| Time Magazine wrote, ". . . Tai Chi is the perfect | | | | Anywhere where you can have some time alone |
| exercise . . ." While serving as the Tai Chi Expert | | | | with a little space to be uninterrupted, making Tai |
| at DrWeil.com, I learned that best selling author | | | | Chi the exercise of the future. |
| and acclaimed naturopathic physician, Andrew | | | | A major fitness manufacturing association |
| Weil, suggested that poor breathing habits are at | | | | recently released a study that found Tai Chi was |
| the root of many of our health problems. This | | | | at the top of the growth charts for health & |
| was exciting news to me, confirming what I'd | | | | fitness exercises. For those who've learned to |
| spent a lifetime learning in my Qigong (Chi Kung) | | | | enjoy Tai Chi and Qigong's gentle workouts, this is |
| and Tai Chi education. Yet, Dr. Weil's insights | | | | no surprise, as they've seen their outlook |
| helped me describe to people just why Tai Chi is | | | | improve, and an increased sense of well-being in |
| the perfect exercise. | | | | their lives. Many notice improved sleep, reduced |
| Qigong, pronounced chee-kung, literally means | | | | allergy symptoms and lessened asthma |
| "breathing exercise." The more popular exercise | | | | symptoms over the years as they practice Tai |
| of Tai Chi is a form of Qigong. Modern medical | | | | Chi & Qigong as well. |
| research is now revealing that Tai Chi & | | | | How does Tai Chi do all of this? Tai Chi is part of |
| Qigong are powerful health sciences, as well as | | | | Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM. TCM has |
| effective aerobic exercises. | | | | evolved over thousands of years of medical |
| Studies have shown that Tai Chi can lower high | | | | research in China, and evolved a system to |
| blood pressure, and profoundly boost aspects of | | | | understand how the Qi, or life energy, moves |
| the immune system, while improving balance and | | | | through the mind and body to support all the |
| coordination far better than any other known | | | | health systems, mental, emotional, physical, and |
| exercise. Tai Chi can reduce or eliminate chronic | | | | spritual. When energy is blocked, mainly by |
| pain or limited mobility, while lessening the | | | | unmanaged stress, our health diminishes. What's |
| incidence of anxiety, depression, or overall mood | | | | fascinating is that modern Western medicine is |
| disturbance. Tai Chi is the lowest impact exercise | | | | now beginning to validate the insights of TCM. |
| there is, and has even been used by those with | | | | Kaiser Permanente's twenty-year study finding |
| arthritis, yet as gentle as it is it burns about 280 | | | | that 70 to 85% of their patient's illnesses sending |
| calories per hour, and provides roughly the same | | | | them to their doctors were caused by stress, |
| cardiovascular benefits of moderate impact | | | | absolutely validate TCM's understanding of our |
| aerobics. | | | | health. |
| Sounds too good to be true doesn't it? But, it is | | | | Tai Chi's gentle movements, breathing techniques, |
| true, and this is only scratching the surface of | | | | and visualization techniques combine to massage |
| what Tai Chi offers our busy lives. Not only can | | | | the accumulated stress loads out of our 50 trillion |
| Tai Chi do all these amazing things, but it is so | | | | cells in our body. The result is to cultivate a |
| multi-dimensional that it provides these healing | | | | newness of being each time we "play" Tai Chi. |
| results to all the systems of our mind, body, and | | | | The Chinese don't speak of "work-outs," but |
| spirit in a regimen that only takes less than 30 | | | | rather "play" Tai Chi. If you can play yourself into |
| minutes a day, and can be done in office attire at | | | | a whole new life, a healthy, and happy, and |
| work in an empty boardroom or stock room. | | | | hopeful one . . . why wait? |