Nature's Supreme Efficiency

Nature is phenomenally efficient. Nothing is wasted. There are no losses of energy in the universe. However much energy can be condensed or extended, it remains constant. Approximating nature in movement gets closer to an accuracy portrayal of nature's way.

Qi=Energy: Mysterious Words to Understand

Qi is a word used to describe the basic energy that flows through nature. It is not a mystical thing. The universe and all its components are made of energy. Therefore, Qi expresses itself in infinite ways. Form and substance are made of energy. Thoughts and emotions are made of energy. Light and mass are made of it, as well. Like so many of the mysterious things that make up life, no words can adequately describe Qi's essence or totality.

Qi is innate. It is the spark that animates a living being. It is invisible, measurable by its effects. Energy reaches into every form of life and matter. For this reason, Qi is ubiquitous and therefore hard to quantify or identify. Qi or energy are merely words used to describe the indescribable. From the standpoint of view of being human, Qi is essentially nature's life force.

Taijiquan is designed to cultivate and nurture this essence and to help us reach our full potential. Like a seed, the potential is within. When properly cared for, its potential will be fulfilled. The acorn will grow only into an oak tree. The corn kernel will become a corn stalk. The tomato seed will yield tomatoes. The seed of a thing can only become the thing it is. So it is with human Qi. You can only blossom into yourself.

Five Element Theory and Energy Meridians

Furthermore, the meridians associate with the Five Element Theory. Kidneys and Bladder are Water. Liver and Gallbladder are Wood. Heart and Small Intestine are Fire. Spleen and Stomach are Earth. Lung and Large Intestine are Metal. The two other Meridians are the Triple Warmer and the Pericardium.

In addition to the twelve primary meridians related to the organs, there are the central channel meridians. The Governing meridian or vessel begins at the perineum and runs up the back along the spine, over the top of the head to the upper lip where it connects to the Conception Vessel which descends down the front of the body through the navel and genitals until it connects with the Governing Vessel at the perineum.

The Power of Substance

Taijiquan emulates the energetic nature of water by following its behaviors. Water cannot be compressed. It flows. It freezes. It vaporizes. Water is the softest substance, yet it is powerful enough to dissolve mountains. Water submits to gravity without exception, always seeking the lowest path. It penetrates the smallest cracks. A single drop that falls into the ocean is instantly indistinguishable from the ocean it joined.

Wu Shing: the Five-Elements

Wu Shing describes five elements and how they interact. The five elements represent different phases and explain the inner workings of myriad phenomenon. The theory has been in use for thousands of years. It is a cornerstone of Chinese Medical Theory describing how the different organ systems interact by nurturing and balancing health.

The elements are Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. They are governed by two cycles. One is creative and the other is destructive. In the creative cycle the elements feed one another. While the same elements in the destructive cycle diminish each other.

Picture a five-sided pentagram combined with a five-pointed star. The supporting cycle goes as follows: Wood fuels Fire; Fire deposits Earth (ash); Earth (minerals) coalesces into Metal; Metal liquefies into Water; Water nourishes Wood (plants). The destructive cycle goes as follows: Metal chops Wood; Wood penetrates Earth (roots); Earth dams Water; Water quenches Fire; Fire melts Metal. Moving clockwise around the pentagram follows the constructive cycle. The star pattern marks the destructive cycle.

In Taijiquan, five directions describe movement in space. Since humans have the freedom to move locations, the directions of those transitions are forward (metal--penetrating), backward (wood—drawing inward), right (fire—clinging), left (water—adapting), and center (earth—holding position). So Wu Shing is used to define the footwork of Taijiquan.

The Power of Intrinsic Strength

You accrue many benefits at every level from the practice. Key among these benefits is the ability to maintain structural integrity leaving you free to move in a relaxed and powerful way.

In Taijiquan, we distinguish movements propelled by the natural, alignments and Qi from the movements requiring muscle power. You learn how to identify the structural strength of your body. When properly aligned and relaxed you can express great power without effort. This is different from the strength you issue with our muscles. Just as a chair with thin wooden legs can support our weight easily when correctly aligned, if you lean back on the chair, those same spindly legs will snap under the weight.