tai chi
Yang Cheng-fu (1883-1936) known as "Yang the Invincible" is responsible for the transmission of the Yang Style Tai Chi in the east and west. Tai Chi Chuan meaning "The Supreme Ultimate Force". "Supreme Ultimate" is often associated with the Chinese concept of Yin-Yang, which is the notion that one can see a dynamic duality (male/female, active/passive, dark/light, forceful/yielding) in all things. "Force" or "Fist" is the way of achieving yin-yang. In the west Tai Chi is a combination of slow moving exercises or postures and meditation combined, and is practiced in forms or sets which are derived from martial arts or the natural movements of animals and birds. Tai Chi, a soft style is the most advanced level of martial arts. Moving slowly trains the mind to move quickly. Tai Chi is a very precise art, involving highly coordinated movement. All the postures in Tai Chi have martial art application, some being more obvious than others. By learning the Tai Chi forms first, through daily Tai Chi practice, and developing its principles (softness, yielding, pushing, pressing, rooting and neutralizing) to name a few, one can develop very potent martial art skills.
- "No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities always see them, for they're always there"
At Millennium Martial Arts we offer the Yang Style of Tai Chi Chuan. Our classes focus on the meditative exercise of the body, rather then on the martial arts applications. Tai Chi fosters circulation of "Chi" (vital force that animates the body) within the body, calm, and tranquil mind. Tai Chi is performed slowly, softly and gracefully with smooth even transitions between movements and by correctly executing these Tai Chi movements the student learns balance, alignment, rhythm of movement and fine-scale motor control. Tai Chi helps the student correct poor postural, alignment or movement patterns which contribute to tension and injury. The meditative nature of the Tai Chi exercises calms and relaxes the mind. When practicing Tai Chi as Meditation the students should keep their mind empty of all thought, and should only feel the movements, the weight distribution as one goes from posture to posture, the straightness of the spine and breathing.
