ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE CH’I

September 18th, 2007 by admin

Let us take for granted the existence of ch’i, at least as a paradigm for certain aspects of the body-mind connection that are essential to the effective practice of T’ai Chi Ch’uan. The question then arises as to the best method for cultivating the ch’i. There are countless methods of ch’i kung that could be followed. My principle teacher in Cheng Man-ch’ing Style, Ben Lo, has always taken the position that the correct practice of T’ai Chi Ch’uan is itself a form of ch’i kung. Consequently, there is no need for supplementary systems. Holding postures, which could be thought of as a standing meditation ch’i kung series, is the only supplementary exercise that Ben recommends. Tony Ho, the Wu Style teacher I began studying with in December, 1993 (at Ben’s recommendation) takes a totally different perspective and strongly recommends a number of ch’i kung techniques as supplementary exercises to help know your own body.

Zen meditation, yoga, ch’i kung and the internal martial arts all share elements for the cultivation of ch’i. Certain practices obviously resonate more clearly for some individuals than for others. If a T’ai Chi enthusiast enjoys some of the other practices, he might as well have fun. Possibly the alternate perspective will aid in understanding his T’ai Chi Ch’uan practice better. If you just relax and adhere to the principles of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, however, the ch’i is cultivated naturally and without risk. Casual observation does not support the idea that the practice of other arts makes ones T’ai Chi Ch’uan superior in some way. Some people who spend a lot of time supplementing their T’ai Chi Ch’uan training still have quite mediocre abilities.

The beginner should be aware of some potential risks with ch’i kung. There are practices that reportedly lead to severe emotional/psychological imbalances if not taught and monitored properly. It is thought particularly dangerous for people to focus the ch’i into the upper tan-t’ien, or third eye, because of the risks associated with the elevated blood pressure that results. The possibility of physical injury from improper body mechanics is also possible. Some will also fall prey to a New Age hubris, superficially learning a great number of esoteric practices and failing to recognize the potentially greater value from investing the same amount of time in developing a deep understanding of one system.

There are extensive systems of Taoist alchemy, as well as ideas from traditional Chinese medicine, which try to add insight into the nature and usage of ch’i. They can be studied, but as a practical matter there is a lot of contradictory information out there. The Classics do offer some guidance, although much of it is cryptic and open to misinterpretation.

Posted by admin in Qi, TaijiQuan |
Print This Article or leave a response or trackback

Leave a Reply