If we could bottle the health benefits of practising T’ai Chi, the bottles would disappear off the shelves in a flash. In our high pressured society people spend millions of pounds on; pills, potions and diet plans that offer a quick fix to weight loss and common ailments, but at what real cost to your health? cosmetic procedures and products that promise to make you look younger, but for how long? fitness challenges, new training equipment and gym memberships that ignite your enthusiasm and motivation, but how long before you are skipping more sessions than you are attending and the new gym equipment becomes just another place to stack your laundry?
When you open a pill bottle you follow the instructions and expect the pills to work. Unless you are qualified in that specific field you have no idea why they should work, you just follow the instructions.
It is the same with our movements, all you need to do is follow the instructions and the T’ai Chi will do the rest. Students who attend the workshops and courses are able to learn the greater depth and complexities of the movements and under the guidance of Sheila they are able to develop an understanding of what is actually going inside their body.
As a baby, you were a bundle of Chi energy but as we grow and rely more on physical strength the Chi gradually diminishes. Your Chi energy starts to increase as soon as you begin to practise T’ai Chi. You can witness this visually by observing the mottled effect that appears in the palms of your hands as you practise. This is exactly the same as the mottled effect that can be observed on a baby’s skin.
When a person experiences pain, their Chi energy has become congested. There are varying levels of congested energy. Low level congestion can result in symptoms such as headaches, sinus problems, insomnia and an upset stomach. If left undetected the congested energy can move deeper into the body entering the muscles, bones and even the bone marrow. This in turn can trigger more serious problems including heart problems, diabetes and even cancer.
Medication, acupuncture, sound baths, massage may all help to a degree but they are all passive, there is little or no movement and what manipulation that does take place is initiated by a third party. In contrast, T’ai Chi is active. It requires you to move your own body, use your own brain, identify what is going on in your own body and know how best to nourish yourself. Through practising regularly and attending classes and courses you can soon gain the tools to be your own healer with amazing results.
A person with a highly developed Chi energy experiences fewer illnesses and that is what we are all working towards.
