Taoism: Cultivating Body, Mind and Spirit

In the Taoist tradition, a person’s well-being depends on the harmony of body, mind and spirit. Taoist training integrates all these aspects leading to transformation of the whole person. The teachings say that we are all born with a spark of goodness, sometimes referred to as our Original Nature. By learning and practising the Taoist arts, we can walk a path that leads back to this Original Nature, to a state of natural health, stillness and clarity of mind, and a spirit of harmony and compassion for the world and for everyone around us.

The Taoist arts include a rich variety of practices that have been passed down over the ages. All can be understood as different forms of meditation. Some focus on “movement within stillness,” and include walking, standing, sitting and lying postures. Others focus on “stillness within movement” and include tai chi, organ healing, microcosmic orbit, chi self massage and many other related practices.

TAI CHI : The Practice

Meditation in motion, slow, graceful, mindful, mind-body, full body, low impact, fun exercise.

Tai Chi is often referred to as a mediation in motion. It is a full body, mind and spirit “exercise. Even though it is a martial art, it is mostly practiced for health benefits as most of our students focus on the prevention of age related issues. A growing number of studies suggest that it is a excellent alternative medicine choice when dealing with health rehabilitation.

We will begin our time together by learning the proper way to stand. This will help us break through a lifetime of old habits and programmed patterns of movements. From stillness, we begin to move. Practice of the Tai Chi Chuan form builds strength in movement, stamina and the ability to relax in strength. In a sense our practice is a martial art: our goal is to increase our sensitivity to and awareness of outside forces that affect us physically, mentally and spiritually.

The Tai Chi Principles are even more important than the movements for they are the laws of nature that shape our every moment. Moving in slow motion while listening internally promotes calmness and sensitivity to the laws and rhythms of our “small” universe. Tai Chi starts out as physical; however as we begin to understand the rhythms and principles of shape, form and movement, it gradually becomes more.

Full body workout and alignments in under 5 minutes Tai Chi Basic Form : Targeting each muscle group
Tai Chi is something anyone can do, anytime, anywhere in any human form sitting, standing, walking, in kithen or even while driving. Tai Chi is the practice of intentionally spending time with our body and mind while doing simple forms.

Wu Chi : The Orignal Force or Primordial Force

Dark Matter, as it is also known in modern science, is an aspect of Primordial Force and fills the whole universe. Dark matter is about 90% of the universe, and other 10% is our physical universe, which started from the Big Bang.
These estimates are the result of recent measurements and calculations using the latest advancements of space technology and its methods of detection.

Origin goes back to the Wu Chi, the Supreme Natural Power in the universe - in Western terminology, God. It means 'nothingness', but it is filled with 'Dark Matter', the subtle sub-atomic entities, subatomic quanta (wave/particles)

Because of the nature of quantum entanglement we say 'We All Are One' - LITERALLY PHYSICALLY!!
(Quantum Entanglement - MIT Press)

Dark matter is not dark. The "dark matter" means matter that is void of charged particles and therefore cannot be seen with our normal vision. It can interpenetrated with visible matter, quantum field mechanics.

Think of it as 'atom' which are held together by a 'foce' other than electromagnetic force and that these 'atoms' are not visible to our normal vision, yet they can interpenetrate with visible atoms.

This point of view is supported by the most advanced scientists of today in the field of quantum mechanics. According to quantum theory, one quality of subatomic particles is 'non-locality'. Thus, with zero-point fluctuation is the underlying mechanism acting on quantum entities and causing one entity to afftect the others - it means that every part of the universe can be in touch with every other part instantaneously. These scientists believe that the 'Zero Point Fiels' is the all-pervasive ground state throughout the universe.

So, it really doesn't matter where we are - we are still at the center - and each person is at the center of the universe! We are well-positioned and well-suited for the all-important process of drawing upon the primordial force for our life maintenance, refinement and evolution. Fortifying ourselves with this essential resource enables us to mainifest the amazing wonders of our human birthright. And so, according to the Tao, the universe sends energy to us and to Earth so the earth can support life. Our earth stores a major part that we need in order to fullfill our birthright. Our planet also have a lot influence on us, and all the planets store some of the elemental qualities of the Primordial Force that we need to access in order to complete our inner alchemy transformation.
* Inner Alchemy is the Taoist art and science of gathering, storing and circulating the energies of the human body.

