June/July 2006

God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It.
Mark Karlin interviews Jim Wallis

The Left Hand of God: Taking Back Our Country from the Religious Right
Mark Karlin interviews Rabbi Michael Lerner

New Business Models for a Sustainable Future
Torrey Byles

How the Wealthy Use the Government to Stay Rich and Get Richer
Dean Baker

Will the Major Media Finally Cover the Electronic Election Fraud Issue?
Bob Fritakis and Harvey Wasserman

The Great Turning
Reviewed by Ted Glick

Armed Madhouse
Amy Goodman interviews Greg Palast

Energy Futures
K. C. Golden

Choosing Solar Power Because It's The Right Thing to Do
Jody Woodruff

Reconnecting To Our Essential Nature With Tai Chi
Sean Kelly

Transforming Our Lives and Our Planet Through the Ancient Practice of Qigong
Julia Tucker Interviews Master Mingtong Gu

Rediscovering Who We Really Are With the Persian Sufi Poets
David Fideler

Book Reviews
Deborah Mokma

Cosmic Calendar
Salina Rain

BACK TO TOP

Reconnecting To Our Essential Nature With Tai Chi

By Sean Kelly

Tai Chi is an Ancient Chinese Internal Martial Art. It is the flowering of the principles of Taoism that unifies body, mind and spirit through continuous, fluid movement. Through regular practice the body becomes extremely healthy, the mind deeply quiet and the emotions grounded and stable. The disciplined connected movements of the form induce a state of supreme relaxation in which every ounce of physical tension dissolves, every thought moving in the mind comes to rest, and every wave of emotional turmoil settles as one falls into the deep Core of stillness while in motion. When directly experiencing this stillness in motion one can begin to reconnect with life’s underlying natural rhythms and feel this essential “Chi” energy intrinsic to oneself and the whole living Universe.

As we all know, everything that appears in this living Universe is made up of energy. Science says that matter itself is energy and that at the core of every energetic particle or wave there is mainly empty space. There are many different types of energy: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, all of which come from the same source, Empty Space. Through the practice of Tai Chi one becomes directly connected to and aware of this empty space which when touched is realized to be neither inside nor outside. This empty space is not just a static frozen emptiness but an emptiness which is Creative, Graceful, Dynamic, Loving, Full, Compassionate and Moving that has no beginning middle or end. Moving as Emptiness through the Tai Chi form is Supreme Bliss.

Our daily lives can often be spent disconnected from our essential nature. This can happen in various ways: mindless chatter, disconnected physical pursuits, expressing or repressing negative emotions, excessive mental activity, escapism and indulging in superficial desires, worrying about money and so on. Our time is easily consumed with efforts to meet our basic animal needs of survival and social and sexual connection.

Taking time out of time every day to practice Tai Chi or any other form of disciplined practice that you are drawn to is an opportunity to reconnect. This time is what the Chinese call “Gong Fu” which literally means “Practice time.” When you take time out to practice Tai Chi, your daily life becomes infused with a deeper connection and presence. You will start to have more and more energy to attend to what is needed. Instead of life being a drag and something that you have to drudge your way through it becomes a joyous expression of love, gratitude and a deep expression of who you really are.

Tai Chi helps us to bring about balance and harmony, teaching us how to naturally flow with the deeper currents of energy that are always available. Often negative emotions and attitudes that constrict our lives can begin to dissolve, allowing the deeper more essential emotions of joy, gratitude and love to surface. Many people report how angry or tormented they were before learning Tai Chi and how slowly over the years with the practice they have mellowed out and become peaceful, happy and loving people, attributing this directly to their Tai Chi practice.

There are also many physical benefits from doing the practice. Tai Chi masters are renowned for their long healthy lives. My teacher is 86 years old and is in perfect health. Recently he had a blood test and bragged afterwards that the doctor told him he had the blood of a 20 year old. His body is still extremely flexible and his face has very few wrinkles. He has practiced Tai Chi every day for over 60 years.

Tai Chi provides a comprehensive workout that is both aerobic and anaerobic. It activates the flow of Chi energy, strengthens, tones and lengthens the tendons and ligaments, improves joint mobility, opens the meridian energy channels allowing chi to circulate, promotes weight loss or gain if needed, improves blood circulation, improves balance and physical coordination as well as significantly lengthening ones life span. Well-suited to all ages, body types and physical abilities it is also very portable, as you don’t need any special equipment and you can do it anywhere and at anytime. All you need is a flat surface and a good pair of flat soled tennis shoes. Since Tai Chi comes from the mountains of China, it is also a great way to warm up on cold mornings.

There are many different teachers offering different forms, the main ones being, Yang, Chen, Wu, Hao and different combination styles. While each form emphasizes a particular approach most Tai Chi forms have more attributes in common than differences. It is very important, whichever form you choose, to have a good teacher.
Some people come to Tai Chi just for the physical benefits of the practice. Some choose it as a spiritual practice and a support for deepening. Others come to be with community to practice together. While there is an individual learning component, Tai Chi is usually practiced with a group of people. There is benefit for the individual and the collective and everyone can deepen into the collective chi that gets generated in class.

While practicing Tai Chi the body becomes solid and rooted like a big redwood tree, and every cell fills with light and energy. The breath blows the body through the form like the wind blowing a leaf through the forest. The mind is deeply silent as the river of thoughts and feelings dissolve into the ocean and the individual soul is filled with peace and joy which shines out into the world, embracing everything that it comes into contact with.

Sean Kelly is a Tai Chi master and teacher of the rare Guang Ping Yang Form. He is the co-founder of the Inner Freedom Program for incarcerated Youth and founder of the Guang Ping Yang Tai Chi school of Ashland, Oregon. He offers personalized in-depth trainings for all fitness levels. Contact him at (541) 488-9257 or visit www.taichiashland.com.

Sean Kelly