How to Grasp the Bird's Tail


Book Description

A unique book for students & teachers of Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan), attempting neither to teach Taiji, nor treat it in a scholarly way. Instead, it celebrates the names of the Taiji movements - the Chinese names! It celebrates the visual beauty of Margaret Chang's Chinese calligraphy. It celebrates the imagery within the Chinese characters. It celebrates the mystery, the poetic ambiguity intrinsic to the Chinese language. It celebrates the possible meanings there - concrete & metaphoric. There are occasionally playful & light-hearted interpretations reflecting the author's own Taiji experience & musings. Also, occasionally, there are potentially relevant stories or paintings to enjoy. All this is offered in the hope that readers will find pleasure in discovering their own meanings in these Chinese names & in the movements of Taiji. Both Jane Schorre & Margaret Chang are devoted Taiji artists, who have practiced & taught Taiji for many years. In addition, Margaret Chang is an accomplished painter & calligrapher who counts among her foremost teachers Prince Pu Ju, brother of Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China. Order from Arts of China Seminars, 2314 Driscoll, Houston, TX 77019. 713-664-7142.




Handbook of T'Ai Chi Ch'Uan Exercises


Book Description

An easy way to maintain health and alleviate stress. Incorporates all three forms of T'ai Chi Ch'uan Exercises derived from the Yang style -the Short Form, Long Form, and Push Hands. Zhang provides easy-to-understand descriptions of the postures and movements used in each of the three forms, and outlines key points of general practice. Written for people who want to feel better, these easy-on-the-body movements bring increased health and freedom from stress. Index.




T'ai Chi For Dummies


Book Description

For nearly 5,000 years, people have practiced T’ai Chi as a way to prolong life, build strength and stamina, improve concentration, and achieve psychological balance. Hundreds of millions of satisfied customers can’t be wrong. Whether you already dabble in T’ai Chi and would like to get a deeper understanding of the basics, or you’re only thinking about trying it and want to find out more before you take the plunge, T’ai Chi For Dummies is for you. In plain English, Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes demystify T’ai Chi principles and practices for Westerners. They unravel exotic sounding terms and concepts and break down movements in ways that more traditional instructors and authors either can’t or won’t. And with the help of crystal-clear illustrations and step-by-step instructions, they get you on track with a T’ai Chi fitness program guaranteed to help you: Increase balance and flexibility Combat fatigue and reduce stress Tone muscles Unlock your power centers and boost energy Improve focus and concentration Breathe “mindfully” and meditate Enhance your sense of inner peace and well-being Discover just how easy it can be to make T’ai Chi and its sister discipline Qigong part of your everyday life. With this friendly reference as your guide you’ll quickly master the basic movements and forms, as well as: T’ai Chi’s Yang 24-Movement Form Qigong and Push Hands techniques Techniques that help speed recovery from specific injuries T’ai Chi movements for aerobic exercise Exercise is good for the body and soul. Now let Therese Iknoian and Manny Fuentes show you how to energize, find inner peace, and tone your muscles with the gentle art of T’ai Chi.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & QiGong Illustrated, Fourth Edition


Book Description

Heal yourself physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually with the ultimate guide to T'ai Chi and QiGong for beginners! T'ai Chi — a martial art used for health, meditation, and self-defense — and QiGong — a large variety of physical and mental training methods based on Chinese philosophy — are widely recognized to heal physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. T'ai Chi has demonstrated its health benefits by being linked with everything from slowing the aging process and increasing balance and flexibility to lowering stress levels and enhancing the body's natural healing powers. In this fourth edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide® to T'ai Chi & QiGong, the authors have streamlined the book, giving it a clearer how-to focus. Nearly 150 video clips complement the 300 helpful illustrations in the book by demonstrating a complete T'ai Chi exercise — all exclusively available to readers on the authors' website.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and Qigong


