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Tai Ji by Chungliang Al Huang |
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Tai Ji is a universal medium for the cultivation of Body, Mind, and Spirit. It is natural. It is perennial. it is for everyone, of all ages. It is easy to learn. It can be joyful and exciting to practice. It is a dance of life to be treasured. It is for you
THE ORIGINS OF TAI JI
Tai Ji Myths
Fu Hsi, the mythical ruler of China's first dynasty, Hsia(2205-1766 B.C.) , invented the Tai Ji practice, and his revelations about the tansformation of the universe became the original diagrams of the ancient book, the I Ching.
A taoist monk, probably during Tang Dynasty (618-906 A.D.) was inspired to create Tai Ji while observing a combat between a snake and a sparrow.
Another monk, in Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368 A.D.) learned to do Tai Ji in a dream
Other stories-historically more factual- are about recluses throughout the ages who created Tai Ji as a healthful meditations, and for self-defense purposes.
THE REAL FAIRYTALE
Once upon a time, somewhere, anywhere in the world, there was a man(or woman) sitting on a mountaintop, quietly observing nature. He became so inspired by the movements of the world around him that he began to dance, imitation all the natural elements he could easily identify. He opened himself completely to the forces of nature. he became the forces: sky, earth, fire, water, trees, flowers, wind, cloud, birds, fishes, and butterflies. His dance became ecstatic, completely transforming and transcendent. so happy with himself, he then poetically named each movement motif: bubble of the Cosmos, Yin/Yang harmonic Loop, White Cranes Flashing Wings, CloudWaving Hands, Golden Birds Balancing on One Leg, Embrace Tiger Return to Mountain.
he or she was teh originator of Tai Ji dance. His moment of creation could have happend thousands of years ago or could have happend right now , this moment, somewhere, anywhere in the world.
THE MEANING OF TAI JI
We identify with the growing tree-from root(our feet and legs) to trunk (pelvis and torso), then out to branches and twigs(arms and fingers) to leaves, blossoms and fruits(our endless creative expression)
We recognize the humble human, stretched within out potential power, connected between heaven(upper horizontal stroke) and earth (lower base stroke) to unify (circle-square) and to interact( figure 8 infinity loop) etenally as we recycle our energies. Ji is a blueprint, a guide, a mirror reflection of our body as teacher. It shows the body's innate intelligence, its wisdom
Tai Ji literally means the "great ultimate" of practical daily living.
Tai Ji movement, as with nature,
has little to do witih
human purposefulness,
ego-control, or
calculating analysis.
It simply IS.
We describe Tai Ji as the
no-mind,
no-control,
no-purpose
Dance of Nature,
of
Living.
If the many legs of a centipede were controlled by thinking mechanisms, the poor creature would never take another step.
THE CONCEPT OF CHI
Chi is the forces of the cosmos, between heaven and earth. It is the primal life energy that we receive fom our parents, as the received from their ancestors since the beginning of time.
Chi is the air we breathe, and the food we eat, and teh enveloping atmosphere, both natural and unnatural, that we respond to. it is emotional, psychical and attitudinal feelings and sensations, according to our human responses to life.
When we feel good about our environment and the people around us, we feel more enegized. We have more Chi power. Tai Ji practice teaches us to enhance this power in our lives by using our bodies effectively, as channels for energy of the lifeforces in our daily activities.
YIN/YANG POLARITY
The original meaning shown in the Chinese written characters depicts the ever-changing shady and sunny sides of a mountain. It is a philosophy of continuous interplay of the natural forces, such as night and day altternating, warm and cold seasons changing in cycles, and woman and man coupling and harmonizing. Yin/Yang is a complete concept with dual possibilities, inseparable and constantly striving to complement and unify.
In Tai Ji, every posture and movement is based on transforming duality into Yin/Yang polarity.
DANTIEN
The literal meaning of Dantien is the field (or reservoir) of vital essence, the gut force in the belly. It is a centered and contained power-feeling inside and around the lower abdomen.
In Tai Ji, every gesturer of the Chi-flow begins and ends in the Dantien.
 BUZZ911LIGHTYEAR · Tue Mar 15, 2005 @ 12:53am · 0 Comments |
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