What makes Tai Chi a healing qigong?

[jfraser]

I have been thinking about this for some time. Millions of people around the world do the "Tai Chi dance" and there has been much talk about healing and/or prevention of disease. And few of these millions have any idea of what they are doing, qigong wise, or martial art wise. They just do an empty form called Tai Chi Chuan.

So, what makes the essential 13 postures, or the form of a certain lineage, a qigong that heals, beyond a degree of exercise and relaxation? Having had some recent positive and healing experience with Dr. Yangs 8 Pieces of Brocade DVD, is part of what makes me ask this question.

Those of you that know and practice the Yang Tai Chi Qigong, what is your experience with this method, healing wise?

What kind of qigong addresses the healing of muscle tension patterns, that seem to come and go, without related cognitive processing or connections? That is, no thoughts seem to accompany these muscle tension patterns.

When qi begins to flow more in the body, does this flow bring into consciousness "the kinks in the qi channels", with resulting awareness of what Wilhelm Reich, M.D., called muscular armoring.

I have heard it said that the large frames of Tai Chi are easier to get the flow of qi going and feel it. My experience is that that has not been true for me.
What has been true for me is that learning highly refined and detailed movements, one by one, or in short sequences in the small frame gets the qi flowing in my body more that the large or medium frames. This xiao jia system is very challenging to learn. And I am up to this challenge


Thank you for your responses.

James

[Dvivid]

That's a good question. I think that for the most part you're right: many people practicing basic "Tai Chi" just do the form they've learned, without studying any theory or qigong, and they experience health benefits.

I think most likely that they are taught very simply to

1. relax and slow down
2. turn their attention inward and quiet the mind
3. take time to focus on themselves for a short while.

and in doing so, they provide the conditions for the body to stop the 'Fight or Flight' response most of us are in most of the time. In addition, this kind of no-impact slow exercise stresses the muscles, bones, and cells enough to stimulate circulation and cell replacement. The blood chemistry changes for the better during and after the practice. Tai Chi people probably build good habits, such as breathing more deeply, more often, and also relaxing deeply on a regular basis.

[yeniseri]

It is not so much slow or soft but the chansujin (silk reeling characteristics) within a posture and the transitory movements of opening/closing, ascending/descending with relaxed mind/heart (xin).

[jfraser]

To both of you, very well said.

Yeniseri,
Your brief statement was right on target, and right to the point, in answering my question. I will read and re-read it. I appreciate your TJ wisdom.

James