About

The art of T’ai-Chi, the mysteriously casual movements rooted in martial arts, originated nearly 1,000 years ago by the Taoist monk Chang San-Feng who lived far off in the mountains of China. Today, being credited for reducing stress and improving an array of health challenges, this slow motion exercise is practiced in communities all around the world. The name T’ai-Chi expresses the balance of energies in mind, body and spirit.

“In every movement the entire body should be light and agile and all of its parts connected like a string of pearls.”   – Chang San-Feng

Health

T’ai-Chi, also called T’ai-Chi Ch’uan, is practiced in a series of unhurried moving postures that flow seamlessly together with weight transfer and footwork. Since the series or form pairs focused deep breathing with the body in fluid motion, the mind calms itself with increased oxygen circulating throughout the body. When the mind is relaxed, tension leaves the body allowing blood to circulate freely to organs, tissues and cells, strengthening their vitality. In this way, stamina and aerobic fitness improves without a hard breathing or competitive workout. You will discover it’s the easy worry free approach to exercise. While each individual posture in a T’ai-Chi form gently exercises unique muscle groups, done as a series, they improve balance and agility by stepping inline or in changing directions. Over time, T’ai-Chi practitioners notice an ease in everyday situations that require balance, agility and flexibility resulting in more energy for enjoying life to its fullest.

“T’ai-Chi helps reduce stress and anxiety. And it also helps increase flexibility and balance.”  – Mayo Clinic

 

Confidence

Because T’ai-Chi exercise is in continuous motion, it requires focus, memory, and learning techniques that help us center our mind with our body, so its benefits go beyond improving mobility and health. Discovering the self-assurance that a relaxed body and mind provides empowers us to manage the competing demands for our attention in our busy lives with harmony while maintaining physical and spiritual well-being. T’ai-Chi does not require speed or strength to improve; rather, its foundation is the development sensitivity. While rooted in martial arts, gracefully moving through a series of T’ai-Chi postures that have practical self-defense applications instills the confidence for reaching our full potential well into the future. You will learn traditional martial arts in a safe, fun environment.

“Martial Arts are not for brutalizing others. Martial Arts is the study of the power of the human being.”  – Duan Zhi-Liang

 

Awareness

Since T’ai-Chi uses meditation and mindfulness techniques, we are able to focus on what our body is doing while it’s active. Once we become aware of tension in a posture, or holding our breath while stepping, or other habits that inhibit freely moving our body, we are able to make beneficial changes within ourselves such as breathing more deeply during motion or meditation. Because T’ai-Chi’s techniques for learning how to use gravity to move gracefully are achieved at our own pace, we develop our inner self naturally, without force, gradually opening the body’s energy channels for a clear mind and strong spirit of vitality. You will experience the simple methods for mindful meditation.

“In movement, seek stillness and rest. In rest, be mindful and attentive.”  – Ken Cohen

 

Why T’ai Chi?

Learning and doing T’ai-Chi is a unique exercise that unravels the mystery of finding the all encompassing method to condition the body while providing stress relief for the mind. Whether you are already an athlete in other sports or a person newly venturing out on a path of self-discovery, T’ai-Chi will complement your lifestyle by integrating mind with body by providing a long-range strategy for health and well being.

“T’ai-Chi can help you manage and reduce stress, improve your mood, including depression and anxiety, and may help you soften unhealthy, overly aggressive behaviors by increasing your self-awareness and promoting a balanced lifestyle.”  – The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi

Mission Statement:

Sharing the natural arts and sciences for nourishing life.

 

Mindful Motion Tai-Chi Academy

2637 27th Ave S, Suite 207

Minneapolis, MN 55406

612-876-7915

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