Gerard Menzel President TASA, Lotus Aikido and Tai Chi Ph 3327638

The river-

Tai Chi has been compared to the flow of the Yellow river in China, which is as ancient as China itself but the river today is as new as the modern China. That is the waters which pass through the mountain gorges and into the sea is constantly changing and being refurbished each season. This is the cycle of the seasons and natures way. Like the big river Tai Chi is steady, ever changing with the natural forces, effortless yet awesome, a friend to all, all life giving, unpretentious, and graceful.

Tai Chi itself can be viewed in the modern world as a tradition from the old world which is constant in its refreshed flavour to anyone who cares to partake in its virtues and joys. Tai Chi is that river of change the Chinese call Tao. It is like a dance ...the dance of circular change and the constancy of nature and its adaptations to forces.

Tai Chi has survived for many hundreds of years and something which lasts a long time must be providing some truth,and fulfilling a real need in those who seek out its secrets. If it were any less than a full experience and something of substancial value then it would not have survived. I wonder how long some of our modern day sports which rely more on technology will fare into the future.

What is the secret of this ancient Chinese art ?

It has outlive the civilizations and cultures surrounding it like the great Persian and Indian dynasties, the Mongol and Tartar invasions and the Chinese dynasties themselves. The secret is that it is essentially very simple in nature,....it serves peoples needs both physically and psychologically,...it is very peaceful,...it is inexpensive and not dependant on anything. it prepares people for the stresses of life while providing a steady regime where mental and physical energy can be harnessed to keep the human being healthy and happy.

The movements of Tai Chi are steady like the flow of the river of life

This prepares us for life as we practice each day, blending with the subtle emotional and physical forces which are in everlasting change. The philosophy of the art says that NOW is the only constant entity which one can be sure of and that too is changing. The sages were dealing with the future back then 500 years ago in the same way as we are confronting it now, little bit by little bit. This is the truth of living and this is what Tai Chi is about. This is why it serves peoples needs and they enjoy its movement and teaching. This is the truth of Tai Chi and that is why people want to be near that truth.

Nature Changes in a piecemeal way and this is one of the laws of the universe.

Tai Chi is in harmony with the natural laws and allows us to change slowly. The movements are designed to blend us to slow, steady growth. All the movements unfold from one to another and are linked with one another just as the elements of earth, water,wind and fire are joined to form the wholeness of the forests, the oceans and the mountains.

How does it prepare us for todays world ? It does that by grounding us to the earth with a correct posture and a clear mind free of distraction. It is practiced quietly without words or mental activity other than the movements which are gentle and circular. It calms the mind which is a necessity even more so now in our fast world of jet planes and computers. The practice of this art is constant. Every day at about sunrise we join in movement and breath with nature. It provides a special 'free time, a breathing space for one to forget the rest of the world" for 30 minutes. This constant everyday routine is a mainstay for our whole organism to tune into the present which is the basis of our future.

 Gerard Menzel