The Importance of Pausing Between Movements (February 2025)

Reprinted from The Vital Force, August 2013

I recently dedicated a class practice to the importance of pausing between movements… We focused more on coming to rest and staying longer in the rest position than we might normally do. In doing so, the class came to the following conclusions.

Pausing at the end of each of the 19 movements in T’ai Chi Chih is important because:

• The Chi can settle and the energy of the last movement is not taken into the next movement. Pausing is useful in daily life too for the same reason — it lets you focus on the present moment and be truly focused on what you’re doing at that moment.

• This is the time you can connect with the solid ground beneath your feet and appreciate that it’s always there in times of strife. It’s a rock you can depend on when you need to find “serenity in the midst of activity.”

• Movement followed by stillness reflects the cycles we see in nature. At night the natural world rests in order to recharge its batteries before moving into day and activity. We are no different (being part of nature) and a period of stillness (or just being) is important before we start moving (doing) again.

• Transition times (dawn and dusk) are important periods when true wisdom (your true self) can be heard. The dawn chorus heralds the start of the day, a flock of birds settle and come to rest at times throughout the day when they instinctively need to rest. Maybe that’s why these transition times are said to be the most ideal times to practice TCC. We’re most receptive to connecting with internal and external Chi during these quieter, more peaceful times in our 24-hour cycle.