The Meaning Behind the Symbolic Gestures of T’ai Chi Chih

Richard Brier, Mill Valley, CA

In my many years of learning, teaching and refining TCC, it has become obvious that the form is really a bridge between the visible & invisible worlds, matter & spirit, words & silence, and most certainly a direct way to experience Reality. In this article, I want to share my insights relative to the meaning behind the TCC forms. All of these meanings are my own experience and I claim no other authority.

Beginning with Rocking Motion. We receive yang chi in the hand as the palms are raised, the heels lifted off earth to release ourselves from the physical, we then bring yang back to mother earth-yin-palms down. We are the acupuncture points between heaven and earth and the energy dance of yin-yang must be balanced for inner change to occur. Humans are here to be purified from dense matter to light spirit. In this way we further the evolution of the whole planet.

The rest position is to allow integration of active and still chi. This position is very important and in an old Taoist text the V position of the feet is called the Infinity Stance. It is also called the Crane Stance. The breathing is from the bubbling spring, which is called the lower dantien. “Breathe from the heels” is another ancient secret of the circulation. All of the practices are essentially practical and simple–the difficulty is always in daily practice–that is the Key to the Kingdom of chi development.

Bird Flaps its Wings is interesting. Most important is to embody the spirit of the bird (birds symbolize freedom & intuitive knowledge) and feel the expansion of the movement. Lifting the heels while squatting allows us to dis-connect from gravity & release the weightedness of form while spreading the wings expresses our desire for transcendence–to open ourselves to the vastness of our true being and the universe. The closure of the wings again is to center that expansion, to bring that flight back to the middle dantien, the lower dantien, the earth, form itself. We flow between form and emptiness in all the movements.

Around the Platter truly begins the circle dance of Tai Chi Chih. We all know intellectually that circularity creates more chi flow–an outstanding way to deepen your experience of that truth is to change the size of your circles in platter–from quite small to large & feel the difference in energy. Remember always to relax and move softly, slowly, and smoothly–without ambition. The Platter receives chi from earth in the hands and creates receptive harmony, as the circle is the symbol of harmony.

No one does TCC like anyone else. Isn’t it wondrous? The variation of platter creates changes because of the holding the ball gesture. The hands represent our ability to give and to receive, to let go and hold on. Allow the beauty and elegance of your soul to flow from holding the ball gesture into palms down. The ball represents my conscious intention which we then offer to the world. For example, holding a loving thought of someone and sending it to them as you release the ball. Be consciously creative and enhance the form with your own ideas.

Bass Drum is so simple and powerful. Visualize the chi dancing between the palms, wrists relaxed in bottom part of the circling and wrists more yang in upper part of the curving. Allow life to be Itself in the movements, it is the art of arts–letting go of wanting to control life. All of the movements are states of mind. The variations are infinite and no two practice sessions will be alike if you are alert.

Daughter on the Mountain Top has always been one of my favorites. The daughter is the receptive feminine within us all and the Mountain Top are the moments of grace which occur spontaneously during practice (and LIFE!) ‘Only the empty cup can be filled.’ Remember: be relaxed and alert, like a cat. The two intersecting circles interweave the yin-yang energies. The idea of separation is the primary cause of human misery. A beautiful movement, practice it endlessly. Try 36 repetitions on each side some time, slowly, without thought.

Daughter in the Valley complements Mountain Top. Here we begin from a high arm space (high in consciousness) and descend into ordinary life to share our insights. To trust the intuitive and be compassionate to the doubts, is to be an artist of life itself. We cup our hands and climb up the column of light, expand it and then ground it in ordinary ways to embody and then share it. This alchemy of the ordinary, making the ordinary extraordinary, occurs spontuitively (YES!) when we practice daily.

Carry the Ball to the Side is the first movement going sideways and that always changes my experience of the chi rather dramatically. Here we again cup the hands and the key is the alternating emphasis in the hands. I feel I am drawing the Tai Chi circle continually in this form.

Push Pull is giving & receiving in balance. Exhaling on the outward and inhaling on the in-going movement can energize these forms particularly.

Pulling in the Energy from the most distant star is a lovely image, and true. When two people fall in love, a new galaxy is born. This is common knowledge among lovers, yet hardly ever mentioned. In one class, I suggested receiving love-energy from Venus and a lady exclaimed excitedly “How did you know” I was just contemplating Venus & love-energy!” These types of intuitive occurrences will happen often.

Good to visualize your favorite planet feeding and nourishing you through the fingertips. It is paramount to practice in nature as often as possible, as the chi is most pure there.

The Taffy’s are unique–the sandwiched hands separate and offer chi-bits to the left and right. The receptive and creative flow beautifully in this series. My teacher, Thomas Bottoms, used to say that we offer candy (taffy) to a little child on the left, and then on the right, so the second child wouldn’t feel lonely. Lovely, yes?

We are perfect in our essence, but it take time, infinite time to bring the perfection into form. Our practice is our supreme opportunity to connect to the Source daily. Without practice, the world will overwhelm & destroy our delicate balance. Count on it.

Working the Pulley hand movements give and receive simultaneously, again emptying ourselves to be filled by the Great Tao. The whole approach of Tai Chi Chih is to still the surface mind so that our natural spontaneous wisdom can shine forth in its simplicity and guide us.

A word or three about the confusion of ‘over-seriousness’ and so-called spirituality. Over-seriousness is a curse and is definitely ego-based. The joy of TCC is precisely due to the releasing of the ego’s endless need for control. Joy and radiance are an obvious sign of Divinity’s presence.

Light at the Top of the Head and Temples are wonderful ways to open the higher centers and balance the left and right brain. The marriage of yin-yang, the marriage of both sides of the brain, are aided greatly and easily in these forms. Try doing them three times each, slow and lovingly, and watch this inner communion.

The flame at the top of the head expands as we rise on the toes, symbolic of rising above conceptual living. This widening enlarges our limited views, the hands coming back together shows that we have brought that vision back into life, for wholeness.

The temple is the place of worship, in this movement we move beyond thought of religion, beyond dogma and catma, and enter the true stream of spiritual life. I hope that these ideas enhance your sense of Tai Chi Chih–my essential reminder is: practice, enjoy, relax, ground.

Joyous Breath is very invigorating. We finally emphasize yang, inner power and exert ourselves exhaling. On the four exhales we release toxins physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. No formulas, let Tao lead. The filling and emptying of the breath detoxifies our system and allows homeostasis to take place naturally. Sometimes I do J.B. 9 times ending with 9 chui’s. It is extremely alerting done in this way.

Passing Clouds has always been a favorite of mine. Several years ago, a student named Barbara was healed of thirty-five years of insomnia by just doing Clouds for 10 minutes prior to sleep! Relaxation and circularity is primary here, move from the waist, and the awareness that clouds symbolize the law of form: endless change. Can we surrender to change? Can we allow Tao to run our life? Can we trust the universe?

Six Healing Sounds are vital and tension releasing, done with gusto and fluidity. I often do Sounds many times and have pronounced chi flow. Rest for longer than usual after both Joyous Breath and Sounds, as both strongly stimulate chi and we want to allow balance to re-occur.

We end with Cosmic Consciousness Pose which integrates the stimulated chi and allows chi-wisdom to nourish the body deep in the marrow of the bones. Be still as long as comfortable. Stillness is the highest state of vibration and the quickest way to access wisdom.

Checkpoints: are my shoulders relaxed?
is my breathing natural?
am I gazing inwardly?

This journey
of life and Tai Chi Chih always begins NOW- –
and I wish you only success in
your efforts to cultivate chi.

– Blessings,
Richard