Resting Position, Awareness & Relaxation Response

The application of T’ai Chi Chih principles starts with the resting position, especially the upright posture that helps the body relax completely. The relaxation response allows the Chi to circulate throughout the body easily, freely.

Pay attention to how the spine is suspended and held upright by simply being aware of the wire or thread of energy holding us upright from the ceiling. When we crank up the wire or thread of energy, we naturally tuck in the chin to bring the cervical spine straight. The chest opens and the shoulders rotate back and down as if the shoulder blades touch each other and are pointed downward.

When we sink down, the lower back spine straightens, and the tailbone becomes perpendicular to the floor. Through awareness of the posture, we can experience a deeper relaxation response as the skeleton is completely supported. The muscles relax in a zero-gravity space.

This upright posture remains throughout TCC practice with the spine being flexible, adjusting throughout the movements as the arms move in different positions. The first vertebrae and the fifth lumbar are the two places that inform us that we are upright or not. When we are, all the vertebra are free to respond, to move, and to allow the Chi flow through the spine. We can move as though suspended from the ceiling in an upright posture without effort.

I experience a deeper relaxation and sense of well being by visualizing being suspended at the ceiling — with my chin tucked in, shoulder rotated back, shoulder blades lowered, knees gently pulled forward (allowing my lower back to flatten and tailbone being perpendicular to the floor).

The idea is not necessarily to keep the posture, but to be aware when the posture changes and requires a conscious adjustment — to be aware when the present moment feeling changes from tension to relaxation. This could be a way to deepen your TCC practice: by simply experiencing the upright posture with heightened awareness in the present moment throughout every TCC movement.