Tai Chi as a Form of Meditation

group warm up stretch

Tai Chi as a Form of Meditation

Before you can understand how you can use Tai Chi as a Form of Meditation like the Tai Chi classes held in Portland Oregon, you need to start out with a clear understanding of what meditation is and how it is practiced. In essence, true meditation occurs when you learn to focus and control your mind to the point at which all outside thoughts cease to occur. For many, this is achieved by focusing on their breathing and counting each breath to begin with and then on other singular actions as they become more successful.

However, the reality is that you can actually break meditation into two separate styles, both of which achieve the same basic result of calming the mind and body. The first is that of Yin meditation in which you will learn to clear your mind of all conscious thought in both words and images. This will leave your mind in a very relaxed, yet focused state as you eliminate all outside and distracting thoughts. This is perhaps the most common form of meditation and can be practiced along with the flowing forms of Tai Chi Chuan.

The alternative and perhaps more appropriate for those practicing Tai Chi is the Yang style of meditation. Here instead of focusing on nothing as you do in Yin meditation; you focus all of your attention something. This may be the form of meditation that more people are familiar with as the thing upon which you will focus can be a chant or mantra, prayers, chakras, shapes or even colors. Again this will leave your mind in a highly focused and very alert state.

In either method you can use the term Satipatthana to describe the exercise of exercising the mind until it becomes quiet. In this you will find the perfect description of what is going on in the mind of anyone who is truly serious in their practice of Taiji. As you move through the various forms of Tai Chi Chuan, you will be involving yourself in one of the most complete Satipatthana exercises possible.

You will not only be moving your body, but your mind will be focused on your breathing, your posture, the flow of Chi throughout your body and the flow of the air as you move through the forms and concentrate on nothing other than the movements at hand. It may take some time, but you will reach a point where you will only be using a small part of your mind to monitor what you are doing and the rest will become quiet and relaxed.

Conclusion, Tai Chi as a Form of Meditation

As a natural result of this Yang meditation, you will soon find yourself doing Yin meditation while your body is moving through the forms of Tai Chi Chuan, leaving you feeling refreshed and relaxed when your period of exercise is over.

 

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