Tai Chi
walking is a form of walking which
integrates the principles of
Tai Chi, an ancient discipline which has been practiced in China for
centuries. Tai Chi is both a physical and a spiritual practice,
focusing on improving the mind and body together with a wide assortment
of exercises and meditations. Tai Chi talking can be practiced alone,
or combined with other aspects of Tai Chi practice, depending on
personal inclination.
The goal of Tai Chi walking is to gently exercise
the body while
improving posture and gait by focusing on the act of walking. Some Tai
Chi practitioners also like to meditate while they walk, grounding and
centering their bodies as they travel. People can choose to use Tai Chi
walking as a method of exercise, or a mode of transportation, bringing
consciousness to a move from point A to point B.
There are a number of advantages to Tai Chi
walking as a form of
exercise. For starters, no extra equipment is needed, because the
walker has all the tools he or she needs at foot, as it were. In
addition, Tai Chi walking is very gentle, making it suitable for people
of all ages and at all levels of physical ability. It can also be a
very companionable form of exercise, as people can walk alone or in
groups, depending on preference.
In Tai Chi walking, body weight is very
deliberately transferred from
foot to foot, with the focus being on the creation of a smooth, even
gait which feels almost like flowing or rolling, rather than stomping
along. The gentle shift of weight encourages people to use all of the
muscles in their legs as they walk, and is said to stimulate the flow
of Chi, or life force, around the body and through the legs.
As a general rule, the gait involved in Tai Chi
walking is slow,
smooth, and very rhythmic. Walkers are encouraged to think of their
bodies as being very light, placing each foot deliberately and firmly,
yet lightly on the ground as they walk. Some people say that they feel
sort of like boats bobbing along a stream as they practice Tai Chi
walking.
By being conscious of your body as you walk, you
can become attuned to
things going on both inside and outside of your body. You may start to
notice sore spots which need gentle stretching or other work, for
example, and you may also start to notice the texture of the ground,
and the natural world around you. Many people practice Tai Chi walking
barefoot or in lightweight shoes to get a better sense of the world
around them.
