Authentic Tai Chi classes in
Welwyn and St Albans
HERTS School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan
What is the real purpose of regular practice?
You learn in class to be better able to practice - you don't practice to become better in class. The real reasons for a regular practice are:
To cultivate 'Qi'
A garden will grow by itself, but some plants may grow poorly without attention, and the overall structure can be lost. If you regularly cultivate your garden, it will stay in shape, plants will be healthier, and you will enjoy it more. If you regularly cultivate your qi (life force) it will show in your health & wellbeing.
Alternative exercises, such as fitness classes, running, cycling, and sports, are also healthy and fun. But to do them you already need to have good qi. Tai chi can be practised even when your qi is weak, and it helps to build up your inner reserves of qi.
To 'embody' relaxation
Maintaining a daily practice is difficult. On the face of it there are always valid reasons to skip it - like a long list of other things to do! However, the real truth is that we often avoid practice because we do not feel relaxed enough or good enough to do it. But practice is to help you relax and feel good enough...
Can you feel there is stiffness, tension, or weakness in your body - and be 'ok' with that? Can you feel that you don’t do the form perfectly - and be 'ok' with that? When we say 'relax' in tai chi we don't just mean physically, we mean mentally - switching off the self-critical voice which is saying you are 'not ok' as you are.
This aspect of tai chi is more important than the precise form of the postures. So, learning the postures in your weekly class isn't where you get most of the benefits from tai chi. You get those from letting tai chi practice bring relaxation into your daily life. That is what we mean by 'embodying' tai chi.
BTW…Your teachers probably have the same struggles with practice!
To make 'meditation' a habit
The benefits of meditation have been well-established for centuries and more recently recognised by neuroscientists. However, some people find it difficult to sit still and ‘meditate’. They can find it easier to develop a meditative habit via the slow and graceful movements of the tai chi form..
During practice, we choose to focus our attention on one place. For example we might focus on the tantien (our centre), or on our breathing, or on the flow of Yin & Yang, or even on the 'bubbling spring' in the sole of each foot. Our attention will almost certainly wander during the round, but we can gently bring it back to our intended focus. This is a form of 'mindfulness' meditation
We can also choose to notice and let go negative emotions, and to intentionally focus instead on positive feelings of love and care for ourselves and others. That is also a form of meditative practice that is very good for our mental health and well-being.