Taijiquan, commonly known as t’ai chi, is a gentle yet powerful method for cultivating and protecting the health of body and mind. It has been taught openly since the late 19th century, and many lineages of form and instruction have developed. Single Intent Taijiquan is a taiji discipline based on the Yang family tradition, as passed through Zheng Manqing to my teachers, Bataan and Jane Faigao.
Movement and Stillness
There are two root practices in this discipline: the taiji form, and taiji standing.
What we call ‘the form’ is a sequence of continuous gradual movement, expressed as a series of postures linked by transitions. A short form is learned first. Although it takes very little time to practice, the short form is considered complete because it contains the essential techniques, principles, and meditation postures of taijiquan. As such, a student who learns the short form possesses a solid and beneficial daily practice.
With experience in the short form, the long form can be learned. It takes the movements of the short form and greatly expands on them, providing a more thorough exercise and expression of the principles already learned.
The second root practice is taiji standing, or standing meditation. This practice is similar in technique to sitting meditation, but rather than taking a seated posture, we stand in postures extracted from the taiji form. This is an ancient practice, far older than taijiquan, and is renowned for its effectiveness among martial artists and meditators alike. It is a simple practice, yet challenging and rewarding. It is taught in conjunction with the form.
Quan or Neigong?
Historically, taijiquan is a martial art, and is still practiced as such today. Our approach to taijiquan, however, does not emphasize the martial applications, and we do not spar. This is a neigong discipline, which means ‘inner skill’. Thus, we gather and protect our health by training to defeat inner opponents. The word quan, in taijiquan, means ‘fist’, and designates a martial art. A martial system gathers and protects health by training to defeat outer opponents. So, if we prioritize inner development, why do we retain the name taijiquan, rather than call our practice taiji neigong? The reason is the holistic nature of the taiji approach to health: one can emphasize outer or inner, but in taiji the two are never really separate.
Whether our priority is physical technique, working with energy, or mindfulness, it is a special feature of taijiquan that all three aspects are developed together. Even if we have no interest in fighting, since the structure of the form is based on martial technique, some understanding of this technique is necessary for our practice.
If we separate the form from its original function, we can misunderstand the practice and undermine its effectiveness. Conversely, if a student attempts to train in fighting technique separate from the neigong instructions, their form will be disjointed and powerless.
The soft power, or strength, that made taijiquan famous as a martial art is not separate from the relaxed energy and mindfulness most contemporary practitioners seek. In fact, the terms relaxation and mindfulness describe essential components of this strength, cultivated through taijiquan’s approach to synchronizing body and mind. This holistic strength is the special quality of taijiquan.