Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) and Qi Gong (Chi Gong)

Taijiquan and Qi Gong have always been an important element of Traditional Chinese medicine, where the focus is on disease prevention, ongoing maintenance of health, as well as the treatment of acute illness. Essentially, each exercise regime, through rigorous training and discipline, aims to aid in the regulation and tuning of the entire body, and to encompass every system through holistic means. However, their application is not purely preventive.

Both forms of exercise are geared to engendering mental, physical and spiritual fitness, and aim to maintain good Qi energy through gentle fluidic movement, making them an ideal form of exercise open to everyone. Each is said to have three major strands: the first is the balance of the heart in which the emotional and psychological state are controlled in order to attain a state of relaxation. If this is achieved, effects may be observed in the central nervous system, allowing benefits throughout the body. The second strand addresses the balance of breathing - by undertaking breathing exercises, circulation is improved. The final aspect is the balance of the body, in which the body is disciplined through posture and movement to allow optimum musculoskeletal well-being.

Thus, the roles of Taijiquan and Qi Gong are not primarily in the systematic relief of individual ailments. Instead, they aim to restore the body to normality: in individuals with hypertension, blood pressure may be lowered, whilst those with low blood pressure may benefit from a rise. The emphasis is on learning or re-learning the most natural state for one's body through the combined use of the meditative and the physical, without using force, and on healing through self-discipline. 

While the ethos of Taijiquan and Qi Gong is one of prevention, clinical experience shows that a number of chronic illnesses can respond favourably to the regimes:

In conclusion, the techniques involved in Taijiquan and Qi Gong have definite observable effects on the human body, both in the prevention of illness and its treatment. It is for this reason alone that thousands of elderly people in China may be seen practising each day.

The Institute holds regular sessions in Taijiquan and Qi Gong with private tuition.

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DISCLAIMER:The Institute of Chinese Medicine dispenses herbs and certain creams and pills without prior consultation. In such cases, the Institute takes no responsibility for misuse or failure to comply with any manufacturer's instruction. The Institute recommends that all prescriptions and exercise routines be undertaken under the guidance of its personnel and further recommends that you inform or seek the guidance of your GP or qualified medical or allied health professional.