Tai Chi Improves Your Energy Levels

Car owners know that if they do not fill their car with the correct fuel then it will not work properly. If you use public transport, it will not work unless it has the correct fuel and is well maintained.

The question to be asked is how much attention do you give to your body? Are you trying to run an unleaded engine on four star petrol?

Your body’s internal energy (Chi Energy) is a vital ingredient in maintaining a healthy body.
Your Chi energy can be improved by practising the T’ai Chi Form, this is why it is so important to concentrate on the quality of the movements you practise, rather than the quantity.

In the West we tend to judge our progress, by the amount of movements we know. However the true essence of practising T’ai Chi evolves around how well you are able to circulate your Chi energy.

A beginner starts by learning the mechanical movements, only when the individual can move effortlessly from one stance to the next can they start to move to a deeper level of understanding.

All of this comes with time and practise, it is up to the individual to decide how much they value themselves and the effort they are prepared to put in. An added bonus is that by helping ourselves, we actually affect all of those who make up our world as we become calmer and more relaxed.

It has been suggested that if each of us took full responsibility for our own well being the world would be a calmer more peaceful place to live.

If you suffer from low energy levels the following exercise is an excellent way of helping to give you the additional boost you may need.

The added bonus is that there are no horrendous side effects, all of the movements are perfectly natural and work subtly on the body without strain.

Exercise One

Please remember there should be no strain when practising any of our exercises, if you are unsure please consult your doctor.

Starting position Eagle stance, heels together, toes pointing slightly outwards.

1/ Breathe in through the nose as you expand your stomach, this moves your stomach out of the way of the lower part of your lungs. At the same time place the palm of your right hand on the area approx 2” below your navel. Then place your left hand on top of it.

2/ Breathe out through the mouth as you pull your stomach in, allowing all the stale air to be exhaled from your lungs. At the same time move your hands up to the energy centre in the centre of the chest.

3/ Breathe in through the nose expanding your stomach, at the same time return your hands to just below your navel and think about the centre of the soles of your feet.

4/ Breathe out through the mouth as you pull your stomach in, at the same time return your hands to the energy centre in the centre of your chest.

5/ Breathe in through the nose as you expand your stomach, at the same time return your hands to just below your navel and think about the energy centres in the centre of the palms of your hands.

6/ Breathe out through the mouth as you pull your stomach in, at the same time return your arms to your sides.

Repeat all six movements three more times.
This exercise will help to encourage the circulation of your Chi energy.

Ginger Bath

1/ Fill your bath with hot water no higher than your navel, add half a small pot of ginger spice powder (the type you use in cakes).

2/ Wrap a towel round your shoulders so that you do not catch a chill.

3/ Sit in the bath for fifteen minutes to half an hour.

4/ Go straight to bed and keep warm.

Used consistently a ginger hip bath helps people suffering from low energy problems and we have had excellent results with people suffering from M.S. and M.E.

A ginger hips bath also aids a restful nights sleep and helps ease joint pain.
An added bonus used on a regular basis a ginger hip bath will help to trim fat round the middle.

Scientific research is slowly beginning to acknowledge that T’ai Chi works.
Those of us who teach and study T’ai Chi already know this ‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ I have lots of testimonials from people who have turned their lives around using the gentle movements of T’ai Chi.