What is Bafa Wubu?
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3d ago
China has developed simplified Forms for the past several decades, in order to promote Tai Chi Chuan. Rationale being that many people find the traditional Tai Chi Forms too daunting, difficult, complex, or sophisticated. They would prefer to do Forms that do not require discipline and/or years to master. A few years ago, the General Administration of Sport of China requested the development of a new standardized “fitness routine” that could be practiced by the general public of all ages. The latest Simplified Form, Tai Chi “Bafa Wubu - Eight Methods and Five Steps" ( 太极八法五步 ), was compiled by ..read more
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Tai Chi for Adults with Depression and/or Anxiety
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
2w ago
Depression is a common mental illness, suffered by an estimated 3.8% of the world’s population. Depression is now considered one of the most prevalent mental health conditions in America.Since the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, psychological illnesses, including depressive and anxiety disorders, have spiked. Worse, current treatments, unfortunately, have a high non-response and relapse rate. And, to make matters worse, most pharmacologic treatments have undesirable side effects. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-V), depressive symptoms are usu ..read more
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What is the Meaning of the Stance - Step Up to Seven Stars?
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
1M ago
Once again, this blog came about because a student (from my Yang Short Form class), asked about the significance/meaning of “Step Up to Seven Stars”. I enjoy researching and looked forward to finding out. As usual (and totally expected by now), I discovered numerous interpretations and theories. One must keep in mind that the names of postures/stances are often similar across different martial arts styles and lineages. However, the actual meaning/interpretation may be attributed to the particular style, lineage, or even one or more particular schools. For brevity (and clarity) I will use the t ..read more
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Why Does Tai Chi Start With the Left?
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
1M ago
I’m sure most of us have done things the same way we were taught for many years and never questioned why! This is why I so appreciate my “engaged” students asking questions in class. It makes me (and everyone else) think!! One of my students recently asked why we started Tai Chi forms with our left foot! Good question! This woman is thinking and yet, after teaching more than 20 years (and learning under several different Masters), I didn’t have an answer! I don’t lie nor make up things, so said that I didn’t know, but what a great idea for research and a blog. A lively class discussion followe ..read more
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2024 The Year of the Wood Dragon!
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
2M ago
2024 is the Chinese New Year (aka Lunar New Year or Spring Festival)of the Wood Dragon! It is also known as Yang Wood on Dragon, or Jia Chen 甲辰 in Chinese. The year of the Wood Dragon begins on February 10, 2024 (until January 28, 2025). My 2020 Blog concentrated on some of the history of the Chinese New Year. In the 2021 Blog, I wrote about the traditions, legends, and myths surrounding Chinese New Year. In my 2022 Blog and 2023 Blogs, I provided some fun facts (including the legend about the order of the Zodiac animals noted below) and the effect of the pandemic on the celebration. This year ..read more
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Distractions While Doing Tai Chi!
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3M ago
I came across this great quote/slogan while reading Comfortable with Uncertainty: “If you can practice even when distracted, you are well trained.” I am not Buddhist nor do I meditate (other than the meditation in Tai Chi and/or Qigong), but this slogan spoke to me. It made me think about all the distractions that attempt to interrupt our mindfulness or awareness when we practice Tai Chi and/or Qigong. Almost everyone considers Tai Chi as “moving meditation”. In accordance with the slogan above, one of the greatest challenges in any type of meditation is avoiding distraction. Our attention and ..read more
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To My Subscribers: Greetings and an Announcement!
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3M ago
First of all, my wish for all of you is a peaceful, healthy, and happy 2024! Secondly, you, like me, are more than likely, bombarded with e-mails every day. It’s hard to sift through them to determine which you want to delete, read, and/or save. Then, there is finding the time to actually read the ones that interest you! With this is mind, I have decided to publish my blogs every other week, rather than weekly, starting on January 1, 2024. Christine ..read more
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The Purpose and Techniques of Waving Hands (aka Wave Hands Like Clouds) in Tai Chi!
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3M ago
Waving Hands, or Wave Hands Like Clouds (云手 Yúnshǒu), or similar names for this movement, can be found in most Tai Chi Forms. Quite a few variations/interpretations exist, depending on the Form you are practicing. Even though it is mostly taught for health, Waving Hands is very much a self-defense move! The Waving Hands (Yang style) is at times considered a postural exercise used to “develop the back muscles, relax the neck and shoulders”. It is also said to increase Qi and blood flow through the body. What the different variations have in common: Yang, Chen, and Sun all step to the side ..read more
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Why Do most Martial Arts (Including Tai Chi) Parry and Punch?
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3M ago
I’m sure most (if not all) students have encountered a “Parry and Punch” in their Tai Chi Form. Did you every wonder why that is? First, some background: Most Tai Chi practitioners use a “non-competitive” approach to life. We’ve talked several times about the Tai Chi Principles, as documented in the Tai Chi Classics. We practice the martial side of Tai Chi in order to better understand the movements and to protect ourselves (and others) if need be. I’ve spoken to a few students who have used their Tai Chi skills in a challenging situation. Even if you are only interested in Tai Chi for health ..read more
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Details, Accuracy, and "Tai Chi Inches"
Balanced Life Tai Chi
by Christine Morgan
3M ago
On occasion, an interesting question comes up for discussion among students and their instructor(s). It is also discussed among instructors: “How important is accuracy in practicing Tai Chi?” According to the late Grandmaster Cheng Man-Ching, “it is all in the form”. In fact, the term “Inches” was created by the late Grandmaster Huang Sheng Shyan, who studied under, and supposedly became the most accomplished student and disciple of, Grandmaster Cheng Man-Ching. Grandmaster Huang demanded exactitude in the practice of the form. When he/we talk about “inches”, we are talking about the degree of ..read more
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