Tai Chi in Daily Life
Movement is life. The choreographed movements of Tai Chi help our bodies re-learn more natural ways to move. This brings more life into our bodies, and with that, more health, strength and focus.
Since childhood, our bodies have picked up bad habits from the built environment. Moving in nature requires different things from our muscles and joints. Imagine yourself walking through a forest. Natural ground is uneven. There are branches brushing by your head. An animal rustles the leaves behind you. Your entire body shifts into a responsive state, a sphere-like awareness and small oscillating adjustments in your hips and knees, your feet and your spine. Your hands come up to brush away the branches. Your head swivels to see all around you. Your eyes roam, relaxed, alternately looking close and far. This is the state in which Tai Chi is designed to put you.
This Tai Chi state is medicine for modern bodies, accustomed to flat concrete sidewalks and floors, straight walls and locomotive movement going ever forward. This restricted, one-direction movement is complemented by a really weird situation of collapse and tension created by soft, rounded chairs, couches and beds. In these, our low backs curl backwards, hips tighten, necks strain, chests collapse.
The luxuries of modern life are often at odds with the physiology of ancient bodies. But we may not need to throw out all our couches. Daily Tai Chi practice reminds the body of how it is made, how all the muscles and bones and organs naturally fit together and move around each other to promote circulation and health. Even a little of this every day, if it is consistent, is enough. The body starts to want more of it. Starts to stand a little taller, sit a little straighter. It feels better to do this.
Once, you thought it felt amazing to sink down into the plush chair as you clack on your computer. Now your body tells you: It feels good to sit upright, to stand and breathe deeply, slowly, to feel the centre of your ever-moving body and feel your weight settle through your bones and into the soles of your feet as you wash the dishes, walk upstairs, lift a heavy box, or grab a book from a high shelf.
Tai Chi puts you back into your body, and allows the wisdom of its physiology, its nature, guide you through all the regular things of your day.
