Tai Chi

Martial arts are often portrayed as mere pugilism. It is easy to regard them purely as methods of violence, but such a view is woefully incomplete. The self-discipline required of serious martial artists can actually make them mature, level-headed, friendly individuals. In fact, many students of one particular fighting system are not even interested in combat. They learn how to punch for the sake of bodily health and mental tranquility. They learn taijiquan, or tai chi.

Taijiquan (tai chi chuan, t'ai ch'i ch'uan) is commonly translated to "supreme ultimate fist." It is a martial art that emphasizes yin-yang philosophy and efficiency of movement. There are several main branches or styles of taijiquan: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao), Wu, and Sun. Each style is named after its founder and reflects his particular mindset concerning martial arts.

Taijiquan is an internal martial art. As such, practitioners focus on sensations within the body. Moving slowly allows them to carefully study how their muscles and bones work together. They ask themselves questions like "Do I have correct posture? Where do I feel tension or pain? Am I coordinating my whole body in unison?" They also think about yin and yang in the context of fighting. Hard and soft, push and pull, rise and fall, slow and fast, advance and retreat. This inward focus leads to heightened physical awareness and peace of mind.

Taijiquan's slow, meditative method of practice makes it a well-suited exercise for sick and elderly people. These practitioners may not be concerned about combat readiness, but they reap benefits for their health. Taijiquan promotes many things: deep breathing, good blood pressure, increased balance and coordination, a calm and focused mind, and increased blood circulation. Far from being just a fighting system, taijiquan is studied as a tool for longevity and personal growth.

What does Yin-Yang mean?

Yin and yang are complementary opposites. Whenever you observe a system that oscillates between two extremes, you are witnessing yin and yang at work. Whenever you see two interrelated parts that form a whole, that is yin-yang. Nature has countless examples of this principle. The seasonal cycle goes from maximum heat in summer to minimum heat in winter. Electromagnetic waves oscillate between maximum and minimum field strengths. Even subatomic particles can show yin and yang qualities. The electron is the yin particle; it is relatively weightless and has a negative charge. The proton is the yang particle; it is very massive, or full, and has a positive charge. They have opposite charges and are thus drawn to each other. Together, they form a complete, neutral atom. Fused into one particle, they become the neutron, the wuji particle. Wuji means perfect balance or stillness, when yin and yang have combined and neutralize each other. Thermodynamics is a good example of this. Given enough time, a concentration of heat (yang) will spread to cool areas (yin) until there is uniform temperature everywhere (wuji). This is how the universe works. Yin and yang originated from Daoist efforts to find patterns and cycles in nature. Categorizing things into either yin or yang is not as important as recognizing the dependence between the two. Think about the balance rather than the labels. The yin-yang symbol, also called the taijitu, shows how yin and yang form an endless cycle. Below are some examples of yin and yang.

Yang	Up	Outward	Full	Hard	Push	Male	Positive	Hot
Yin	Down	Inward	Empty	Soft	Pull	Female	Negative	Cold