Rolly Brown's Tai Chi page
The slow movements of
Tai Chi are graceful, powerful, relaxed, balanced, and meditative.
Developed in China over a thousand years ago, this form of exercise unites
the mind and the body, combining aspects of meditation, exercise,
visualization, and martial art.
Once learned, a Tai Chi form may take ten minutes to perform. Done once or
twice daily, it provides extraordinary health benefits, improving balance,
flexibility, and strength, while calming the spirit and reducing stress.
About The Tai Chi Form
The art of Tai Chi (actually called T'ai Chi Ch'uan, "Yin Yang
Boxing") consists of perfecting several skills. The most fundamental
of these is the Tai Chi form, a classical series of movements which the
student memorizes, much like a music student might memorize a classical
piece of music. Once the movements are memorized, the real work of refining
the movement can begin.
The study focuses on the subtleties of relaxation, breathing, and body
alignment. Movement is caused by internal pressure changes rather than
muscular tension. The mind must be flexible, so the body will be supple.
With long term study, good Tai Chi takes into account not only the laws of
physics, but the mysteries of the heart and mind.
Fear and anxiety cause tension, which is felt in the body. If we can undo
the tension, we can begin to undo the fear and anxiety.
At an advanced stage, the fear associated with ego can be abandoned.
About Tai Chi Tui Shou, or "Push Hands" exercisesThe
Push Hands exercises also help us deal with fear in the use of Tai Chi as a
martial art. After achieving a state of deep relaxation in the Tai Chi
form, students may try to bring that calm feeling into the practice of
push-hands, the two person Tai Chi exercise for the development of martial
Initially, this two person exercise can be extremely gentle, allowing the
practitioners to operate in the most relaxed and efficient manner.
Sometimes using the classical movements, sometimes in a freestyle manner,
partners take turns searching out points of tension on each other. When a
point is found, the student must learn how to relax the tense area in order
to avoid losing balance. Over time, by learning correct and effective ways
of relaxing and moving, one is able to absorb sudden and forceful pushes
from one's partner with a minimum of tension and fear. The relaxed body
aligns itself automatically to retain balance.
About Tai Chi San Shou, or "Free Hand Sparring"
The majority of Tai Chi students in America are interested in Tai Chi
primarily as an exercise and meditation form. For those who wish to
completely explore the martial aspect, push-hands is followed by practical
combat training. This training is free-flowing and continuous.
Students learn to control their power without "pulling" their
punches, and they become comfortable absorbing substantial blows from their
classmates. 16 oz. gloves and mouthpieces are used to avoid injury. This
optional practice is limited to advanced students, and is carefully
supervised so each student can work at a level where he or she feels safe
If you have questions regarding Tai Chi,
email Rolly Brown
About Master William C.C. ChenRolly's primary teacher, Master William
C.C. Chen, epitomizes the combination of tradition and innovation which
ensures the continued development and purity of Tai Chi as a martial and
health art. A senior disciple of Professor Cheng Man-Ch'ing, Master Chen is
himself one of the most respected and influential masters to come to the
West. In over 45 years of practice and teaching,he has developed a clear,
practical, and martially viable approach to learning Tai Chi, and it is
this approach that we strive to pass on at Bucks County Tai Chi. You may
link to Master Chen's Web
Site for further information on his workshops, classes, book, and
videos, or on instructors in your area.
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"I became interested in T'ai Chi Ch'uan
not because of the magical powers that are sometimes believed to spring
from its practice, but because I believed it could be a method that used
sensitivity, relaxation, and mindfulness to overcome force.
As I trained over the years, and profitted from exposure to several
wonderful teachers and many generous colleagues, I became more and more
aware of the difficulty of the task I'd chosen. Certainly it involves hard
work and thoughtful study. More important, though, the attainment of this
goal demands that you find a way to resolve fear and egotism.
This, to me, is T'ai Chi Ch'uan's spiritual foundation and greatest treasure; what my teacher (like his teacher) has called "investment in loss." I believe that, when training follows this tenet, along with Tai Chi's traditional precepts, the greatest spiritual and martial benefits of the art can be realized."