Why does Tai Chi work?

Every instructor teaches in their way. Of course, they are formed by their teacher, who have received the knowledge and techniques from their teacher. But beyond this direct line of lore, every individual is influenced by everything they experience or encounters in their life.

In my case, the basis is a solid scientific education, supplemented by a long career in IT at large multinationals. However, don’t underestimate the so-called more minor soft things like the love for nature, growing vegetables since I was 12, the urge to work in the garden after a few rainy days at my desk. The many international contacts and discussions about various multicultural topics also form what I am today.

From the scientific literature, you will find more and more articles in recent years that demonstrate the effects of Tai Chi on your health. What you don’t see, however, is the reason why. Based on many conversations and workshops with Jef Crab of the E.A.S.T. Institute, I arrived at the following theory.

I always try to represent things as simple as possible graphically and have worked out the following image:

When you do the same things over and over, don’t expect to get different results. You need something that breaks the daily pattern. In our case, this is Tai Chi. I call it the engine of change. I don’t know enough about Yoga or Qi Qong, but I can assume that it can also be used as a motor.

In any case, begin by starting the engine: perform simple Tai Chi movements correctly. The focus should be on what happens to your body. What changes do you feel after the exercise? In other words, you will gradually increase your sensitivity.

You can only increase this sensitivity by paying attention to the different inner sensors (pain, pressure, heat, state of muscles and position of the joints).

With enough attention to the muscles alone, you will feel the tension and certainly the relaxation of your muscles. Tension and relaxation are the first two phases of the muscles. Stretching, releasing and contracting again are the other three phases. These last 3 phases are usually not taught at the beginning of the training.

You mustn’t read these things, as you do now, but feel them during the training. If YOU don’t feel it, it is NOT the truth, and don’t believe anything I tell you.

Practice, experience it and only then move on to the other lessons.

Only when the muscles are in a relaxed phase than the energy is absorbed by your body.

The increase in energy will increase your body awareness, and the circle is complete. Increasing sensitivity leads to deeper relaxation and so on. The engine is running and will not stop.

The improvement of your health you get for free 😊