T’ai Chi Chih for Nurse Life Care Planners

T’ai Chi Chih® – Joy Thru Movement

T’ai Chi Chih is a series of movements designed to activate and balance the Chi (life energy) which flows in all living beings. It is often regarded as a moving meditation since the slow, gentle movements calm the mind, ease tension and generally improve the physical and mental makeup of the practitioner. The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with this modern movement form.

T’ai Chi Chih was first originated by American Justin Stone in 1974. It has grown by word of mouth (there is no formal organization) such that there are now approximately 2,200 certified teachers in six countries. Tens of thousands of students have been taught this simple movement form. Stone was a T’ai Chi Ch’uan master who traveled, lived and studied extensively in the Far East. While teaching at the University of New Mexico in the 1970s it became clear to him that for the typical westerner, learning the 108 movements of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, which can require great physical agility and strength, was often too challenging for the beginning student. Many students, discouraged or lacking discipline, abandoned the practice. The 19 movements and one pose of T’ai Chi Chih, conversely, are relatively easy to learn and are generally taught in eight sessions. The movements themselves are done in a standing position and have simple descriptive names such as Bass Drum, Daughter on the Mountaintop and Working the Pulley. Students can learn in group classes or individually by certified teachers (a list of resources is included at the end of this article). An instructional DVD by Justin Stone is also available.

Anecdotal evidence for health improvement ranges from general feelings of wellbeing, improved energy, and better mental concentration to decreased doses of medication for such medical conditions such as hypertension, arthritis and diabetes mellitus. Other practitioners have reported weight loss and reduction of chronic pain. It is interesting to note there have been several medical studies specifically on T’ai Chi Chih and its health benefits.

A study in the Journal of Gerontological Nursing found that T’ai Chi Chih practice in seniors resulted in a statistically significant improvement in balance. There was also a noted reduction in blood pressure with some of the participants (though this was not statistically significant.) The study concluded that T’ai Chi Chih was a safe and enjoyable form of exercise that can be learned in a short amount of time. Its advantages over traditional exercise include the fact that it does not require any special clothing or equipment and once learned, can be practiced in the home.

A study by the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine found T’ai Chi Chih practice resulted in improved immunological function in seniors at risk for developing herpes zoster (shingles). Evidence for the results came from blood tests measuring immunity factors that suppress shingles. (All of the seniors had had varicella zoster [chicken pox] earlier in life.) Participants in the study also reported improved physical health and an improved ability to move through their day. Researchers were very enthused as this study, funded by the NIH National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. It was the first randomized, controlled study to demonstrate that behavior can have a positive effect on immunity that protects against shingles.

T’ai Chi Chih is recommended in the Mayo Clinic Health Letter, and Dr. David Walter of the Los Angeles Times has stated that “T’ai Chi Chih reduces stress, and if you can reduce stress, it can work on all kinds of ailments. We know ulcers, chemical dependency, emotional neuroses, hypertension – a lot of common 20th century ailments – are stress-related.” The Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter reported that rheumatoid arthritis patients practicing T’ai Chi twice a week for three months reported less tender joints than those patients in a control group.

This author began studying T’ai Chi Chih in 1986 through a continuing education class offered through the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, NM. One of the first observations she had was a diuresing effect. When she asked her teacher, Carmen Brocklehurst (of the nationally syndicated television program “T’ai Chi Chih, Joy Thru Movement” which aired on PBS for more than ten years), she smiled and replied, “It’s working.” Indeed it was later learned that one of the benefits of T’ai Chi Chih is that it dries up the excess aqueous fluids in the body, one of many examples of its physical balancing effects. Other benefits experienced by this practitioner include improved sleep, better balance and coordination and a greater sense of presence in the body. It also made her, in a very simple sense, feel greater happiness. For an individual with a history of chronic pain or previous trauma, this effect can feel like a miracle. It is thus no surprise that the originator of T’ai Chi Chih, Justin Stone, now 91 and living alone in his home and still practicing T’ai Chi Chih, states that the most common report he receives from teachers and students alike is that “T’ai Chi Chih has changed my life.”

