{"id":1069,"date":"2015-02-05T21:16:30","date_gmt":"2015-02-05T19:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/?page_id=1069"},"modified":"2015-02-05T21:19:57","modified_gmt":"2015-02-05T19:19:57","slug":"the-facets-of-taiji-quan","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/?page_id=1069","title":{"rendered":"THE FACETS OF TAIJI QUAN"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE FACETS OF TAIJI QUAN by TIZIANA CAZAGRANDE<\/span><\/p>\n

\"100_0984\"<\/p>\n

Why do so many people train Taiji Quan ? Many people have erroneous or preconceived ideas as to why but the foremost reason is for health . This however is only one small part of Taiji Quan .<\/span><\/p>\n

HEALTH :<\/span>
\n Taiji Quan is a form of exercise which develops and coordinates different parts of the internal and external aspect of the human body . It is a perfect method of exercise for health improvement and vitality which can be done by people of all ages and all levels of physical condition . The diversity of exercise methods can be adjusted according to the different age groups as well as physical ability of each person . Consequently it is not difficult for someone to learn Taiji provided he or she trains regularly and mindfully .<\/span>
\n The art of Taiji Quan or the Supreme Ultimate Fist is one of the most perfect creations of Chinese philosophy and culture . Based on the principles of the I Ching and the philosophy of Lao Tse , Taiji Quan is a system of circular , flowing , balanced movements which should be practiced daily for health and peace of mind . When the movements have been well absorbed , the innate energy of the trainee develops , his balance is restored and the technical skills of Taiji Quan can be used to neutralize an attack from an opponent as well as to counterattack .<\/span><\/p>\n

MEDITATION :<\/span>
\n Many people are unaware of the deeper , more \u201cinternal\u201d facets or aspects of Taiji Quan because the knowledge they have been imparted for this complex art is only a superficial and general one . For this reason they are therefore unable to reap the full benefits that this art offers .<\/span>
\n For example , many know that the movements of Taiji Quan are \u201ccircular , flowing , balanced , slow and relaxed\u201d and they try to practice them in this manner . Few however are aware that \u201call the movements must come from a calm , peaceful , fully concentrated mind\u201d and that personal guidance and training by an experienced teacher is an essential for anyone who seriously wishes to study this art .<\/span>
\n The cultivation of mental calmness and spiritual concentration is of vital importance to Taiji Quan and this is developed through particular meditation techniques and exercises which only a capable and experienced teacher can pass on to his students .<\/span>
\n The absence of correct mental and psychological calmness and concentration in training leads many practitioners of Taiji Quan to execute Taiji as a form of \u201cgymnastics in slow motion\u201d or as a \u201cslow dance\u201d without any mental focus or concentration in what they are doing . In this way the true benefits and results in the practice of Taiji Quan are lost , irrespective of the length of time that someone may have been practicing this art .<\/span><\/p>\n

QIGONG :<\/span>
\n Many people are also unaware of the f act that Taiji Quan is a form of Qigong . Properly executed with correct breathing techniques and mental guiding of the breath it generates and circulates the innate energy or Qi of the body , thus enhancing the overall well \u2013 being both physical and mental , of the practitioner . This cultivation of Qi further promotes health , vigor , longevity and mental freshness . Qigong , being one of the greatest treasures of Chinese culture , is one of the biggest secrets of life enhancing methods which combined with Taiji , contribute unlimited benefits to the serious practitioner .<\/span><\/p>\n

MARTIAL ART :<\/span>
\n Another fascinating aspect of Taiji Quan is the Wushu element of the art which gives the practitioner practical skills in the art of self \u2013 defense . Very few people however nowadays practice Taiji as a self \u2013 defense martial art . This aspect however , is one which should not be taken lightly . The training methods of Taiji differ in relation to the more common martial arts or sports . They are based systematically on the mind , energy and intention , not on muscle power , but on sensitivity and not on strength , in relaxation not on tension , and on a calm , tranquil mind rather than a violent and aggressive one .<\/span>
\n There are many combat training methods but the most important is \u201cPushing Hands\u201d ( tui shou ) . The fighting strategies and techniques of Taiji can all be mastered through the correct training in pushing hands also known as Taiji for two people .<\/span>
\n Through pushing hands one learns the principles of not resisting to the force of the opponent but following it , redirecting it and counterattacking using the opponent\u2019s power against him .<\/span><\/p>\n

PHILOSOPHY :<\/span>
\n Finally , the last aspect of Taiji Quan is the understanding and application of its philosophy , based on the harmony of Yin and Yang energies , such as attack and defense , hardness and softness , internal and external , physical action and mental concentration , motion and stillness etc. Among the many benefits of this philosophy is the achievement of a more harmonious and balanced way of life , living , thinking and acting while promoting a healthier , longer and happier life .<\/span><\/p>\n

Some people may feel that to perform Taiji Quan correctly in every detail is difficult , but more important than correct form are the mind and energy aspects of the training . Without mind control to channel your internal energy , one will achieve no more than mediocre results , no matter how long one practices . As the ancient Chinese classics state \u201cThe mind is the master , the body is the servant\u201d .<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

THE FACETS OF TAIJI QUAN by TIZIANA CAZAGRANDE Why do so many people train Taiji Quan ? Many people have erroneous or preconceived ideas as to why but the foremost reason is for health . This however is only one small part of Taiji Quan . HEALTH : Taiji Quan is a form of exercise… \u03a3\u03c5\u03bd\u03b5\u03c7\u03af\u03c3\u03c4\u03b5 \u03bd\u03b1 \u03b4\u03b9\u03b1\u03b2\u03ac\u03b6\u03b5\u03c4\u03b5 \u03c4\u03bf THE FACETS OF TAIJI QUAN<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":45,"menu_order":32,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1069","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1069"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1075,"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1069\/revisions\/1075"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/45"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kungfu-tripleharmony.gr\/wordpress\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}