Rejuvenating body & mind: T’ai Chi
Here are my 8 key T’ai Chi ways in which T’ai Chi helps us to recharge our bodies and minds.*
#1 In the T’ai Chi symbol we recognise the importance of life’s cycles.
There are over 200 cycles which the body runs through – from our heart rate to our circadian rhythm, our breathing and how fast our eyes are blinking. Eben Pagan* encourages us to honour these rhythms of mind, body & emotions. In T’ai Chi terms, we are accepting of what is – and build our awareness that life is in a constant state of change. Such awareness is embodied in our practice of this moving meditation. Movements are deliberate, slow and are performed as if pulling a silken thread. We perform the T’ai Chi postures as if there is no beginning and no end to the movements.
#2 Learning T’ai Chi is about the journey, not the destination itself.
Once we let go of the focus being on arriving at the destination, we can relax and enjoy the journey. We can appreciate learning for what it is. It’s humbling to be improving our technique, whilst knowing that it takes a lifetime to fully accomplish. The more we learn about T’ai Chi, the more we uncover about the things we don’t yet know.
#3 Cultivating our internal energy.
As we move into the beginning of Part I of the T’ai Chi Yang Long Form, we practise Grasping the Birds Tail, by first holding the circle in front of the body. In this posture we experience our energy building within the circle. It is a reminder that we must learn to be careful that we don’t let our energies become depleted. This is an important aspect of rejuvenating; taking steps to protect our energy reserves.
#4 Open posture empowers flowing energy.
T’ai Chi gives us an opportunity to become aware of our energy and energy flow. When life is out of kilter, we carry our stresses around with us as tension in our bodies. We might clench the muscles in our jaw, shoulders, neck, brow.
In contrast, the neutral posture of T’ai Chi practice, with its fluid movements through the waist and into the arms means that there is little resistance. We learn to allow the energy flow into our armpits – joints are open and relaxed. We are not holding onto tension anywhere in the body. Flowing energy brings a calmness, a stillness. And allows the body to operate its functions without being encumbered by the high alert ‘fight or flight’ state which stress and cortisol put the body under.
#5 Working within the limits of our own bodies.
In T’ai Chi we never stretch more than 70% of our maximum. We don’t work against the tide here. We are not pushing. We are instead accepting of where we are at any given moment. We take our exercise gently and without force. In this way we are able to build deep resilience which is hugely rejuvenating to T’ai Chi practitioners.
#6 Absence of persistent drive to win.
I know all too well the feeling of being on overdrive. I have run my own events consultancy which brings out in me that urge for persistent drive - to press on, to give more, to put in yet more effort etc.
Practising T’ai Chi reminds us that not all of life is about relentless drive. Being driven can be an amazing attribute – but it can also lead to burnout.
T’ai Chi wisdom would point to building a balance. If we continued T’ai Chi movements to the max, we would quite simply fall over. If on the other hand we consciously plan in rest, breaks, downtime to fully unwind, particularly following work ‘sprints’ – we can keep on an even keel, in readiness for our next movement.
#7 Monkey Steps to tame mind chatter.
Eben mentions the ‘monkey thoughts’ which is a metaphor for our all-pervasive mind chatter which interrupts our peace – often! In T’ai Chi we deflect these monkey thoughts in true martial arts style – walking backwards we yield, and deflect such approaches with the arms, remaining strong and confident in who we are and what we are about. So, we need to recognise our ‘monkey thoughts’ – acknowledge them as such, and then dismiss them since they don’t serve us in our quest for rest & rejuvenation.
#8 Letting go – and believing.
Eben covers “rest anxiety” in his video. T’ai Chi’s antidote to this is first of all letting go. But importantly, this needs to be coupled with the belief that letting go is ok. So much of our anxiety is fabricated by the narratives our brains are telling us. Those narratives may not be the full truth. Accepting that thoughts are just thoughts which come and go – and believing that letting go of ‘just our thoughts’ is ok to do – brings peace of mind. Not only that – but it means that we are worrying less. And the act of worrying wastes a lot of mental and physical energy.
T'ai Chi builds the perspective that just being in this moment is enough. During T’ai Chi practice we live absolutely fully present in the body – in the moment. T’ai Chi is a moving meditation – mindfulness in practice. We are not in our thinking mind worrying about the past or the future. This is imperative for recharging.
So there you have my top 8 ways in which T’ai Chi promotes rejuvenation in both body and mind.
FOOTNOTE
*This is an editted version of a previous blogpost which I published in 2019 as my response to Eben Pagan’s advice on renewal. Eben asked –
How do successful people recharge?
Eben’s link is here - http://bit.ly/1jLyFvE.
