Preface

This article explores the practice of Wudang Zhaobao Tai Chi and its impact on cultivating positive energy and spirituality. The article first traces the historical origins of Tai Chi and its core philosophy of yin and yang balance, and particularly emphasizes how Zhaobao Tai Chi can enhance the coordination and balance of body and mind through animal symbolic movements in actual practice.

It further discusses how Tai Chi can help practitioners adjust themselves to different life challenges by following the natural rhythms of heaven and earth.

Finally, the article shows the application of Tai Chi principles in real life through several practical scenarios, and how to improve one’s moral and spiritual realm through continuous practice.

Cultivation of positive energy

Tai Chi is a martial art that not only exercises the body, but also cultivates the spirit. As a school of Tai Chi, the core of Wudang Zhaobao Tai Chi is not the complexity of the moves, but how to cultivate positive energy through boxing. There is an old saying: “When positive energy is stored, evil cannot interfere”, which reveals the importance of positive energy to the overall health of an individual. A person with strong positive energy will have a radiant and rosy complexion, and his inner temperament and physical fitness will also improve, which will effectively resist external adverse effects and diseases. This strong positive energy is achieved through continuous Tai Chi practice, especially the adjustment of breathing, movements and mentality, to achieve a state of unity of body and spirit.

Positive energy is also the foundation of the spiritual and moral level. Tai Chi teaches practitioners how to cultivate the quality of the mind through physical movements. Moral qualities such as courage, benevolence, and clarity do not exist in isolation. They need to be practiced and reflected in life through daily practice and self-reflection. For example, courage is not only fearlessness in the face of danger, but also the courage to uphold justice and truth in daily life; benevolence is deep care and selfless help for people; clarity is the clarity of mind and clear thinking.

Qi of Heaven and Earth and the Human Body

The human body’s qi is regarded as the natural energy that comes from the heaven and earth. In the practice of Tai Chi, it is crucial to understand and follow this energy. Following the heaven and earth means following the rhythm of nature, while going against the heavens may lead to disharmony between the body and mind. The natural movement of heaven and earth, such as the changing of seasons and the cycle of the sun, moon and stars, is continuous and endless.

Follow the rhythm of nature

In Tai Chi, the change of the four seasons is regarded as an important natural law, and the characteristics of each season can correspond to specific Tai Chi movements. For example:

● Spring: It symbolizes growth and beginning. It is the best time to start a new practice or technique, focusing on gently awakening the vitality of the body and mind. Spring corresponds to the liver, which belongs to the wood element and is responsible for ascending. You can do more left-handed or left-moving moves, such as the single whip, and the left-stitched seven stars after the single whip.

● Summer: It represents the peak of growth. In Tai Chi, summer is a time to increase the intensity of practice and deepen the technical details. You can look for more opportunities for exchange and learning, and learn from each other. Summer corresponds to the heart, which belongs to the fire element. People tend to feel sleepy. Do more forward moves to cheer up, such as the wild horse splitting its mane. On the other hand, people tend to be excited in summer. Doing some backward movements, such as the backward step white crane spreads its wings, can balance the heart fire and relieve heart pressure.

● Autumn: symbolizes harvest and sorting. This is a period to review and consolidate the skills you have learned, while preparing to internalize the energy and prepare for winter. Autumn corresponds to the lungs, which belong to metal and are mainly for convergence. You can do more right-handed moves, such as Lazy Tie Clothes, and the right-handed seven stars behind Lazy Tie Clothes.

● Winter: represents hiding and preservation. In Tai Chi practice, winter is a period to reduce external activities and enhance internal cultivation. Winter corresponds to the kidneys, which belong to water and are mainly for collection. You can do more backward moves, such as reverse roll arm. Every season is suitable for Tai Chi routine practice. Choosing single-style exercises as a supplement after routine practice can not only increase the fun, but also improve the quality of movements by repeatedly strengthening what you have learned.

Self-training method

The righteousness of heaven and earth comes from the nature of heaven and earth, and also depends on the individual’s acquired practice and maintenance. Tai Chi is a comprehensive self-training method. Through the operation of internal qi and the high coordination of body and mind, the unity of form and spirit and the improvement of one’s own quality can be achieved.

Reasonable and easy

All movements should conform to the physiological structure. For example, the spleen and stomach are on the left side of the human body, belonging to the earth, responsible for nurturing and quietness; the liver and gallbladder are on the right side of the human body, belonging to the wood, responsible for growth and activeness. The right leg is the main kick, and the left leg mainly plays a supporting and fixing role. On the contrary, the same movement, done symmetrically, will cause physical discomfort, which is an example of not conforming to the physiological structure.

The movements of Wudang Zhaobao Tai Chi can be large or small, fast or slow, and have different forms, but its essence lies in the combination of movement and stillness, and the unity of form and spirit through imitation, learning and practice, so as to achieve the purpose of training and nourishing positive energy. This kind of training emphasizes not seeking danger and strangeness but simplicity. It enhances the flow and balance of qi in the body, rather than just pursuing the external beauty or complex skills of the movement.

