No Extraneous Movements in T'ai Chi Chih
by Justin Stone

There are no cosmetic movements in T’ai Chi Chih, done for aesthetic reasons, as though in a dance. Each movement has a purpose, and, as one practises TCC regularly, he or she will gradually sink into the Essence of the form and come to understand the purpose and the meaning of each movement.

Very often in “Bird Flaps its Wings” and in “Pulling Taffy: Variation #2,” we notice teachers or students just waving both hands aimlessly. Actually the circles should be just that, complete circles, imitating a windmill picking up the air, which is closely identified with the Chi. Keeping the palms of the hand facing the ground and just moving the hands sideways defeats the purpose. Similarly, in “Light at the Top of the Head,” the hands face straight up, meaning the palms face each other so the polarity is felt. The hands are not flat on the head, moving idly. At one time or another I have seen every movement flawed by some useless move that looks as though it has been choreographed for a dance. This is especially so in movements like “Daughter in the Valley,” where hands wave aimlessly, far to the side, as they come up to meet at the top of the swing, thus completely negating the polarity of the two hands rising while facing each other.

I could mention many more examples of “cosmetic” moves, such as the shoulders moving in circles (actually the shoulders play a very small role in TCC, and are never dipped to one side or the other).

If you understand what I am saying, you will not mistake TCC for a dance and insert graceful, meaningless gestures. The purpose is to circulate and balance the Chi, and this can be best done by keeping the movements simple without meaningless flourishes.

We have very satisfactory practices in Albuquerque on Tuesday mornings, and quite a few teachers come from out of town to join us. When I make a correction, it is not to make me happy or fulfill some academic requirements; it’s to enable the teacher to get the most benefits from the practice, and to pass the form along to the students in the most helpful manner.

Reprinted with permission from The Vital Force, December 2001

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