What is Taijiquan? It is a fantastic art thanks to a fantastic human body. The design of the art is attuned with the design of the human body. If you understand the art, you will understand the body. This we need more and more in the new environment post the pandemic of COVID-19 we will be in. There are however no shortcuts, the techniques need to be practiced to hone the skill that results from it- the ability to move with your center in a fluid manner. This not only ensures that the energy utilized is efficient but also does so in manner that joints are protected. With this any subconscious anxiety of responding to the surroundings is alleviated as one is filled with skills to adequately respond no matter what the situation one is in.

Movement of the joints and the correct usage of the joints can give miraculous advantage in self defense. The various scenarios that one may study go towards clarifying the rationale of the form design. As ones’ skill level rises one realizes that the movements encompass the complete body ensuring the joints, muscles, nervous system work in tandem with the cardio vascular system and the lymphatic system. This is key to sustenance, immunity and ones’ well being. You can have every elaborate visual, mathematical, philosophical model and perhaps even empirical data to read through but if you do not practice good movements then all the jargon coining comes to a naught.

Attending to ones’ form in Taijiquan is applying bodies’ innate faculties and cultivating skill. Codified techniques serve as key to access the understanding that will enable the body to attain precise states where both the organs and the ones’ psychology are healthy. Understanding and ensuring that one has clarity about the form’s points of stress and relaxation are borne only out of the practice of a certain well tested methodology. Taijiquan is one such methodology which is also steeped with legends and mysticism. But mysticism is of little value other than providing a source of entertainment and amusement. Understanding the Taijiquan principles does not come from reading about them but by following the method of training. The understanding that comes as result of training is authentic, consistent and sustainable. Be it health or martial art practicing the methodology and discovering their value is what provides the justification for the practice and which has to be discovered through the practice.

The physical and the psychological aspects of practice are both very important in order to derive benefits from Taijiquan. Patience is key and also the right teaching methodology. The relationship between the instructor and the student is what has been shaping the art since it’s inception. The art has been sustained by the practice of the master creating the atmosphere borne out of his experience and the student able to relate to the principles through the practice in that environment. Style of instruction can be very different but then all help the student relate to the same principle. Taijiquan has its own unique principles and there is a tendency in the martial arts community to extrapolate all arts to emerge out of the same cardinal principles. However this is a futile exercise and serves to be only an impediment of any art. Taijiquan is not Boxing, and Boxing is not Taiji.

It may seem that for a very long time Taijiquan has not had any champion fighter who had stayed true to his art. What are these various martial arts tournaments that pit one fighter against the other, give a stage to speculate one style versus the other? While such events are important for the study of martial arts, without the right intent among the participants such exercises serve very little in personal growth. Today a typical Taijiquan practitioner is not a young aspirant who can go the distance meeting the demands for the art. Those who are still practicing and exploring martial aspects are not politically well connected and have very less following. Those with the maximum following in Taiji are ones who milk the mysticism of the art. Providing contrived or even staged demonstrations of untested theories. The average Taijiquan practitioners just wants a good means for staying healthy. To this person they sell a quackery for accessing elixir to limitless power- only goes to show how insecure is the knowledge of the proponents. Many martial arts, Karate included, have gone the sports route to sustain their following, others have gone the entertainment route. Be it athleticism or vanity the shrill cacophony only serves to disturb a practitioner from attaining his/her best hindering the connection that one has with the environs through the cord called movement. Meeting other Taiji practitioners is important but ensure that they are worth your time either on today’s social media or actually meeting them and touching hands (jargon for sparing).

Martial arts of Taijiquan grows out of the practice of the methodology. The need perhaps may never be about facing a particular opponent in a challenge or confrontation. It may just be about not losing balance, bracing ones’ self before a fall, or handling one’s self in a crowd with lot of jostling, shoving and pushing. When there is no need to lose one’s cool or simply being more aware and comfortable in one’s own skin. It may even perhaps be for longevity of the joints so that you never will have to have a knee/hip replacement surgery. The study of the martial application serves to clarify the “Why?” behind every technique concisely. You do not need words to see the rationale. It makes the transmission of knowledge simple and effective. Frontiers of Science have been expanded more from the experiments rather than the theory. Theory serves only to retain and cultivate the knowledge not expand it. Quan (fist, denoting application) serves to expand one’s Qi (breath) whereas Qi Shi (pattern practice) cultivates the Qi . Without Quan the Qi stagnates and without Qi Shi the Qi depletes. We need a correct proportion of both to ensure that there is a way to the ideal of Taiji ensuring wholesomeness and sustained practice. It is only sustained practice that opens doors for one to grow.

But to those who are inspired by the art and are prepared to study the intricacies of the art and endure the pain, self doubts and frustrations, Welcome! This is the window to the very nature of the human body and its design and the work of many a masters who have come before. You are the ones who will choose diligence in practice, perseverance to sustain the practice, understand the follies and genius of humanity, and rectitude to ensure the authenticity of one’s understanding. You are the strong. Reading this paragraph you realize is far easier than to coming to terms with it. When you do it is with hope that whatever intent you have in your heart goes to serve your family and friends and serve them well. The art will rightfully come to you by your work and not by the virtue of your birth.