For example, the back sweep leg of Zhaobao Tai Chi does not pursue speed and beauty, but it can fully realize the effective attack and defense intention. Another example is from front and back photos, wild horse mane to jade girl shuttle, this series of movements makes the body rotate 360 ​​degrees continuously. These movements are done in one go, and each 45-degree rotation contains a specific meaning, not just a simple turn, which practitioners need to experience carefully. When practitioners focus too much on the performance of skills, they may ignore the inner spirit of Tai Chi: precision through simplicity. Practitioners should adhere to the principle of striving for precision, constantly remove the coarse and retain the fine, work hard on the subtleties, and achieve a high degree of consistency between form and spirit.

Adjustment and adaptation in practice

The practice of Tai Chi is not isolated, but needs to be adjusted appropriately according to the time, place and personal circumstances. For example, during the day, it is suitable for more intense practice, such as various Tai Chi moves and standing; and at night, when the yang energy of the day gradually converges, it is more suitable for gentle qigong and meditation practice.

At noon, when the yang energy reaches its peak of the day, practicing Tai Chi standing or boxing not only conforms to the natural law of “nourishing yang during the day”, but also best enhances the body’s yang energy. At night, on the contrary, it is suitable for quiet breathing to help the yang energy to be absorbed and nourish the body’s internal organs.

Adjustment and adaptation are not only reflected in the physical level, but also involve the use of consciousness. This means that practitioners need to continuously adjust their attention, consciousness and breathing during practice to ensure that they are coordinated and smooth with body movements.

Use of consciousness: In Tai Chi, consciousness should focus on the inner perception of power (the connection and coordination between various parts) and the flow of Qi. Through the concentration of consciousness, practitioners can more deeply feel the ups and downs of power and the path of Qi in each movement. The perception of body temperature, skin touch, acupuncture points, and the surrounding environment will increase. This inner awareness helps practitioners gradually improve the accuracy of their movements and the control of their inner power through continuous practice.

Core guiding principles of adjustment

In Tai Chi, the core guiding principle of adjustment is “not too much”. “Too much is as bad as too little”. Both not doing enough and doing too much are easy mistakes. And doing too much may be more harmful. Exceeding the body’s tolerance and limit may cause damage to the body. Forcing to complete specific movements will cause physical tension and bad habits. The practice of Tai Chi should follow a scientific and gradual training method, and should not be rushed for success.

“Not too much” means that practitioners should avoid using unnecessary force in the execution of movements, but achieve the greatest effect with minimal effort. This principle emphasizes effectiveness, prompting practitioners to achieve smooth and powerful movements through fine adjustments and subtle force control while maintaining physical and mental relaxation.

High adaptability: “Complete your intention at the best time, best position, and best action.” The best time refers to reaction. When the opportunity appears, you must seize it and make a move without thinking, which reflects the fleeting nature of opportunities. Just like a look and expression may change the entire conversation process, and a subtle movement of the other party will reveal the intention. The best position is an accurate sense of distance, and the accurate grasp of the distance without being attacked is the key to winning by surprise. This comes from the accurate and quick judgment of the situation of both sides.

Step-by-step learning of Tai Chi

The theoretical basis of Tai Chi comes from Taoist philosophy. This martial art form originated in ancient China. After thousands of years of inheritance, Tai Chi has developed into many schools, including Yang, Chen, Sun, Wu, Wu, and Zhaobao. The main purpose of Tai Chi is to maintain health and self-defense, and boxing skills are the main means to achieve this goal. In-depth study and exploration of the secrets of Tai Chi is a must for every practitioner. As one of the schools (probably the oldest and most primitive one), Zhaobao Tai Chi is a basic introduction for beginners, but to truly master its essence, it is necessary to gradually achieve it through theoretical learning, practical application, life experience, and long-term accumulation.

Getting started – entering the hall – entering the room: these are the three stages of learning Wudang Zhaobao Tai Chi

Getting started (laying the foundation): This is the initial stage of learning Tai Chi. Learners begin to understand the basic theories and practical methods of Tai Chi by mastering the basic boxing forms and movements. The focus of this stage is to establish an understanding of the basic principles of Tai Chi and lay a solid foundation for deeper learning. This stage includes 24 forms, 12 standing postures, and Qigong.

Deng Tang (the use of Qi): After mastering the basic skills, learners enter the intermediate stage, in which learners begin to practice more complex routines and explore the philosophical and technical details of Tai Chi in more depth. At this stage, learners begin to learn how to apply the techniques to actual combat, while deepening their understanding of the inner spirit and breathing methods of Tai Chi. This stage includes 36-style, 43-style, 56-style, 75-style, and basic techniques of push hands and free fighting.

Ru Shi (oral transmission and heart teaching): This is the advanced stage of Tai Chi learning. At this stage, learners not only have a deep understanding of Qi and boxing theory, but also show a strong desire to continue to study Tai Chi in depth, especially in the development and use of Qi techniques. The master will use the oral transmission and heart teaching method to impart deeper knowledge and tricks, including special internal power exercises, subtle movement adjustments, and a deeper understanding of philosophy. The training at this stage is not limited to the boxing itself, but also covers physical training, willpower training, and details of all aspects of life such as walking, sitting, and lying, aiming to help students achieve self-transcendence in skills and spirit.

Conclusion

This article explores how Zhaobao Tai Chi can cultivate the inner righteousness and spiritual cultivation of practitioners through the coordination of body movements and breathing. This article reveals the philosophical principles of Tai Chi and its application in modern life, showing how to improve personal moral and psychological qualities through continuous practice. Through this ancient martial art form, we can not only strengthen our bodies, but also maintain peace and wisdom when facing life challenges.