Benefits of Tai Chi training

There are many reasons why people practise Taiji. But not many (in fact very very few) actually practise it because they have a genuine love of this ancient classic. Many practise it because they have a medical reason for taking it up. And even then, the enthusiasm is not sustainable for the long term. Some may even quit despite not reaping the full benefits or cure for their initial reason for taking it up. Some just simply do not have the patience for it.

In any case, there are still benefits worth practising Taiji. Some of them are as follows:

A. Transformations and Improvement to health:

1. Increase oxygen flow to the brain due to improved blood circulation.
2. Enhance cells development and replacement.
3. Constant and smooth flow of blood and qi, which will reduce aches and pains in muscles and joints.
4. Helps to relax the mind (the 'most powerful computer' around):

• it does not mean to stop thinking completely.
• relax the mind by engaging in different physical activities.
• when you are home, focus on home activities; when you are outside of the office but still at work, focus on that instantaneous activities.
• leave problems that cannot be solved quickly aside and not be bog down by it.
• Learn to tap the mind resources.

B. Character and personality changes:

1. More cool and calm, more relaxed
2. More tolerant
3. More alert
4. Increase awareness

C. Helps to prevent on-set of illnesses by reading and interpreting the signs and symptoms given by the body in the form of aches and pains, such as:

1. Feeling exhausted easily.
2. Loss of appetite.
3. Change of behaviour.
4. Change of emotion/temperament.
5. Change of habits.
6. Acute pains, aches, feeling of numbness; your fingers can tell you what is wrong with your internal organs:

• the thumb - stomach
• index finger - liver
• middle finger - heart
• fourth finger - lungs
• last finger - kidney

Relations of 5 Elements, colours and taste to our organs and fingers

Elements	Wood	Fire	Earth	Metal	Water
Fingers	Index	Middle	Thumb	Fourth	Last
Sensing Organs	Eyes	Tongue	Mouth	Nose	Ear
Taste	Sour	Bitter	Sweet	Pungent	Salty
Yin Organs	Liver	Heart	Spleen	Lungs	Kidney
Yang Organs	Gall Bladder	Small Intestine	Stomach	Large Intestine	Bladder
Colours	Green	Red	Yellow	White	Black
Tissues	Tendon	Vessel	Muscle	Hair/Skin	Bone
Directions	East	South	Centre	West	North
Changes	Germinate	Grow	Transform	Reap	Store

There exists a close relationship among all the 5 elements and they can be classified as such:

Wood promotes fire;Fire promotes earth;Earth promotes metal;Metal promotes water &Water promotes wood.

7. Insomnia or difficulty to sleep well.
8. Change in colour of the skin:

• a stronger tone of yellow on the face indicates problem with the liver.
• Dry and darker shade of brown; no shine - on-set of Cancer.
• Odour or smell of 'dead cells' - internal organs deteriorating, could be due to Cancer.
• Dull red face - hypertension, problem with blood-flow.
• Pale and green face - suffering from internal injury; severe fright.

D. To help with Self-healing, pay attention to the following while doing the warming-up exercises:

1. Need to focus from 1 point to the next on the hands while moving them.
2. Need to focus on the shifting of the body weight from 1 leg to the other.
3. Stay constantly aware (mindful) of the cosmic energy surrounding your body.
4. Be aware of the atmospheric pressure that is acting on the body all the time.
5. Be aware of the force of gravity that helps to bring about the 'chi' and blood circulation.
6. Learn to relax all the internal body systems all the time.