Move over Yoga – Tai Chi is here, which in Chinese means the big energy flow.
The success of Yoga in the west has been a phenomenon of the digital age. Yoga came from India with a spiritual framework but also a heap of cultural baggage. Yoga lifestyle is ubiquitous : on the internet, YouTube, high street studios, parish halls, supermarket notice boards. Over 75% of the adult population has given Yoga a whirl, and Yoga enjoys 100% brand recognition, with sub brands such as ashtanga, vipassana, Iyengar, hatha – it’s a long list.
In the process of transitioning from the Indian heartlands to the modern world much of the spiritual aspects specific to the Hindu tradition were jettisoned to make way for a neutral terminology. Balance and poise, stretch, bend and flow.
The spiritually cleansed and socially sanitised form of Yoga emphasises the benefits of the practice for health, a panacea for humanity. Now a new contender has arrived, the Chinese Tai Chi Chuan which in terms of health benefits seems to wipe the floor with Yoga. Research from Hing King show that long term practitioners live 20% longer, and have lower cholesterol and more balanced blood pressure than ordinary folk. Furthermore these benefits come after a short period practice of months for only fifteen minutes a day.
The cynical brigade point out that Tai Chi practitioners are less likely to eat junk food, smoke or drink, and that it is the healthy lifestyle that brings the upwards health trajectory, not the practice. And yet, the non strenuous Tai Chi session consumes more calories than a workout at the gym. Tai Chi is a full body workout, redistributing energy throughout the nervous and muscular complex.
Tai Chi Chuan, the great ultimate, strengthens the weak, raises the sick, invigorates the debilitated, and encourages the timid
Tai chi is easy to learn, and does not involve strenuous stretching or benchmarks of expertise. Whereas 30% of yoga practitioners, especially newbies report report physical discomfort after a yoga session at too advanced a level , Tai Chi is a universal exercise that induces a sense of well-being with no physical downside from the get-go.
And you don’t need an expensive teacher. Tai Chi is a social experience, as you move with the flow of other people. The only aspect that needs an instructor is the meditation component and once you have got the hang of that, it is as simple as closing your eyes and following the flow of your thoughts as energy.
Tai Chi has had an image problem, associated with elderly Chinese in public parks, unlike Yoga which became a Millennial movement. But both Tai Chi and Yoga have their origins in martial arts – Yoga just got sexy and modern. And it has aged. In this digital age of influencers and overnight sensations, Tai Chi is set to be new kid on the block, a disruptor. It’s free and you don’t need an instructor, once you have seen a few YouTube videos. Get ready for Tai Chi coming to a park near you.