Balance your Life

Tai Chi

• An ancient Chinese form of exercise or of attack and defense. It is a mind-body practice that originated as a martial art.
• Tai chi developed in China in about the 12th century A.D.
• It is designed to provide relaxation in the process of body conditioning, which it accomplished partly by harmonizing the principles of yin-yang.
• Health Purposes: moving your body slowly and gently, while breathing deeply and meditating is believed to help the flow of Qi throughout the body.
  

Qi: A vital energy that underlies all living things. It flows in people through meridians. It is important in health and disease. Traditional Chinese medicine often seeks to relieve these imbalances by adjusting the circulation of Qi (metabolic energy flow) in the body using a variety of therapeutic techniques. Some of these techniques include herbal medicines, special diets, physical training regimens (Qigong, Tai Chi, and martial arts training), massage to clear blockages, and acupuncture, which uses fine metal needles inserted into the skin to reroute or balance Qi.

Yin yang: Two principle forces or elements that make up the universe and everything in it. Yin and Yang oppose each other.

• Yin: qualities of water - such as coolness, darkness, stillness, and inward and downward direction. Considered feminine.
• Yang: qualities of fire - such as heat, light, action, and upward and outward movement. Considered masculine.