Why We Practice Tai Chi

Instead of presenting you a general statement, we thought it best to let our members give you their own reasons.

I studied Tai Chi previously for 4 years, stopping in 1994. In January 2001 I joined the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club and have been a member since. I find Tai Chi to be a wonderful exercise, both mentally and physically. It relaxes you, yet invigorates you at the same time. Your body benefits as you learn, incorporating Tai Chi in the way you move. Your mind benefits as you learn the history, culture and philosophy.

—Jodie Allen (2005)

I practice tai chi as part of finding an internal harmony that had eluded me in my younger, more rebelious years. The practice of looking within as part of movement to release your true nature has given me confidence and a contentment that I had never experienced. Combined with reading works by Lao Tsu, Chuang Tsu and others, I have found a connection between the internal (spiritual) and external (world) that I look forward to exploring for the rest of my life. I hope to explore all aspects of tai chi, including the sword form and push hands.

—Reed Ayers (2006)

Tai Chi is one of the best resources I have in my life for learning to quiet my ego. If my ego is still my mind and body can work together without interference from ego's constant chatter. I can experience a feeling of oneness through the movements. In this sense, Tai Chi is an important part of my path toward self-realization.

For example, when I practice Tai Chi, I may be thinking about what my instructors at Gu Feng might think about how great, or how lousy, that last movement was, and -- boom! -- suddenly I'm just moving body parts around. Any sense of unity evaporates. So, I return to my center. The smooth flow and calmness of Tai Chi resumes. In this way, Tai Chi has been a wonderful life teacher to me.

Having a physical disability (very low lung function), Tai Chi is the primary way I stay fit, while gaining life lessons. If I think too much about how I'm doing while practicing Tai Chi, I get out of breath. If I'm centered, my breath is natural and I can practice for a long time. Through the regular practice of what I have learned at Gu Feng (stretching, Chi Gong, standing meditation, Silk Reeling, Tai Chi) I can keep in shape while becoming more centered in my daily life.

I am grateful for the opportunity over the last four years to be learning Tai Chi with Laura and all the great instructors at Gu Feng.

—Danny Chalfen (2005)

For many years, I lived in an active life, play tennis, volleyball and regularly workout. I particularly enjoy outdoor activities, hiking, ocean kayaking and cross country ski. However, I slowly noticed there is something missing in all of these activities. My mother has practiced Taichi since I was little, and I never paid any attention to it until recently. I have been observing how my parents (in their late 60's) walk. Some part of my father feet seems never lifted from the ground although he has been a active person for many years. My mother walks much younger than my father's. Maybe Taichi made the difference? I wonder. Then I met a friend's father who has practiced Taichi seriously for more than 40 years. It is hard to believe that he is in his 80s seeing how fast and easy he walks. I got my answer.

—Weiyan Chen (2006)

I love Tai Chi. It is good for my mind, my health, my posture, it helps my body relax... many things strengthen my willingness to practice regularly but, of course, one of the main reasons I practice Tai Chi is that it brings me a lot of happiness!

—Graziela Cooper (2005)

There's far too much me in my thinking feeling and acting through the course of each day. Practicing taiji has begun to interupt this sometimes blatant and often more subtle self-obsession. My days are loosing some of their drama and opening onto a more peaceful continuous richness of more grounded awareness and appreciation of the world of experience. Thank you laura and the instructors and club members for creating a great learning environment and permitting me to be part of it.

—Bill Clarke (2008)

I go to tai chi on Sunday morning because it makes me feel good for a long time.

—Frances Dahlberg (2006)

I find that taiji provides challenging physical and mental exercise and that its practice and philosophy offers a way to integrate body, mind and spirit.

—Ralph DeRose (2008)

I practice Tai Chi because I love it.  I feel a connection to every aspect of the art, and enjoy doing all of it.  The physical part makes me feel great.  The philosophy and theory of the art makes me think.  Meditation connects it all together and puts me in touch on a spiritual level with the world around me.  Also, I started out in hard style martial arts, and the martial application of Tai Chi can be effective and powerfull.  Being able to practice Tai Chi every day helps to clear and center my body and mind, and I know it will be a life long practice for me.

