Advice on Learning Tai Chi Chuan

Tai Chi is one of those studies that the more you learn, the more interesting and rewarding it becomes.  Persistence usually results with an endlessly fascinating practice, one that can change your life.

It is extremely important to attend class regularly and therefore clear your calendar in order to fully commit this time to tai chi study.

Generally, it takes quite a few classes to begin to appreciate its value. Random attendance will leave a student constantly “catching up” and unable to absorb more information. If the process feels right, you will want to continue.  Of course, life does happen, and missing a class from time to time will not impede progress.

Over time, one will experience many aspects of tai chi and begin to feel the benefits. We learn the sequence slowly because the broad range of skills that are required cannot be covered in a single class. Technique informs the quality of movement and the quality of movement informs the technique. You learn the notes, then you learn  to sing. To attend many classes increases your opportunity to learn the postures such that you can practice them at home. This contributes to a wonderful feeling that is unique to tai chi.

Tai chi is an investment in time. This is “experiential” learning, not memorization or rote imitation. In a typical American lifestyle, we tend to think that we can grab it on the fly and run with it. With tai chi, this approach will leave you disappointed and probably bored. The real excitement comes when aspects are understood and practiced on a regular basis with calm attention, ease, relaxation and integration.

Daily Practice Recommended

Daily practice, a few minutes twice a day, is also recommended. It is important to find a regular time when you can take a few minutes to let go of other activities and completely focus on practice. Tai chi is a series of consecutive movements called postures. As the class learns additional postures in the sequence, one needs to have mastered the previous postures in order to learn the next posture. There are 37 postures. This is a practice and therefore practicing outside of class is your goal.

Practice is where you gain the benefits of tai chi. Class is where you learn how to do tai chi. Regularity is very important in tai chi study. The challenge here is to introduce some sense of discipline.