Book Description

Yours"re no idiot, of course. You know that Trs"ai Chi and QiGong are ancient Chinese practices known to lower stress; slow aging; boost the immune system; help with asthma, arthritis, and migraines; and heal a host of chronic health problems. But when it comes to signing up for a Trs"ai Chi or QiGong class, you feel tied to the sofa. Let The Complete Idiotrs"s Guidereg; to Trs"ai Chi and QiGong, Second Edition, untie your bonds by giving you step-by-step ways to use Trs"ai Chi and QiGong to boost your health and work and expand your life in many ways. In this updated and revised Complete Idiotrs"s Guidereg;, you get: Simple definitions and explanations of Trs"ai Chi jargon and philosophy. Useful tips on bringing the soothing calm of Trs"ai Chi into your daily life to enhance your work and relationships. Important warnings on what can block the full effect of Trs"ai Chi-including a vastly improved instructional chapter. Practical applications for kids, adults, seniors, and people with special physical concerns. An expanded health and medical research reference section and listings of Trs"ai Chi and QiGong contacts throughout the world.




How to Grasp the Bird's Tail If You Don't Speak Chinese


Book Description

A beautiful exploration of the Chinese calligraphy and meanings of the Taijiquan posture names. This text reveals the mystery, imagery, and poetic ambiguity in the Chinese language. Much in the names in of Taiji movements is lost in the English translation. This book asks the reader to consider the Chinese character, which conveys much of the inner essence of Taiji.This book was originally copyrighted by the author, Jane Schorre and published by North Atlantic Books in Berkeley California. A group of taijiquan enthusiasts felt that such a beautiful book should not be out of print, so after an exhaustive search, we determined that the only route to go was to republish this book ourselves. All proceeds go to Health, Prosperity, & Leadership Institute, a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to spreading Health, Prosperity, and Leadership to everyone, everywhere.




Carry Tiger to Mountain


Book Description

"Stephen Legault's marvelous ability to connect the experiences of the present leaders of social causes with the wisdom of the ancients shows us all that there is a passage through the often-seeming[ly] insurmountable obstacles of the present, a way that enables all who care to be successful in their personal and professional lives."—Brock Evans This fascinating and useful book is a modern-day interpretation of Lao Tzu’s Tao te Ching for social activists and leaders within various activist movements in western civil society. It’s a thoughtful examination of how the Tao, and Taoist thought, might be applied to the challenges, conflicts, and obstacles that activists and concerned citizens face as they fight contemporary battles regarding such issues as poverty, workers’ rights, environmentalism, freedom of expression, gender and sexual equality, and social justice. The book also includes a verse-by-verse interpretation of the Tao te Ching’s 81 “chapters”; the Tao te Ching is one of the most important historical works of Chinese philosophy, and is the basis of Taoism (or Daoism). Carry Tiger to Mountain is a timely book about the role of spirituality in activism in the twenty-first century, and how we—not only activists per se, but those for whom issues of social and political justice are important—can forge new paths in their daily struggles to make the world a better place, and at the same time restore personal balance to their lives. Includes an introduction by Dr. Jim Butler, a political activist for the past 30 years who is also a Buddhist monk.




Compact Tai Chi


Book Description

Many homes do not have enough space to practice conventional Tai Chi. Tai Chi master Jesse Tsao explains his spaceless mini Tai Chi, a form combining five major styles in one comprehensive form, which takes only three to five minutes to practice in less than 40 square feet of space.




Tai Chi Chuan


Book Description

Douglas Lee, a tai chi practitioner for more than 20 years, covers the history and philosophy of the art, general principles of movement, solo exercises, push-hands sparring, applications, tai chi weapons and more.




Find Peace With Tai Chi


Book Description

This is the perfect introduction for beginners who want to learn the essential principles behind Tai Chi without overcomplicated instructions or confusing detail. You will learn the basic ideas and get into the Tai Chi way of thinking before picking up the 'form' and exercises through a series of simple illustrations designed for all abilities, leaving you with the perfect antidote to the stresses of 21st-century life. NOT GOT MUCH TIME? One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started. AUTHOR INSIGHTS Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the author's many years of experience. TEST YOURSELF Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress. EXTEND YOUR KNOWLEDGE Extra online articles at www.teachyourself.com to give you a richer understanding of tai chi. FIVE THINGS TO REMEMBER Quick refreshers to help you remember the key facts. TRY THIS Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.




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