t'ai chi ch'uan is an ancient Chinese martial art. it is an internal martial art, but through regular practice (or 'play' as bill Douglas puts it) it can relax the mind, body and spirit. promoting balance and harmony, whilst gently exercising the body in a very deep and natural way. a skilled practitioner is said to develop flesh of cotton wool and bones of iron. i may not have reached that level yet, but it definitely is a wonderful way to let the stress fall off your shoulders, after a little time you will develop a good awareness of your breath, posture and balance. try it for yourself,

i recommend Bill Douglas's Idiots Guide to T'ai Chi as a good introduction

join a class, try many different classes if you need to to find one that's good for you.

	my tips be gentle with your self, let your old clunky self disappear to be replaced by a flowing, relaxed new you smile mentally - when you play tai chi, enjoy the experience put the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth, this will help stop any headaches developing do it outdoors, enjoy nature, let the healing energy of the trees and plants flow through you while you play
small children naturally have great tai chi stances

the most important thing is to practice regularly, with as much joy, mind and spirit into every single movement as you can

rich
23 October 2002