Flowing Chi

T’ai Chi Chih is a mindfulness-moving meditation practice that’s easy to learn. The series of 19 movements and one pose helps circulate the Vital Energy, the Chi. Practitioners experience peace, improved health, and many more benefits. Our free monthly e-newsletter offers inspiration between issues of the TCC quarterly journal, The Vital Force, in which teachers and students tell stories about ways they’ve benefited from the practice. 

A free flow of Chi, the vital force, is an obvious necessity. – Justin F. Stone, TCC Originator

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From the recent issue of The Vital Force:

Yin & Yang Chi: “When our hands move outward, slowly shaping the Chi as it flows, the energy responds — separating into yin Chi and yang Chi. As we continue to move, we circulate these two currents, and only when we rest in stillness at the end does their quiet reunion bring the system back into balance. The nervous system softens its grip. Muscles, long trained to brace against life, start to listen. In that quiet listening, the mind rediscovers ease. Emotion — energy in motion — transforms from agitation into harmony.” – Stephen Thompson, Tupelo, MS

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Editor’s Note: Learn more from TCC teachers with more than 25 years of experience in the November issue of The Vital Force.

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Flexibility: “TCC has become a cherished part of my life, offering profound benefits for my mind and body. This gentle practice, with its slow and deliberate movements paired with awareness of natural breathing, has truly enhanced my physical health while bringing a sense of mental clarity. As I’ve practiced TCC, I’ve noticed improvements in balance, flexibility, and strength, helping me tackle common challenges that come with aging. The meditative nature of TCC fosters a deep relaxation that reduces stress and promotes emotional well-being, allowing me to approach each day with renewed energy and positivity.” – FL, Ocala, FL

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Therapy: “TCC is the therapy I’ve been seeking. The deepening connections of internal and external energy have been phenomenal. Learning the art of slowing down in a chaotic world has been a challenge. Since practicing TCC, something wonderful has happened: a gaining of clarity, calmness, peace, and harmony. I will be forever grateful to this graceful and gentle art that connects mind, body, and spirit.” – EJ, UK

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Storing Chi: Why is it  necessary to keep the concentration in the soles of the feet while doing T’ai Chi Chih? First, having a point of concentration keeps the mind from wandering…. Second, the tan t’ien, the spot two inches below the navel, is the all-important place Chi is stored. It is the seed of intuition and the most important spot from the Chinese standpoint…. The Tu Mu meridian channel that comes down the front, goes through the tan t’ien and reaches the soles of the feet, is called the Chu or bubbling spring. By concentrating in the soles of the feet, we serve the same purpose: Bringing the Chi down to the tan t’ien…. Third and most important from a health standpoint, we want to bring the heart fire, that is the Yang of the heart, down instead of letting the Yin of the kidneys rise. – Justin F. Stone

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Where in the World have you been doing T’ai Chi Chih? Share your images for our gallery.

Want more inspiration? Want a connection with the global TCC community? Want tips for better practice? Join us:

Subscribe to The Vital Force. Our quarterly journal offers engaging stories, hints, and insights from TCC teachers and students. We also highlight wisdom by, and photos rarely seen of, the originator Justin Stone.