—Tony Distasi (2008)

I chose to practice tai chi because I thought it would be good for me, and not too difficult to do while still challenging me. It has much more depth and value than I ever imagined it would, and is a lot more challenging than I expected too. I thought I could learn tai chi and become good at it within a year or two, but now I think it will take more than my whole life to really learn all of the depth and wisdom it has to offer. I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn such an incredible art in such a sincere environment, and the benefits of practicing and learning tai chi are already much more than I had hoped I could get. It's a humbling experience, and it's good for my soul, and those benefits even reach those who are a part of my life.

—Keith Dunnigan (2010)

It helps my mind and body.

—Li Fang (2008)

I do Tai Chi for healing, well-being, and fitness.

—Barbara Farhar (2006)

Practicing tai chi helps to clear the cobwebs from my mind. Not worrying about what happened yesterday or might happen tomorrow...just watching what is happening with my body right now. Tai Chi helps me center and focus.

—Mark Flower (2006)

I started diligently practicing Chinese martial arts shortly after moving to Massachusetts in 1997. This included tai chi, but the emphasis was mostly on external styles (primarily kung fu/wushu). In 2004, my wife and I moved to Colorado and I decided to pursue my PhD in electrical engineering at CSU. Due to the time commitments of school, some back problems I began to experience, and a desire to refocus my Way in the martial arts, I decided that a tai chi only school was my best option. While I don't practice as much as I'd like to, tai chi still helps to provide some balance to my life, and is certainly helping with body awareness to overcome my back issues.

—Jason Fritz (2006)

There are a number of objectives that brought me to the study Tai Chi. 

As I study: 

• I want to engage in a physical discipline that is sufficiently demanding so that while I am practicing I have to stop my inner dialogue about the mundane details of life. 
• I want to engage in a practice in which physical and mental disciplines are intertwined rather than being relegated to separate parts of life. 
• I want to practice a physical art with which I can grow old.  At 80 I probably won’t be playing football.  However, if I remain in reasonably good health, I hope to continue to practice Tai Chi at that age and beyond.
• I want to learn to “hear” (sense) the energy of others, and to be more attuned to way in which my internal energy systems work. 
• I want to explore the concept that soft does not mean weak.  I hope that if I can learn how to remain nimble and unperturbed when physically challenged, I will also be better equipped to remain calm and centered when dealing with the many other kinds of challenges that life inevitably presents. 
• I want to emulate the grace in motion, calmness of spirit and adaptability that I associate with Tai Chi practitioners. 
• I want to participate in a community that is interested in exploring these kinds of issues and objectives.

—Jerry Gordon (2010)

I came to Tai Chi because my wife and I were looking for an activity that we could do together. I stay because I appreciate the beauty of the art, and the camaraderie of the club members. Tai Chi also complements my meditation practice, and has provided me a small, but interesting glimpse into Chinese culture and customs.

—Robin Hodge (2008)

After witnessing Master Ding's live Tai Chi presentation, it is very clear to me why I practice.  He gave me so much to aspire to, being so full of life and physically fit in his 80's.  If I can attain even a fraction of his accomplishments then my Tai Chi practice will have served me well.

—Linda Kasper (2010)

A very famous Greek man once said, "Know Thyself". Tai Chi has enabled me to learn more about myself than any other single thing I can think of. How I move my body, deal with life situations, and deal with the world in general, have all been tremendously influenced by Tai Chi. It has taught me the importance of balance and not to go outside the "Tai Chi Circle".
     Tai Chi is a part of my total being.
     And, Oh yea...it is fun!

—Michael Kasper (2010)

When you practice tai chi long enough to really start feeling comfortable with it, and you have been practicing it regularly, something beautiful spills over into the rest of your life. 

• Your way of being in the world changes — softens — centers. 
• You alternately yield and come forth more appropriately in conflict situations. 
• You are more able to let go of tense energies.
• You feel a very different body energy:  sometimes an energy running vertically up your body as you go about your day;  sometimes energy flowing in your arms and hands;  sometimes you notice how solid and centered you feel;  and of course you are stronger, and more immune to clumsiness and injury. 
• Your breathing changes, deepens. 
• Unnecessary tensions and extraneous muscle use drop out of your movements during your day, so your movements have more grace — more efficiency. 
• Through these exercises of the body, your spirit evolves more humility, more simplicity, more focus.

