18/08/2025
Tai Chi Chuan Internal Training - The master rarely teaches you the key points of mind, energy and strength.
Originally, Tai Chi had no distinct schools. It was only to honor the masters that later practitioners added surnames to the art, giving rise to several major schools. The true essence of Tai Chi is Hun Yuan. Without cultivating Hun Yuan Qi, one cannot achieve the feat of "moving a thousand pounds with a single ounce." Therefore, Tai Chi practitioners should focus on pursuing the true essence of Tai Chi. Many people now practice Tai Chi, but improper practice can not only fail to strengthen the body but can actually cause harm, let alone cultivate Kung Fu. Therefore, practicing Tai Chi requires careful attention to technique.
Tai Chi Standing Exercise
Standing meditation is one of the methods to mobilize the Qi throughout the body, and it is also a path to practice internal energy. If you persist in it, the simple will not be simple, and if you persist in the ordinary, it will not be ordinary!
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To master Tai Chi, one must first understand what Tai Chi is . Tai Chi is heaven and earth, Tai Chi is the universe, and Tai Chi is Hun Yuan. Heaven and earth rotate, the universe moves, and Hun Yuan Qi also rotates and moves. It can be said that Tai Chi theory is the highest science. Heaven and earth are the macrocosm, the human body is the microcosm, and the human body is also a Tai Chi. Therefore, human movement must conform to the laws of the macrocosm, that is, to the principles of Tai Chi.
Now that we understand what Tai Chi is, how do we practice Tai Chi?
To master Tai Chi, one must first practice with the mind. Humans have thoughts and consciousness, and all human activities are inseparable from consciousness, including martial arts practice. Therefore, traditional martial arts manuals often emphasize "focusing on the mind, not the qi; focusing on the qi leads to stagnation." Tai Chi is a movement of mind and qi. The full name of Hunyuan Tai Chi is Chen-style Hunyuan Tai Chi. Here, too, the mind and intention are emphasized.
Secondly, when practicing Tai Chi, one should be relaxed, soft, slow, flexible, and natural . The most important thing here is to relax. Don't use clumsy or rigid force when practicing.
Third, pay attention to the opening and closing of your breathing when practicing . Don't hold your breath or force it, but breathe easily and naturally, as if you are merging with the heaven and earth, absorbing the subtle energy of the universe to nourish your Dantian.
Among the above three points, the most fundamental one is to practice boxing with your mind. This applies not only to practicing exercises and routines, but also to pushing hands. The so-called "intention, qi and strength" are the result of practicing boxing with your mind.
Furthermore, pay attention to the practice of the exercises. There's a saying in Chinese martial arts: "Practicing boxing without practicing the exercises will lead to nothing when you grow old." This is precisely the truth. Don't dismiss the exercises simply because they are simple. In fact, the acquisition of Tai Chi internal power requires long-term practice of these exercises. For example, the Hun Yuan Gong in Hun Yuan Tai Chi is quite simple. However, practicing it allows for rapid qi generation and rapid gong release, which is very beneficial for physical fitness and should be taken seriously by Tai Chi enthusiasts.
Furthermore, in addition to practicing the entire Tai Chi routine, it's also important to focus on individual form training. This practice involves extracting certain movements from the Tai Chi routine and practicing them separately. This is very beneficial for strengthening technique and increasing power. Those pursuing Tai Chi combat skills should especially practice individual forms.
When practicing Tai Chi, one must master both practice and well-being. Combining practice and well-being is crucial for maintaining health and ultimately achieving mastery of Tai Chi skills. Therefore, in addition to practicing, Tai Chi practitioners should also pay attention to daily well-being. Here are a few tips I've learned: Maintain a mostly vegetarian diet, walk regularly, maintain a regular routine, and avoid getting angry . These are especially important for middle-aged and elderly people.
Finally, would like to emphasize a few principles of practicing Tai Chi:
1. Slow training nourishes, fast training harms. When you practice slowly, your Qi and blood can keep up with your thoughts and movements, allowing you to achieve full concentration, energy, and strength. Fast training, however, prevents Qi and blood from keeping up, which is detrimental to your health and makes it difficult to achieve success. Therefore, practice slowly.
2. Soft training nourishes, hard training harms. When practicing Tai Chi, you should focus on your mind, not force, and practice gently and slowly. This allows the body to fully relax and promotes the circulation of Qi and blood. Using rough and brute force to practice harms Qi and blood, which is detrimental to health.
3. Relaxing your body nourishes you, while contracting your body harms you. Stretching your body and relaxing your mind can help your Qi and blood flow to every part of your body. Contracting your body while boxing, with stiff movements, is not conducive to relaxation and is, of course, harmful to your health.
4. Rounded movements nourish, square movements harm. Tai Chi requires rounded movements, without any ridges or valleys. This conforms to the laws of motion and helps to loosen up the muscles and bones. Otherwise, it can damage the muscles and tendons.
5. Being upright is nourishing, while being crooked is harmful. The primary requirement of Tai Chi is to "stand upright and straight." When the body is straight, Qi and blood flow smoothly. Otherwise, the body will be crooked, Qi and blood will not flow smoothly, which is harmful to health.
6. A calm mind nourishes, while a disturbed mind harms. This is also confirmed by modern medicine: chronically disturbed moods will inevitably lead to various illnesses. Therefore, Tai Chi requires a calm mind and slow practice.
7. Practicing in harmony nourishes, while practicing in anger harms. When practicing Tai Chi, you should be calm and composed. Practicing in anger will harm your body.
8. Training the mind nourishes, while training strength harms. Tai Chi emphasizes training the mind, because when the mind and qi are focused, strength naturally follows. Training strength harms the bones and muscles, and damages the qi and blood.
