Tai Chi and Psychotherapy – Part Three – 7/22/19

Greetings.We are experiencing such nice, mild, yet sunny weather here in Port Townsend. The wharf and park call my name for practice. Perfect.

This week I finish sharing with you the answers to the last three questions from the Annals interview. I have received lots of feedback and I always appreciate all of you who follow the Tips, week in and week out. Don’t forget that the first two parts are on the Tips section at my website. Keep up your practice with a smile on your face.

Note: No First Saturday Workshop in August. We will start working on the Yang Style Sword (Jian) form on September 7.

My own story illustrates many of the ways a person can benefit psychologically from Tai Chi practice. I was depressed because I had too much stress and didn’t have a physical outlet to help balance that destructive energy. I was in a very negative state, filled with worry about the future. I felt uncomfortable in groups, mostly comparing myself with others. My mind would not shut down. I couldn’t hear what people were saying to me through all the mind chatter. I was ready to end my life. I just couldn’t see a way out of the pain.

My practice quickly helped me to feel better physically. That was an important step. The physical imbalance is easiest to cure. It gives a person a bit of room to take a breath and start to relax. Non-stressful, easy, relaxing exercise soothes the body and mind.

The rooting and grounding exercises of Tai Chi allow the emotions to become more stable. The highs and lows become less extreme. There is a very strong sense of Self developed, along with a strong sensation of being centered in the body.

The mind is calmed since most of the time the practitioner focuses on the body center, located in the lower belly. The communication between the body, emotions, and mental functions is strengthened through constant, conscious movement of energy between these three centers.

In the usual group-learning situation of a Tai Chi class, students learn to interact with others on all levels. Students learn to touch others and be touched in appropriate ways and to receive the support of others. Students learn to work together to achieve goals, to understand their inner workings, and to notice the energy of others. The student’s focus moves from me to us. He or she welcomes and actually absorbs the energy of the partner.

The final stages of Tai Chi study encourage the senior students to help others who are making their way along the path of self-discovery. This leads to compassion and a caring for others. The individual has moved from isolation into the community of people whose goal is self realization and openness for the good of society. The thought pattern has moved from me, to us, to all of us.

I live in a fairly unique place in the U.S. There is a high concentration of retired people who are health conscious and have the time for study and practice. I offer two main types of classes – Chi Kung and Tai Chi Chuan. The Chi Kung (Energy exercises) classes appeal to the people who are attracted to more traditional exercise programs, but with less stress and effort required. The ages tend to range from 40’s to 80’s, mainly women. These students mostly come every morning for a non-stress workout to get their energy moving and get centered for the rest of the day.

The Tai Chi Chuan classes appeal to the younger, 20’s to 60’s, group. Many come only once a week to class and then practice on their own the rest of the time. Tai Chi is more demanding physically and mentally, so the student is more committed. I make it clear from the start that learning Tai Chi requires a minimum of a year, and is really a life long study and practice. Also the martial aspects appeal more to the younger, fitness group.

It has been my practice to offer free classes to all people of high school age. On occasion, I offer an after school class for teens. It is fun, and the young people are enthusiastic.

Most of them have a hard time carrying through with all that is required to completely learn the system, as their lives are so busy. I have had a few teens that have stuck with it, and have gone on to teach. That really brings me a feeling of satisfaction, to be a part of their possible future career. I always thought that Tai Chi was for everyone because I enjoy it so much. I have come to realize that many people are just moving through life too quickly to take the time to learn something as complex as Tai Chi.

Thank you for this opportunity to share with your readers some of my ideas about Tai Chi. Tai Chi is a vast study, and like the elephant story, I can only tell you about it from my perspective, which will be different then other teachers and practitioners. For people who are interested, use the Internet. It provides all the information, and more, that a person would need to find out about this ancient Chinese system.

If one decides to attend a class, make sure to sit in on a class before committing to a lengthy program. Each teacher has a different way of approaching the art, and as wonderful as the teacher might be, it might not be the information you need to accomplish your goals. If you are young, you probably won’t want to be in a class with all seniors. If you are looking for a meditative approach, make sure the instructor isn’t a martial arts instructor from some different type of school, like karate, who has taken one Tai Chi class and now teaches it. Check on a teacher’s background, how he or she learned and how long it took before gaining an instructors certificate. All this really makes a difference in what and how you will learn.