Tai Chi at Marsh Chapel

About the Tai Chi: With roots in the Chinese martial arts going back at least two centuries, Tai Chi is typically practiced today as a system of fluid, low-impact movements for the benefit of health and wellness. Tai chi can be viewed as a form of active meditation (or `meditation in motion’), whereby the mind/body connection is developed and used to coordinate movements through mental awareness. This type of practice, in turn, has been associated with a variety of benefits, including relief of stress, better balance, and improvement in concentration, coordination, and circulation. While all movements are practiced in a gentle and relaxed manner, tai chi in its advanced stages of training even becomes – perhaps contrary to appearances! – an effective martial art. In this class we will focus on the Wu style of tai chi, a traditional form of tai chi going back five generations, characterized by smaller, more compact movements than other styles. Originally intended to facilitate short-range body contact when applied as a martial art, this `closed-frame’ character of Wu-style tai chi renders the associated health benefits particularly accessible to practitioners of all ages. Instruction will focus on the 37-movement Wu short form.