research suggests regularly practicing tai chi may help people:<\/p>\n\n\n\n