\nStretching the muscles. Loosening the joints. Improvement in circulation of the blood. Achieving flexibility of the body.
\nMovements come from what the Chinese call \u2018wu-wei\u2019 or \u2018not- doing\u2019; from letting go, from stillness.
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.celestialtaichi.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1210-tour6-22px.jpg\")
\u2018Sinking the weight\u2019 establishes roots; we re-learn our connection to the earth.\nSuspending the skeleton from the crown of the head ensures the energy flows upward towards the spirit (shen).
\nEnjoyment of good health and longevity: \u201dAre you able to gather your intrinsic energy to attain the suppleness of a new-born baby?\u201d (Lao Tzu).<\/strong>
\nContinuity in movement: the body should move like the rhythmic flow of water on a river or like the rolling waves of the ocean.<\/p>\n
MIND<\/strong> SPIRIT<\/strong> Compiled by Joe Pellone<\/strong> \u2013 Brighton<\/p>\n SOURCES:<\/strong><\/p>\n How does Tai Chi provide us comprehensive guidance? And how can we consider applying the benefits to our own context? Consider the “body, mind and spirit” model… BODY Stretching the muscles. Loosening the joints. Improvement in circulation of the blood. Achieving flexibility of the body. Movements come from what the Chinese call \u2018wu-wei\u2019 or \u2018not- […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-health-benefits"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2907"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2911,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2907\/revisions\/2911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.wrcsites.com.au\/ctc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nFind empty time not crowded with activity. Give yourself permission to be quiet, calm, relaxed.
\nWe receive in proportion to what we give. Selfdiscipline is important and becomes a healthy compulsion. Initially, it\u2019s an act of faith.
\nThe mind should be calm; if it is not one cannot concentrate. Concentration serves as the medium to increase the feeling of awareness of Chi.
\nUse an imaginary opponent to enhance concentration.
\nDetermination. Constancy in practice. Patience. Never give up. Keep trying even if you think you get it wrong. Persistence pays off.
\nChang Sang-feng,<\/strong> the reputed father of Tai Chi and a Taoist monk wrote \u201cUltimately, everything depends on one\u2019s will or mind and not on the external appearance of the movements.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nSpirit (Shen) cannot be clearly put into words but is often referred to in Tai Chi.
\nIt is one of the qualities considered when evaluating a Tai Chi performance in competition.
\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.celestialtaichi.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/1210-tour7-20px.jpg\")
It is seen in the posture, in the concentration, in the wholeness and completeness of the art.
\nWhen we are really in the moment, in \u2018the zone\u2019, opened up to something greater than ourselves, we are possessed by and demonstrating spirit.
\nThe form is but an empty shell filled with inner vitality; the spirit makes it live.
\nIn giving form to energy the spirit is made physical.
\nDo not let the spirit extend outward and get lost; rather let it be condensed inward and recycled.
\nGive yourself up completely, both physically and mentally.
\nYield totally to the universe.
\nYield to the infinite.
\nRelax and merge into the unity which the Chinese philosophy describes as the \u2018integration of sky and human\u2019.<\/p>\n\n
\nBenjamin Pang Jeng Lo, Martin Inn, Robert Amacker & Susan Foe (1979).<\/li>\n