The Tai Chi space How to move in Tai Chi and Qi Gong : a pictorial guide
Book - 2017
This pictorial guide with supporting text is the first of its kind, illuminating the fundamentals of the arts of tai chi and qi gong through metaphor and visuals that are easy to understand.Beginning students will learn basic principles in a simple format, while experienced stylists will discover nuances that shed light on the secrets of deep, internal, and energetic training that powers the well-documented health and healing benefits of the arts.
Saved in:
- Subjects
- Published
-
London :
Aeon Books
2017.
- Language
- English
- Main Author
- Physical Description
- xvii, 122 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
- Bibliography
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 121-122).
- ISBN
- 9781904658986
- About the Author
- About the Artist
- Acknowledgements
- Foreword
- Introduction
- All Forms Are Not Created Equal
- Myth Is an Image
- Journey towards Unity
- Through the Eyes of the Ancients
- How Principles Are Presented
- Three Stages for Embodying Internal Principles
- Why Use Tai Chi Postures?
- Visual Lexicon
- Who Can Benefit from This Book?
- Creating a Practice Microcosm
- Part 1. Fundamental Principles: Nuts and Bolts
- Principle 1. Cultivate the Arts
- Separate and Combine
- Cyclic Training
- Principle 2. The Rule of Thirds
- Principle 3. Become Sung
- Principle 4. Build the Pyramid of Giza
- 11 Steps to Good Posture
- Principle 5. Breathe with the Diaphragm
- Principle 6. The Mind's Focus
- Principle 7. Crow Your Root
- Phase 1. Plant Your Feet and Sink Your Qi
- Phase 2. Release Tension to Develop Your Root
- Principle 8. Moving in Three-Dimensional Space
- Principle 9. Arms Are Led by Hands and Wrists
- Principle 10. Create Circular Motion
- Principle 11. Water Doesn't Flow through a Kinked Hose
- Principle 12. Shifting Weight Is Like Walking Upstairs
- Principle 13. The Body Turns Like a Revolving Door
- Principle 14. The Down Creates the Up
- Principle 15. Move Like a Puppet on a String
- Principle 16. Don't Play the Juggler
- The Five Primary Principles
- Part 2. Internal Principles for Connectivity and Flow
- Principle 17. Warm Up Body and Mind
- Beginning Form
- Principle 18. The Body Operates Like the Powertrain of a Car
- Peng (Ward Off)
- Principle 19. Soften to Close, Release to Open
- Lu (Roll Back) and Ji (Press)
- Principle 20. The Body Makes Use of Anchors
- An (Push)
- Principle 21. Opposites Spread Open the Body
- Single Whip
- Principle 22. Grow Like a Tree
- Lift Hands
- Principle 23. The Six Connections
- Shoulder Strike
- Principle 24. Tune in to Heaven Above and Earth Below
- White Crane Spreads Its Wings
- Principle 25. Create Balanced Openings
- Brush Knee
- Principle 26. The Continuum of Empty versus Full
- Play Guitar (Play the Lute)
- Principle 27. All Body Parts Move Like a Swiss Clock
- Step Forward, Parry and Punch
- Principle 28. Balance Yin and Yang Energies
- Apparent Close Up
- Principle 29. The Body Moves in Circles
- Cross Hands
- Part 3. Deeper Principles for Fluidity and Energy Development
- Principle 30. Generate Internal Momentum
- Embrace the Tiger, Return to the Mountain
- Principle 31. Turbine Power Eradicates Inertia
- Fist under Elbow
- Principle 32. Swing the Pendulum
- Repulse Monkey
- Principle 33. Spring the Five Bows
- Slanted Flying
- Principle 34. Unify the Yin Snake and the Yang Crane
- White Crane Spreads Its Wings
- Principle 35. Sinking Creates Rising
- Needle at Sea Bottom and Fan through Back
- Principle 36. Energy Moves Fluids, Fluids Nourish the Body
- Turn and Chop with the Fist
- Principle 37. Balance the Sphere
- Lu and Ji
- Principle 38. Become a Sandbag
- Single Whip
- Principle 39. Ride the Wave
- Waving Hands Like Clouds
- Principle 40. Moving into Stillness
- Single Whip
- Principle 41. Gather and Bank
- Closing Form
- Principle 42. Postures Link into Fluid Forms
- Afterword
- Blood and Qi Are Inseparable
- The Fabric of the Internal Arts
- Practicalities
- To Advance, First Retreat
- Moving towards the Tai Chi Space
- References