A Process of Discovery

The seated variation of the T’ai Chi Chih form was invaluable during my health struggles in 2015, and it will always have a place in my heart. Standing, I had become shaky and frustrated, the extra effort to maintain stability preventing Chi from flowing. I applied “the effort of no effort” intellectually, unaware of the depth of this principle. When I could barely walk, it was a revelation to rediscover the Chi by starting very small (reclined in a gravity chair with unrecognizably small hand movements). After one group practice in the park this way, my gait was stabilized for three days!

One of the biggest misconceptions about seated TCC is that it is lesser. I would assert that it is more subtle, offering its own powerful lessons and a useful practice even for those that don’t “need” it. Beginning or elderly students may only be able to let go of effort of maintaining balance when sitting, leading to feeling the Chi much more quickly.

That said, I find seated TCC to be more personal than standing; adjustment and tuning (based on the principles) are needed to realize its benefits. How much of a weight shift? Is a focus in the feet or the tan t‘ien more effective? Do we put out a foot slightly, or keep the feet even? Is grounding between movements stronger with the hands resting on the lap, or pressing to the sides? How much “squirm” (sliding the emptying knee slightly forward) facilitates the side-to-side movements? I would encourage you to adjust based on that day’s needs. Let yourself be guided by feel.

Shifting the weight from the center rather than the upper body is all-important, so that is my starting point. The felt analogy of weight shifting through the sit-bones instead of the feet can be helpful. Some describe it as rolling on the sit-bones like a speed bump; others feel a whole torso expansion/lightness forward, then the tan t’ien gently contracting/sinking toward the spine on the return. Sliding forward in the chair often helps free the pelvis, but when I need back support or to be reclined, my weight shift feels more like an energetic wave in the abdomen rather than any actual “shift.” Don’t force it; allow the hands to follow.

Similarly, adjust the extension of the arms based on the energy flow, not on a mental ideal. If the arms are not supported by the weight shift, tension will accumulate; watch for back pain and adjust as needed. Try less extension but be sure the elbows aren’t static; they must bend and open. Try counting in relationship to the tan t‘ien, not the arms, slowing down the shift and allowing plenty of transition time at the ends. This helps remind the hands to leisurely follow rather than rushing to keep up, and it also helps avoid torso rotation and leaning.

Going back and forth between standing and seated is a great tool for deepening the practice. Habits, extra flourishes, and effort can be more obvious when seated; for example, when lifting using the upper body. Up/down weight shifts will feel more like forward weight shifts when seated, yet this aspect is there in the standing practice also, waiting to be discovered. Seated TCC offers many such discoveries to be effortless.