It is paradoxical that the soft and slow movements of T’ai Chi Chih can have such a powerful effect on the body. In this regard the practice becomes a metaphor for how we move through life. It is said that the soft tongue outlasts the hard teeth, that the soft water wears away the hard rock. T’ai Chi Chih seems to activate the life energy (also known as vital force or intrinsic energy) which is commonly felt but not widely recognized in traditional western medicine. It is not the same as blood flow, although both are necessary for life. Everyone has had the experience of improved energy versus times when one feels dull, lethargic or tired. T’ai Chi Chih practice seems to result in a type of purification of this vital energy through activating and balancing the flow of Chi. It is said that this Chi is intelligent energy. Increasingly scientific inquiry appears to be supporting the concept of an internal wisdom living within the body. How this is communicated on a cellular level remains a mystery. How is this wisdom accessed?

In T’ai Chi Chih, the practitioner does not prescribe or direct the flow of Chi. This Chi is said to be self-correcting in the body and by simply performing the movements one obtains the benefits. Thus the old adage “analysis is paralysis” can be applied. Indeed because one makes the effort of not thinking during practice, it seems to bring about a calmness or peace of mind one might expect from a more traditional meditation. Practice is a time to allow cerebral activity to rest. Such analysis is not helpful or even desirable to practice, although a sincere attitude in performing the movements correctly does seem to aid in the results. As Mr. Stone has frequently said, “Just do the movements and see for yourself.” T’ai Chi Chih is not a religion nor does it ascribe to any dogma or doctrines. In this way it can be very accurately described as spiritual in nature.

In our role as Nurse Life Care Planners, information is often requested by clients who are desiring a broader range of options for addressing both disease management and enhanced wellness options in their lives. The NLCP can be in a pivotal position to introduce information on such movement practices, which can offer both physical and mental benefits to the practitioner. It is also possible that such practices can offer tremendous health benefit to the NCLP. Modeling positive health practices remains one of the most powerful tools in the nurse’s arsenal of health teachings.

As T’ai Chi Chih becomes better known in the public and medical communities, access to clear and accurate information about it will be helpful those considering study of this movement discipline. For additional information refer to the website,HYPERLINK “http://www.taichichih.org” www.taichichih.org and other related websites,HYPERLINK “http://www.taichichihassociation.org” www.taichichihassociation.org andHYPERLINK “http://www.gkpub.com” www.gkpub.com. It is said that, “You cannot appease the hunger by simply reading the menu.” In this regard T’ai Chi Chih is best understood by experiencing the practice whose tag line is “Joy thru Movement.” It is this author’s sincere desire to bring T’ai Chi Chih to the broader disabled community as well as its treatment providers.

Bibliography:

HYPERLINK “http://www.taichichih.org” www.taichichih.org

HYPERLINK “http://www.taichichihassociation.org” www.taichichihassociation.org

HYPERLINK “http://www.gkpub.com” www.gkpub.com

T’ai Chi Chih Joy Thru Movement, Justin F. Stone, Good Karma Publishing

“T’ai Chi Chih: An Exercise Option for Older Adults,” Journal of Gerontolgical Nursing, October 1996

“Mind over Matter: T’ai Chi Class Boosts Shingles Immunity, Improves Physical Functioning in Older Adults,” Psychosomatic Medicine, September 2003

Nursing Diagnosis: Definitions & Classification 2005-2006, NANDA International

About the Author:

Rhonda St. Martin, BSN, RN, CCM, CDMS, CNLCP, has worked in the field of rehabilitation management continuously since 1985. She works as a Certified Case Manager and Certified Nurse Life Care Planner for Broadspire (formerly Crawford Healthcare Management.) She is a dedicated meditator and became certified to teach T’ai Chi Chih in 1994. Rhonda has a passionate interest in Eastern philosophy, integrative medicine and healthcare reform. She loves teaching wellness to anyone who will listen. In her spare time, she enjoys doing nothing. Contact her atHYPERLINK “http://www.Rhonda.stmartin@choosebroadspire.com” Rhonda.stmartin@choosebroadspire.com, or 505-299-7038.