So . . . why do Taijiquan and Qigong?

It's probably obvious by now if you've already been reading. But there is even more reason beyond the immediate physical benefits. People do qigong to enhance other things in life that they really enjoy doing, such as skiing, hiking, bicycling, hauling the kids to soccer practice, gardening, riding horses, swimming ... you get the picture. You do taijiquan for the same reasons, because you learn how to use your body and energy in ways that enhance most everything else you do in life.

Most of us practice both for health and well-being and longevity. To simply feel better and live a longer, more-fulfilling life. Compared to other exercise regimes, tai chi and qigong can be moderate, but you can also get more of a workout than you might expect. Many students challenge themselves by taking a weekend workshop like the Annual Durango China Masters' Workshop.

Taijiquan and qigong can be quite invigorating exercises. For one thing, they can incorporate power stretching, particularly in the warm up part of a training day. Lots of deep muscle toning goes on, too. You can also focus on bones, joints, ligaments, and tendons, as well cultivating a sharper awareness of your energetic elements. You learn how to relax in order to powerstretch at different levels of physical and energetic.

Both contain concepts not emphasized in other exercises, such as aerobics, weight lifting, running, playing competitive sports, and so on. For example, tai chi and qigong are mind and body exercises, meaning you use your natural perceptual abilities to either reteach your body to do things you want it to do, or discover things you didn't know it could do. These are healing therapies. The moves are performed mindfully—very different from pedaling an exercise bike at the gym, while listening to your iPod, or maybe reading a magazine, or watching news on television while you "workout." However if you liked doing these things, tai chi could help get more out of them, whatever it is you're seeking to achieve. Endurance, improved blood circulation, muscle toning, digestion, or simply beter posture.

Mindful, meditative, thoughtful attention to subtle energies in your total being are what you learn in order to get the fullest benefits of tai chi and qigong. Even though beginners feel a difference the very first time they do tai chi with a good teacher, it takes time to grasp some of the concepts and principles underlying the moves and postures. That's why I developed the Fundamentals of Taijiquan course to systematically build on what I've learned from my experience.

Doing taijiquan and qigong is a process of discovery. Discovery is at the core of the moves and postures . . . self-discovery of one's mind, body, spirit.