Tai Chi

On this morning I follow Vivek to the gym and there I learn Tai Chi from a fitness trainer named David whom Vivek has engaged while in Auckland.  This man hails from Buffalo, New York and though shorter than me, he is built like an American football player.  I learn he has indeed played the Grid Iron, and learned competitive boxing and wrestling having performed in movie fight scenes.  Looking at him, you would not expect him to practice TaiChi but he does it everyday for 5 years now.  "If you only ever do one form of exercise, make it TaiChi, nothing can improve the quality of your life like it."  That is a strong endorsement!  "Actually a martial art form, the movements appear simple but it takes a lifetime to master, I have the utmost respect for TaiChi masters".  

He shows me the basic 8 step pattern of the Yang style and I think to myself, is that all?  I can master this in an hour!  But I find that the more detailed information I am given and after repeated corrections, the more lost I become and after an hour is up I can only repeat the first two movements before I blank out.  I only complete the routine by mimicking him and neglecting the intricacies which are critical for proper energy flow.  Nevertheless, doing so I feel a tingling sensation in my hands.  

"TaiChi is good for balancing the Yin and Yang in our body".  He elaborates that the Yang is the Sympathetic nervous system which tends to be overtaxed in our stressful lives.  The Sympathetic nervous system is the one that governs "Fight/Flight" response.  It is triggered under distress/fear the result of prolonged burden here is the production of cortisol which pulls the bodies resources away from extremities essentially interrupting healing in favor of conservation and defense, the cost of this over time is ill health.    The society we live in is increasingly 'Yang' and TaiChi aims to counter this effect.  The Yin on the other hand relates to the Parasympathetic nervous system.  As further convincing, David also tells me about an older student of his who was delighted to part with his Viagra after 2 weeks of Tai Chi which helped offset his Yin and Yang imbalance by tapping into his Parasympathetic nervous system.  More can be read about Tai Chi and the nervous system here - Tai Chi and Stress

David also shows me a pose known as the Heavenly Pillar and it is a simple standing posture with arms raised around an invisible pillar of sort and knees slightly bending.  He tells me to breathe in and out in six count, apparently this is the most beneficial sort.  The purpose of this is to learn to harness the Dan Tien and he shows me the source of energy in our body, two inches below the navel.  He tells me to do this everyday also.

To see the routine I learned performed by a master click here.