—Lorraine Kirk (2010)

Tai Chi is the way that I can bring myself into my body, to explore the dynamic between my breath, movement, balance, mind and spirit. It is very helpful to calm me down and for the rehabilitation of my brain injury and PTSD.

—Shing-Jiuan Liau (2005)

Eight years ago I had a significant head injury. After a few years of focus on recouping as many brain cells as I could I found I had a significant problem with my hand eye coordination and felt very "out of body".

Through Tai Chi I have had tremendous gains in coming back into my body.

There is always someone to observe doing forms, and always several people to ask for assistance when I have questions.

I have good days, I have bad days. The one constant since becoming a member of the Gu Feng Tai Chi club is that I ALWAYS feel better at the end of practice than I did at the beginning.

Through the program my meditations have deepened, my skiing improved greatly, and I never fall over waiting in line at the grocery store anymore! ! !

I feel the deepest thanks and respect for all of the members and instructors, it is a very close knit group, more like family.

—Phil Londal (2008)

It makes a difference. Life is easer when I practice.

—David Mee (2006)

1. To avoid falling down: I broke my ankle and did surgery in Sep. 1993, after that time, I tried to find some exercises to help me to stand stably. Taichi's "Mar Bu" is helpful.

2. To benefit from Chinese philosophy: If not "learning by doing", most of Chinese philosophy is doctrinaire. Taichi's postures have their philosophical background. Laura talked a lot about it during our classes. You know the benefits from your feelings by practice.

3. To enjoy friendship with our group.

—Li-Ming Meng (2005)

I had a feeling that my body needed a real tuning and that Tai Chi will help me accomplish this. So I came to Gu Feng Tai Chi club. After the initial frustration of learning the 24 form, I started feeling better and better each Sunday.

Now I find Tai Chi energizing, relaxing, and some of the physical pain I was experiencing is either gone or very much lessened.

I also enjoy the gentle and relaxed group energy, and the generosity of the instructors who gave me their time and energy to help me through the difficulties. Thank you.

—Lorant Muth (2006)

I have come to realize that I practice Tai-Chi not only to improve my well-being, but also to learn more about myself and understand the role I play in this world of ours. Needless to say, it is a challenge, for I am always faced with the unexplainable.

Tai-Chi has added another dimension to Life and I know that after everything is said and done, it will still be with me.

—Randy Nishiyama (2005)

To practice Tai Chi is nothing. Do not misunderstand what I mean. In the forms that we learn, in the specific movements that we travel through, there is no deep meaning. The Tai Chi we practice is a nothing that lends significance to everything - a circumstance I do not and may never comprehend. My practice of Tai Chi is essentially meaningless - it would be easily forgotten if I were to stop practicing - but the effect that Tai Chi practice is having on my entire perception of the world - this is unforgettable.

—Sean Owens (2008)

As I learn and practice Tai Chi, I’m enjoying the challenge of balancing “opposites”:  engaging my mind while being aware of my body, being active while also relaxing, and striving to improve while letting go of perfectionism.  Plus all of the above while having fun!

—Christine Perkins (2008)

Why not practice? Tai chi has become an integral part of my happiness and physical and spiritual health. I would be unhappy and unhealthy if I did not practice. There is so much to be gained on a variety of levels from practicing qigong and tai chi. Practicing alone provides me with great tranquility. Practicing with others is energizing and I am blessed with new friends and acquaintances. I appreciate the variety of learning experiences the Gu Feng Club provides.

—Eladia Rivera (2010)

Tai Chi practice brings me closer to living as an integrated person. My mind and my body, my emotions, my place in time, all meeting as a single event.

—Manson Root (2005)

I practice Tai Chi to achieve balance in many areas. It helps my mind be with my body because in practice if my mind is somewhere else I know it and things don't work right. Physically, I wish to not lose mobility as I age and Tai Chi helps me move properly (at least better; properly is still some time in the future). Finally the practice makes me feel better in general and more calm.

