Tai Chi Chuan is one of the most talked about and revered form of martial arts dating back several 
hundred years and as such has been documented as having numerous benefits. It is a combination of martial arts, meditation, health and healing learning to relax with Tai Chi Chuan is like no other. Unlike many other martial arts that use the concentration one learns as a means of combat, in a Portland Oregon Tai Chi class one learns to put the mind to use for healing their mind and body resulting in far better overall health.
Of all the health benefits associated with the practice of Tai Chi, it is the mental exercises which seem to draw more people to this particular martial art. We live in a world which is filled with stress, whether it is from our jobs, coping with raising a family or even the effort of trying to maintain good grades at school. Each of these situations brings with them a level of stress that can cause our lives to be less enjoyable than we had hoped for.
Focus on shedding stress, learn to relax with Tai Chi Chuan
When you learn to practice the 108 movements in the Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan in Portland Oregon, you will find that the slow mostly circular movements serve to calm the mind. If practiced properly, the full complement of movements should take you between 20 and 40 minutes to complete. During this time you must free your mind of all outside concerns and worries so that you can focus 100% of your concentration on performing each movement correctly.
This total concentration allows the body to relax and feel the flow of energy through your body as you work slowly through each movement. As the body learns to relax, the mind will soon follow. This process will not only serve to reduce your stress levels, it has also been shown to significantly improve your circulation allowing you to feel relaxed and energized when you are finished with the day’s exercises.
Many people find that daily practice of the 108 movements in the Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan carries over into every moment of the rest of their day in the form of “walking meditation”. With this their daily routine becomes a form of meditation that allows them to remain focused on the task at hand rather than letting other issues cause them undue amounts of stress.
The principles of Tai Chi are based on the five element theory: