Deeply Nurturing

I was thrilled to learn that my sister began studying T'ai Chi Ch'uan and qigong this week. She attended two classes and has already noticed improvements in her sleep and stress levels.

Her teacher, Barbara Feldman, in Charles Town, WV, also teaches karate and Push Hands and has this to say about the benefits of T'ai Chi Ch'uan (Winter Newsletter 2011):

     T'ai Chi Chuan is a wonderful practice. Health benefits include reduction of stress; improvements in cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, and immune systems; more energy; better posture; better balance; more muscle tone and strength. Mental improvements include increased awareness of one's body and mind; ability to relax; improvement in cognitive functions such as attention, concentration, learning, and memory. Overall benefits include greater calm and a sense of connectedness with others and with the world around us.

Sound familiar? Of course the above benefits come from practices--including T'ai Chi Chih--that focus on balancing and circulating the vital force energy or Chi. Feldman also mentions other important elements in addition to the basic form which include: correct posture, relaxation, awareness of breath, and meditation.

She explains the significance of these elements in the following way:

Like the stone in stone soup, the form is the force that brings all of the ingredients together. But without the other ingredients, the soup has no nutritional value and the form is empty, just gentle exercise. With the other ingredients, the soup, the form, is deeply nurturing.

I agree. Feldman's wonderful description of how all ingredients combine to create the perfect dish is apropos. And though I've never called T'ai Chi Chih nurturing I could immediately relate to her metaphor.

My TCC practice this afternoon was deeply quiet, relaxing, calming and, yes, nurturing. When I do my practice, I'm not only taking care of myself, I'm caring for myself. And that, my friends, is a wonderful loving gift to give to your one and only.