The simple act of focusing on chi calms the autonomic nervous system, and revitalizes the internal organs by increasing the flow of blood and "Chi" (life force energy). Healing the internal organs is a necessary first step toward physical health, emotional stability and spiritual unfoldment. L1 L2 L3 will teach you how to use your internal concentration, along with gentle external stimulation, to activate healing energy (your Chi) in whatever area of your body you are working on. Practicing only five to ten minutes a day will improve your complexion, vision, hearing, sinuses, gums, teeth, tongue, internal organs, and general stamina.

Balance and flexibility. Most of the research on the impacts of tai chi on older adults has studied balance and fall prevention. This is especially pertinent to older adults because fall-related injuries (see Exercise Best Cure for Hip Fracture Recovery, July 2014, Senior Spirit) are the leading cause of death from injury and disabilities among older adults, as well as the leading cause of loss of independence and need for long-term care. Because tai chi often involves shifting weight from one leg to the other, it can increase both balance and leg strength in older adults. One researcher says that tai chi strengthens weak muscles in legs and improves the ability of ankles to flex on uneven surfaces, and repeated movements improve reaction time. Tai chai also counteracts the loss of balance as we get older, because it improves the sense of one’s physical position in space (known as proprioception).

In one study, adults in their 60s and 70s who practiced tai chi three times a week improved, after six weeks, their balance, muscular strength, endurance and flexibility. Another study compared men age 65 and older who had more than 10 years of tai chi with similar-aged who were sedentary and found that the men who did tai chi performed better on tests of balance, flexibility and cardiovascular function. Another study involving people with mild balance disorders found that eight weeks of tai chi training significantly improved function on a standard balance test. Even people with Parkinson’s disease found improved balance and function after 20 to 24 tai chi sessions, according to two studies. To help older adults improve their balance, the National Institute on Aging includes tai chi in its Go4Life exercise program as a lower-body strength exercise.

Heart disease. In a study at Harvard Medical School, 12 weeks of tai chi reduced blood levels of B-type natriuretic protein, an indicator of heart failure, and improved participants' ability to walk and quality of life. Another study suggests that tai chi may improve quality of life, mood and exercise confidence in people with chronic heart failure.

Cancer. A 2008 study at the University of Rochester found that quality of life and functional capacity (including aerobic capacity, muscular strength and flexibility) improved in women with breast cancer who did 12 weeks of tai chi, while declining in a control group that received only supportive therapy. “It does not cure cancer, but restores function, strength and energy, helps people deal with symptoms, and improves resiliency,” says Dr. Yang Yang, who works with cancer patients at the Integrative Medicine Center of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (quoted in Senior Planet).

Cognitive aid. Studies show that among people with early dementia or mild cognitive impairment, exercises such as tai chi can have positive effects on cognitive performance and memory, says Dr. Peter Wayne, co-author of The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart & Sharp Mind.

 “Tai chi can not only reduce stress and depression, but also relieve pain, build strength, and improve cognitive function, perhaps even delaying dementia” says Wayne, who is director of research at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, jointly based at the Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston (“Tai Chi for Older Newbies,” Senior Planet).

Walking. One study found that individuals who practiced tai chi walked significantly more steps than individuals who did not; this is good news for older adults whose walking speed decreases with age.

Aerobic capacity. After reviewing seven studies focusing on the effects of tai chi on aerobic capacity in older adults, researchers found that individuals who practiced tai chi for one year had higher aerobic capacity than sedentary individuals around the same age.

Muscle strength. Stanford University researchers tested women and men, average age 66, who had below-average fitness and at least one cardiovascular risk factor. After taking 36 tai chi classes in 12 weeks, they improved in both lower-body strength (measured by the number of times they could rise from a chair in 30 seconds) and upper-body strength (measured by their ability to do arm curls).

Arthritis. A Tufts University study found that an hour of tai chi twice a week for 12 weeks reduced pain and improved mood and physical functioning more than standard stretching exercises in people with severe knee osteoarthritis.

Low bone density. A review of six controlled studies by Dr. Wayne and other Harvard researchers indicates that tai chi may be a safe and effective way to maintain bone density in postmenopausal women.

Hypertension. A review of 26 studies in English or Chinese found that, in 85 percent of trials, tai chi could decrease blood pressure.

Sleep. In a University of California—Los Angeles study of healthy older adults with moderate sleep complaints, 16 weeks of tai chi improved the quality and duration of sleep significantly more than standard sleep education.

Stroke. A study conducted at the University of Illinois compared patients who had suffered a stroke at least six months earlier. In the 12th week of the tai chi program, participants demonstrated improved standing balance.