—Blaise Stephanus (2008)

I practice Tai Chi because it is a form of meditation as well as a way to increase my balance, strength and coordination. Laura's talks have helped me to appreciate the beauty and wisdom of this powerful art form

—Miho Shida (2008)

- Meditation; Meditation rocks. It takes some work, but it's a fantastic opportunity to explore what you are and gain some insight concerning your own humanity and what you might want to do with it.

- Martial Arts; Martial Arts rock; especially when combined with meditation. The training involved helps me to learn how better to control my body doing just about everything (including snowboarding).

- Community; The Gu Feng Tai Chi Club rocks. They're all pretty inspiring folks. Whenever I hit a tough spot and need someone guidance, I'm never at a loss to find someone; whether the issue is with my practice or something else in life. They're amongst the most intelligent, compassionate and diverse group of folks I've seen anywhere, and I'm thankful that I'm welcomed as a member."

—Chris Smerz (2008)

Sunday morning Tai Chi classes represent a very much fun and calming time for me to spend with my husband and a very wonderful group of people under a direction of a superb teacher, Dr. Laura Ting.

—Boba Stankov (2008)

I feel that the hour and a half I average daily in doing TaiChi/Qigong give me spiritual strength, and physical and mental health.  Many chronic health problems have been stayed; and at 78 (in 2008), I look forward to practicing and learning as much as I can for myself and in encouraging others. 

—Roger Stevens (2008)

The practice of tai chi enables me to experience tranquility and connect my inner self to the universe. It reduces my stress and anxiety. Over the years, it has increased my flexibility, my muscle strength and improved my health condition. The practice of the tai chi philosophy has also increased my self-awareness and the ability to deal with challenges and avoid conflicts in my daily life.

—Rebecca Tsui (2010)

I like to stay physically fit. I tried Yoga, fitness tapes, and Pilates, but I found the routines added too much stress to my back and neck and then I would get bored. Four years ago I started TaiChi with Laura and the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club. I was amazed at the gentleness, yet invigorating exercise, for both mind and body, that Tai Chi offers. I have learned so much about motion and healing from Laura. I can truly say that my balance, strength, and flexibility have never been better. The changes and benefits can be felt in other sports like skiing, hiking and biking for me. All the members are so helpful and kind. It is a wonderful organization.

—Katherine Velasco (2006)

In the last seven years I had been under tremendous work and family related stress. Having changed two jobs and my wife have had a life threatening health problem, I have found TaiChi to be a grate discipline that helped me to cope with my stress. Since the year 2001 I have been practicing TaiChi and this helps me to balance my body and mind in an integrated way, as well as been an internal martial art, when practice as an internal exercise, has many health benefits, which I have been benefiting from. I thank Laura Ting and all the instructors from the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club for the excellent and unconditional help that I received during these last years.

—Miguel Villasenor (2005)

Because it make me feel good.

—Dora Wang (2006)

I am 71 years old and have been a student of Traditional Yang Style Tai Chi Chuan for over 20 years. I began my studies in NYC with a senior teacher of the Cheng Man-Ching lineage and then through Grand Master Gin Soon Chu in Boston. When I moved to Colorado in 1989 I continued my studies with the Dong family lineage through Sifu Bing Lee in Denver & Glenwood Springs and Alex Dong in Hawaii. After I moved to Boulder in 2004 I took some years off from the practice of Tai Chi when I began studying Gao Style Baguazhang.   I discovered the Gu Feng Tai Chi Club in June of 2007 and having first visited and observed a class, I was very impressed with the quality of the teaching, as well as the spirit which informs it. It has been a real pleasure to be part of this school and to continue my studies with Laura and the senior instructors of this wonderful art which has been such a source of joy, health and vitality for me for so many years.

—Gunther Weil (2008)

I have never been good at any sports. I started Taichi because it looked easy to me at first. I soon learned this is not the case. The controlled power behind the seemingly relaxed slow movement offers more than just health benefits. I think Taichi is making me stronger and more balanced physically. I hope I can take the lessons from Taichi and apply them to my life.

—Hong Wu (2008)