"Tai Chi Chuan manipulates the conscious mind, not the physical force."
I am fortunate to live in Black Mountain, Southern Appalachians, Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina, USA. Our elevation downtown is 2,405 feet. We are nearly 8,000 people living in a municipality of 6.5 square miles. We are lucky to have a $4 million-plus sports facility. How does all that relate to my review of Steffan de Graffenried's paperback of the year 2007, ANATOMY OF YANG FAMILY TAI CHI: GUIDE FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS? *** At the fitness center, in the course of a single week you can watch or take part in classes in Yang Family Long Form (13 Postures, 108 Movements) Tai Chi. There are also classes in Feldenkrais, Yoga and there are teachers and trainers who have their own private facilities for Pilates, Reiki treatments, physical therapy and related arts of movement and health. I have either taken or watched those courses for years here and elsewhere; and that experience, plus reading books like ANATOMY OF YANG FAMILY TAI CHI give me a basis for comparing one discipline with another. I see great similarities of world view, ethos and beliefs about health in tai chi, qigong (chi kung), yoga, reiki, Pilates and particularly Feldenkrais. Those arts are in a distinctly other world from activities like hard, at time ferocious karate, American football and Rugby. *** In this review, please allow me to focus, through reference to texts of author de Graffenried, on the mental or spiritual dimension of tai chi. There are other dimensions, of course. But mind and will are the ultimate movers in tai chi. *** (1) Tai chi has two goals; the first is to infuse consciousness into every move you make (p. 13). (2) You must allow "your Qi (internal energy) to be directed and carried by your Yi (will or intention)" (p. 17). (3) "Positive intention (i.e. thoughts of love, happiness, joy or an optimistic attitude) strengthens your partner and those around you" (p.23). (4) "The essence of Tai Chi Chuan is to use the conscious mind not the force" (p. 35, 40). (5) Tai chi has 13 basic Postures (p. 19). Each of the 13 has its own unique Jing, i.e. intrinsic energy -- made up of "Li (muscular strength) and the integrity of the Chuan Jia (fighting frame)," i.e. "the perfect structural alignment of your tendons and bones." Only mind, not force, can create your fighting frame (p. 17). Your conscious mind must, as it were, breathe your intrinsic energy (Jing) into each of the 13 postures, with no wavering of intensity (p. 77). *** If there is anything in the five tai chi insights above which is incompatible with the equally slow, much more minute awareness-driven movements of Feldenkrais classes, would someone please show me where? In addition to the mind and spirit dimension of tai chi, author Graffenried also frames martial arts within general Chinese views of man in the universe and in healthy living. He includes 30 or so grainy black and white photos to illustrate historical personages, the 13 postures and more. He adds a handful of practical stretching exercises and a brief bibliography. A very good read for beginner or advanced in tai chi. -OOO-
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Overview
Anatomy of Yang Family Tai Chi is a must have for any serious student. This important resource for both students and teachers exposes the true meaning behind the flowery, esoteric language of Tai Chi's classic Chinese texts and offers concrete examples of the principles of Tai Chi in action. Once ambiguous concepts come to life with real-world examples and photographs. In addition to breaking through language barriers that often make the secrets of Tai Chi inaccessible to western students, this book offers simple, physical methods for testing progress in both structural alignment and Qi development. For teachers there are methodology tips that will help your students to grasp and incorporate concepts which once seemed