It is a meditation in movement, where the physical body, mind and relaxed breathing interact to achieve, at least in theory, peace, serenity and harmony.
“In Colombia we learn it and practice it as a form of meditation in movement, where the physical body, mind, and relaxed breathing interact to achieve, at least in theory, peace, serenity, and harmony,” the renowned EL TIEMPO told journalist Gloria Cecilia Gómez, who met him through her husband in 2007 and He’s been doing it almost every day since then..
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In his opinion, this is “the great challenge” of Tai Chi because It requires perseverance, discipline and effort. Beyond learning the technique, it is expected that “serenity, simplicity and detachment” will also be cultivated, his teacher, Qingxun Liu, who was born in Beijing and has taught in Colombia for 30 years, frequently reiterates.
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Liu learned Tai Chi, or Taijiquan as he calls it, in China from two of the foremost masters of the wu style: Wang Peisheng and Ma Changxun, and has been teaching in this modality for three decades.
In the yang, which is the most popular style, with 108 different movements, long and soft movements predominatewhich do not alter the rhythm of breathing or strength and is recommended for beginners or older people.
Chen is more complicated because it goes from relaxation to explosion without interruption. in a single movement and that is why experts recommend that, before choosing any modality, the physical condition be taken into account.
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The philosophy of the Dao refers, above all, to the path that the human being traces to conduct himself in personal and social life and became visible with the philosophers of the Confucian school, who emphasizes ethics and individual virtues to build a stable society and government. The renowned and respected Chinese thinker Kong Fuzi, Latinized as Confucius, was his inspiration.
Gloria Cecilia maintains that she had never heard or seen anything about this Chinese martial art, until she began to see it and practice it at home 15 years ago. “The first thing that seduced me was those strange but beautiful and graceful movements. Sa smooth and slow practice, tremendously challenging and complex as I have been able to verify it”.
Tai Chi was born in China about four centuries ago, but very little is known about their true origins. It would have been created by the Shan monk San-Feng, with an emphasis on meditation.
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Their movements, slow, light and elegant, would be based on that of animals and would remind those of “flowing like water”, which is a symbol element of yin and yang in Chinese culture.
Experts affirm that the daily practice of Tai Chi helps calm the mind, promote relaxation, increase mental clarity, to strengthen the muscles and that practicing it, along with breathing before going to bed, combats insomnia and improves the quality of rest.
Tai Chi differs from yoga, originally from India, beginning with its origin. Also in movements: it is done standing while yoga uses all parts of the bodyincluding the arms, to handle the weight of the body.
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Among the benefits attributed to it are the asthma control, with the different types of deep breathing used in each movement. It requires breathing in a natural, smooth, calm, deep, continuous and rhythmic way.
If Tai Chi is practiced regularly, It would also increase the mobility of joints such as those of the shoulders, knees and back and would influence the conservation of aerobic capacity, which is reduced with ageing. The practice of Tai Chi is also recommended to alleviate and avoid back pain.
In Tai Chi, the concepts of yin and yang (opposing forces) are used to help restore the flow of ‘qi’
The combination of gentle exercises and the control of breathing in Tai Chi not only provide benefits to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, improve muscle strength and endurance, balance and flexibility, but also provide better mental health, according to experts.
“According to traditional Chinese medicine, an energy known as ‘qi’ (pronounced ‘chi’) runs through our bodies. If you are stressed or unwell, it is believed that the flow of ‘qi’ has been altered”, state specialized doctors from the Sanitas centers and hospitals on the company’s platform.
They say it’s also useful in cases of rheumatoid arthritis and helps to improve flexibility, especially in the ankles, and to reduce high blood pressure in people who have had a heart attack.
“The benefits of Tai Chi in the long term are not well known, so it will be necessary to have more precision on how this practice affects the functioning of the body. However, It is a safe and healthy form of exercise, which stimulates mental health, being able to contribute well-being and happiness ”, they specify.
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But this martial art would not only improve the mental and physical health of its practitioners, but also would delay aging. Experts recommend that it not be practiced automatically, thinking about something else, but rather that it be done with concentration, focused on the changes in activity of each movement.
Gloria Cecilia admits that her life has changed since she practiced Tai Chi. “My work and sentimental interests are no longer the same. Even I have developed a connection, a greater awareness with animals through my cat Flora who has been with me for six years. It is the first time that I have a pet; that I share my daily life with a living being, without ego, and the experience has been a revelation”.
For Ma Yueliang (1901-1998), the famous Manchu taijiquan master and main student of Wu Jianquan, the founder of wu-style taijiquan, taught by Master Liu in Colombia, “Tai Chi has no mystique. What is difficult is perseverance. It took me ten years to discover my chi, but thirty to learn how to use it. Once you see the benefit, you won’t want to stop.”
