In Tai Chi, our movements can be compared to a rolling ball: smooth, continuous, and effortlessly flowing. This image helps students grasp the essence of circularity, fluidity, and interconnectedness. Like a ball rolling across the ground, Tai Chi movements should be rounded, uninterrupted, and always in motion. There are no sharp angles or sudden stops, just a graceful flow from one position to the next.

How does practising Tai Chi help with our over all health and well being.  Tai Chi is known for its many physical and mental benefits, many we are aware of, but some we may not be familiar with. 

The practice of Tai Chi unfolds gradually. At first, it may simply be an enjoyable activity, a chance to move, to learn, or to connect with others. But over time, something shifts. Movements become more meaningful, awareness deepens, and the principles of Tai Chi begin to ripple into everyday life. Below is a list of experiences that reflect this journey, from the first tentative steps to a more embodied sense of flow. Everyone’s path is unique, but many will recognise these stages along the way. You may see yourself in some now, and others may still be waiting to emerge.

In Tai Chi, Listening Hands (Ting Jin) is the refined ability to sense and interpret changes in movement through light touch. Rather than reacting with tension or force, we cultivate a quiet awareness, attuned to subtle shifts in our partner’s intention, direction, or pressure. This sensitivity allows us to respond rather than reacting.

The Silken Thread of Tai Chi is a poetic expression of the seamless continuity that defines true mastery of the art of moving. It refers to the unbroken flow of energy (chi or Qi) as it travels through the body like a delicate silk filament being gently drawn from a cocoon.

Sunflowers are amazing flowers and over Summer,  RMTC students enjoyed watching them grow from seeds. We were very excited when we saw the first signs of a seedling pop through the earth, then as they grew taller and formed buds our patience and care were aptly rewarded with gorgeous yellow flowers.

It is said that we are in a ‘Natural State’ when we feel happy and in harmony with the universe. But how do we achieve that?

Our feet, with 26 bones, 33 joints and over 100 muscles, ligaments and tendons, are incredibly complex.  In holistic therapies, they are often seen as the window to our general health.  

As we’ve often discussed in class, learning a Tai Chi form is much like assembling a jigsaw puzzle. Initially, the individual movements may seem disconnected and difficult to piece together, but with practice and dedication, the form gradually takes shape.

Let's be honest, learning anything new takes time, effort, patience, determination and perseverance. Any person who is considered to be accomplished in his or her field, be it musician, actor, artist, sports person or tai chi Master, has taken years to become an 'expert'.

What types of people can learn tai chi? Anyone, obviously! Young people, chair bound, those with different abilities, the aged or the middle aged. However, looking more closely at the nature of tai chi, only some people will last beyond a few weeks.

When learning and practicing tai chi, we know that the feet ground us to the earth.  The feet are our base and the foundation to our movements.  When the feet are grounded (or rooted), we are more likely to relax so our movements are soft, flowing and balanced. 

Learning and practising Tai Chi does not happen just during class and I’m always happy to hear discussions regarding the effectiveness (and joy) of practicing Tai Chi and Qigong at home. 

The 10 Principles of Tai Chi, identified by Yang Chenfu, considered to be the first Master to openly teach his family’s Yang Style to the public. . These important points explain how we should move and where our focus should be during our tai chi practice.

When people ask me about Tai Chi, my reply is that it has changed my life – many think of it as something for older people who just seem to fling their arms around but those who have experienced the practice of Tai Chi know, thankfully, that it is something so much deeper and engaging than that.

The Needle at Sea Bottom appears in Beijing 24 and Long Form. The term ‘needle’ is used in Shibashi 2, ‘Searching for Needles in the Sea.’, but what are the ‘needles?’