Whether you’re watching TV, listening to the radio or reading a magazine it’s obvious that we are being ‘sold’ to most of the time. Sometimes it’s very obvious and sometimes it’s very subtle. It’s not then surprising that with this constant bombardment of advertising and persuasion that we become quite cynical.
Health is big business these days and in areas like weight loss marketing has driven millions of people into endless cycles of yo yo dieting with the promise that it will give them that dream body! The only problem is that many people then put the weight on as soon as they go back to their normal eating habits.
The problem is that it does become quite difficult to see what actually does work and what doesn’t!
If we look at past generations, especially here in the West, they were brought up to expect their GP to have all the answers about their health problems. They would often expect the GP to fix the problem without taking responsibility themselves for their own health. Thankfully this is changing and there are increasing numbers of people who are actually taking responsibility for their own health and looking for ways in which they can help themselves. What is more exciting is the growing interest in preventative healing.
With even just a quick flick through a basic Tai Chi book you will find a chapter on the health benefits of practising and the list is long! When I first started many years ago I remember being amazed at how it can change one’s health so much . It can seem unbelievable! Fortunately I was lucky enough to meet someone who had been practising Tai Chi and Qi Gong for many years and so I was able to tap into her vast knowledge & experience. It is very different reading about the benefits in a book to talking with someone who has dedicated their lives to it! No comparison!
With the amount of marketing hype we’re exposed to everyday, after reading about the amazing changes to peoples health after doing Tai Chi, it would have been very easy for me to think “it was all too good to be true”, but having met my first dedicated Tai Chi teacher who seemed to be a shining example of glowing health and who clearly ‘walked the walk’, I wanted to know more! So I decided to sign up!
If you’ve read my bio you’ll know that I had been ill for most of my younger years and so I perhaps had even more incentive and drive to find a cure for the daily pain caused by Colitis! I decided to commit. I made the decision to spend time learning and practising just to see if a miracle would happen! Well I stuck with it and gradually I started to feel subtle changes happening. After some time ALL the symptoms that had plagued me for so many years had GONE!
This to me was a real miracle!
And to this day my health has gone from strength to strength. Tai Chi was a huge huge part of that amazing healing journey.
If you are you thinking about starting on a similar journey….I would like to share with you 3 important tips!
1. Decide – Making the decision to start and continue practising Tai Chi is the first very important step
2. Commit – Commit time to practising and stick with it no matter what!
3. Practice – Practice – Practice!
So what has Tai Chi done for me?
1. Become stress free – Tai Chi has taken me from being completely stressed out (of epic proportions!) to being able to relax in any situation.
2. Improved health – I had suffered from Colitis for many years and the only solution I had left was either steroids for the rest of my life or surgery! Tai Chi enabled me to take control of my health, turn it around and eventually cure the colitis – COMPLETELY!
3. Buzzing with energy – I generally bounce out of bed in the morning and bounce my way through the day full of energy! This certainly did not used to happen!
4. Feel happier – Tai Chi practice also deals with our inner world of emotions. I have found this to be especially useful over the years and has helped me to deal with many stressful situations and process strong emotions that previously would have been overwhelming. This leaves you with a powerful sense of inner freedom and calm.
5. Focus – Tai Chi is meditation on the move quite literally and helps to increase your laser like focus whilst also relaxing the mind and body. I found this particularly useful whilst training to be a musician as it helps enormously to stay in the present moment and get in touch with your creative power.
6. Immune boost – I have found that since studying Tai Chi my body is so much more resistant to the usual seasonal colds and flu that I used to get when younger.
7. Stronger – Tai Chi creates a different kind of strength than we typically think of in the West. Tai Chi develops an internal strength that unifies the whole body enabling us to withstand the demands of everyday life or physically challenging activities with effortless ease.
So there you have it. This is my own experience and although there are lots more benefits I could add to the list I hope it gives you a glimpse into how Tai Chi might help you too.
I wish you good health and a happy Tai Chi journey.
Rob
If you would like to find out more then return to the homepage and download your FREE ebook “7 Steps to Being Stressfree & Live in effortless Flow”
Look out for my new website coming soon and do stay in touch!
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