Where to Begin

[Anonymous]

Hi

I’m interested in starting to learn Tai Chi or a similar practice online from home, for two reasons: I’m interested in learning some form of moving meditation, and I want to recover from recurring back ache by doing a gentle and safe form of exercise. There are lots of programmes on your site and I’m not quite sure where to start. Both the Tai Chi for Beginners with Tai Chi Circling Hands Program, and the Dragon and Tiger Qigong courses look interesting. Can you give me some advice on where I should start?

Thanks
Tom

[Anonymous]

Hi Tom,

if you want to learn exclusively online then I would recommend the Circling Hands program. Tai Chi and Dragon and Tiger have a lot of complex moves that often require you to move your limbs in different directions whereas Circling Hands is symmetrical. That allows you to focus on the important internal stuff without getting lost in the complexity of the movements. I’ve had great success teaching Circling Hands to people – it’s easy to pick up but it also has great depth. It also builds a great foundation for learning Tai Chi when you are ready.

I would also recommend that you learn outer dissolving. This practice alone can sort out all sorts of problems. You can read about it in Bruce’s book ‘Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body’. Bruce teaches it in his ‘Standing and Tantien Qigong’ program – http://www.energyarts.com/standing-and-tantien-qigong-edition-membership.

Paul Cavel, one of Bruce’s senior students, also teaches it in his ‘5 keys’ program – http://www.energyarts.com/five-keys-taoist-energy-arts-10-week-online-program.

If you live near a certified teacher then try and spend a bit of time with them to help get you on the right track.

Good luck

Trevor

[Anonymous]

Hello Tom… best wishes and luck.. just a viewpt from another seeker (although I’ve been following teachings from Bruce for a while- just that I’m not on staff or anything- disclosure and such)..
where start is tricky, as depends upon the style of the path you might want.. as “learning some form of moving ‘meditative’ practice” (phrase it meditaTIve, vs it being ‘meditation…).. anyway- TaiChi for beginners (an Intro to the SmallFrame Wu style- big chunks.. easy lessons to get into, yet enough for quite a while to work on… -not just a go through it once, and got it.. but rather circle-back-through again and again.. gets deeper.. [so even the ‘for beginners’ is in-depth.. and more “internal Stuff” than you might find in other Adv-courses]

Anyway- that depends if you in particular like the TaiChi style of moving.. if you want to do that sort of a form (as it has a certain feeling and style).. vs Dr&Tiger.. and the other ChiGung sets/courses..

.. TaiChiChuan has more of a different moves in sequence, so that (as you learn it) it is like a roller-coaster that keeps changing and flowing through the set.. while “chigung” sets usually are movements that are repeated.. ie Dr&Tiger has 7 moves: the first movement is done and then repeated a few times.. and then the second move is done and that one is repeated… just that gives a different feeling-style (vs the TaiChi moves, not repetition, so first-second-third-fourth.. etc.. the whole form can be repeated.. but that is different.. than a circling move…)
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Big issue underlying all of this- I think is what feels right enough that you will do-it (you can “force yourself” =discipline to do it.. but that isn’t fun.. and so if you don’t click, you won’t do it.. so then you won’t do it… such that, to do a form.. one, by definition, does it).. seems simple, but that I think is a first issue- what style-feel of movements click (as it will feel awkward as new.. becomes beyond “new” to something you Know.. by you doing it.. just like anything.)..

Another issue is whole deep into a movement- ie one can have a simple outer-movement (Frame).. and then put more “invisible” stuff (ie internal-components) into it [Circling Hands is great at that– it is like the ChooChoo train wheel motion, circle, circle, circle.. but more “connections”.. vs different moves… can go deeper into one,]

I don’t know if you have had a chance to watch videos on the channel Youtube.com/user/EnergyArtsVideos

there’s a lot in there- and demos of different sets (like those two- see and followalong.. only to get a feel, as can see what you’d learn.. then can make a choice with some experience “taste-sampling”

.. samples for each as well as a bunch of videos on principles (can jump in right away.. the TaiChiTips.. has a lot of pointers.. which are across the board..

nice thing, I don’t really think there are any points given by an EnergyArts system-set that is contrasted by another system-set by EnergyArts (ie mutually exclusive.. as some systems do have conflicting system-sets).. so in other words, any of the principles (how to relax, alignments, how to move from and link up.. etc..) mostly applies to any..

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As well if you wanted (if motivated) to scroll-read through back posts on this forum (many different subjects, may find other info could illume for you, or at least point an aspect out).. and the blog-posts by Bruce on this site..
I hope that helps a little.. if looking at any of this further refines and you see another way to further define your question, post more (or when you find something that clicks for you- share what you found -cheers

[Anonymous]

Hi Tom,

If you’re not already doing something since you wrote this post, I’d recommend setting some goals first. What is your purpose with taichi, what is your motivation? This will determine how deep you’ll go.

If you’re just looking for a way to aleviate some back pains, taichi is not a bad choice, but also not the best. I hate to say this because I love taichi; I’ve been practicing it for 7 years and is a part of my life by now – but I’ve also had episodes of severe back pain and have learned through painful experiences that if you catch it early on (meaning no immediate surgery is necessary), the only way to get rid of it is to strengthen your core muscles, especially those on your back. I’m sorry to say that taichi will not do that, at least not in its basic form where you practice forms. One area it will make stronger, and that is your legs. However, for strengthening your back, simple bodyweight exercises like quadripedal movement will work much better.

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