Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong, and Yoga Classes in Portland, Oregon.
How to Relax in a Tai Chi Class
There’s a common misconception about Tai Chi—everyone seems to think it’s relaxing. Now don’t get me wrong, Tai Chi can be relaxing. But if it’s just relaxation you seek I recommend that you go and take nap on a hammock under a breezy tree in the summertime. Seriously.
Tai Chi is a skill. You’ve undoubtedly hear the cliched term, “Tai Chi Master.” Master implies the person has a mastery of something. A Tai Chi Master is not a master of relaxation. Well, not exactly.
When people take their first few steps in a Tai Chi form the most common reaction is that they exclaim, “This isn’t easy!” And that’s because Tai Chi is not easy. (Although one of my teachers said, “Tai Chi is easy. Anyone can do it. It’s practicing every day that’s difficult.”)
If you’ve learned how to drive a car with a manual transmission then you have an idea about what it’s like to learn Tai Chi Chuan. Just like being behind the wheel for the first time, learning Tai Chi can be frustrating for many reasons. Tai Chi has layered concepts, movements, and applications that take time to grasp and understand. Some of the maneuvers simply need to be done over and over and over.
Imagine Tai Chi as a conversation with your body. Some people are used to communicating with their bodies while other people are completely out of touch with their physical selves. In the latter case it can be hard to get to know yourself again. Your body says things like, “You haven’t listened to me since we were a kid,” to which you reply, “You aren’t listening! I’m telling you what to do and you won’t do it!” It’s impossible to relax when you’re arguing with your body and telling yourself things like, “You’re so uncoordinated,” or, “You’re too stupid to do this, you’ll never get it. Stick with what you know. It’s too late to start something new and everyone is looking at you.”
Tai Chi is easy. Anyone can do it. It’s practicing every day that’s difficult.
Many people never make it past their first Tai Chi classes and that’s a shame. If you experience, or have experienced, this self-defeating phenomena then you know that your initial Tai Chi classes are not relaxing at all. For those who do get past the initial frustration, the good news is that you begin to come to know both the Tai Chi form and your body. Rather than forcing your body into the form, you let your body become the forms. Tai Chi isn’t for everybody. But for those who stick it out and get into it, Tai Chi—just like driving a car— can be very rewarding and very relaxing. Expect to be confused, challenged, and uncoordinated at first. With practice it will become more relaxing.
Follow me on Twitter!