Stress-Busting with T'ai-Chi

Research continues to reveal the mind-body benefits of T'ai-chi, also known as Moving Qigong.

Excerpted from "The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai-chi & Qigong," with permission of the author and Macmillan Reference.

T'ai-chi is a very popular form of Qigong, or, more precisely, Moving Qigong. Although originally a martial art, T'ai-chi has evolved into a highly effective biofeedback and classical conditioning mind-body technique that helps the practitioner clarify mind and heart, and therefore one's life.

T'ai-chi can be a key to discovering personal empowerment. As we find that we can take control over our body's circulation, our blood pressure, and our stress responses, we are empowered. This empowerment begins to resonate out to every aspect of our lives, work, relationships, and society.

As we feel empowered, and T'ai-chi works its clarifying magic, we find learning easier and more exciting. We become drawn to learning as the world becomes fresher and more magical because of our new sense of well-being. T'ai-chi cultivates and supports our childlikeness, our curiosity, and our zest for life.

T'ai-chi also teaches us how precious and miraculous life can be. When we treasure each moment of our lives, we are much less likely to engage in acts that endanger our health or our freedom. When we feel at peace within ourselves, we are much less likely to hurt others. Much violence is the act of someone in personal pain who externalizes that pain on others. T'ai-chi can help heal that pain, thereby reducing much violence.

T'ai-chi and Unemployment
Since people who grew up in high-stress households have higher unemployment rates, T'ai-chi may help both parents and children change that pattern. Secondly, since many people are increasingly required by the modern economy to change careers several times, T'ai-chi's promotion of letting go of the past and relaxing into change can be helpful to adults in today's job market.

Children's Stress Can Reduce Their Employability


England's Royal Academy of Pediatrics College released a study that concluded that "stressful" households caused problems for children that could last a lifetime. One thing they discovered was that children from such households endured higher unemployment levels than kids from more peaceful households. We know that stress limits our creativity and can affect our self-esteem. T'ai-chi's ability to provide children with a tool to find a calm place within, even when home is "less than calm," can be of powerful help to them.

T'ai-chi Is Relaxing Into the Future
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Bill Douglas
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