In this “office hours” post, Nate asked me about kwa work in Tai Chi. Specifically, we were looking at movements where you squat in a front stance. The question is figuring out how low to go and why. In Tai Chi, you use your kwa to control your movements. At first, think of your kwa as simply the fold in your hip joint. In the following video, though, I explain how your understanding, and use, of the kwa changes as you learn to work deeper into the body.

As part of the State of the Art survey, I asked people to explain what drew them to Tai Chi initially and what keeps them interested. I was also curious to know more about what role, if any, Tai Chi plays in their physical health, mental/emotional wellbeing and spiritual development. Weighty stuff, I know. People came back with some surprising and great answers. Here are a few: My primary interest was in chi gung.

When people explain the connection between the mind and the body in tai chi, they often use the breath as a bridge between the two. In other words, you can unite the mind and the body through breathing practices. This is true, but it’s only one technique. In fact, good tai chi includes several methods for making this link. Breathing is only the beginning. Here are a few other things you should be looking for:

Can you take 5 minutes to help me with a survey? I’m compiling a report on the state of Tai Chi. I want to know what teachers and practitioners think is important about their Tai Chi practice. We’re also trying to figure out where Tai Chi stacks up for people who don’t do Tai Chi, but have another movement/wellness practice. You can take the survey here and if you could help me spread the word about it too, that would be great.

We are about to start the Early Fall session at Brookline Tai Chi and I’ve been thinking a lot about how to teach the introductory class. The challenge, when you learn tai chi for the first time, is all about mindset. I want to see if I can teach them “how to learn tai chi” as much as actually teaching tai chi. This might sound like a beginner-only problem, but I have a challenge for more experienced readers at the end of this post and I’m wondering if you can keep up with my beginners on this one.

So, I know I’m writing this on vacation where the most pressing decision we make each day is whether to hike, kayak, or swim, but I’m going to go ahead anyway and recommend that you practice twice a day. Here’s why…

What I Learned from a Month-Long Tai Chi Intensive After a month in England, practicing 10 hours a day at the Short Form Instructor Training this summer, I have a renewed appreciation for daily practice rhythm.

After a month-long instructor training this summer, I’m itching to get something off my chest. Let’s talk about real tai chi and fake tai chi. I want to get clear on what tai chi is and what it’s not. To see the difference, you have to look at where the instructor is coming from and how they structure the stages of learning for their students. Let’s start with the fake, low-quality stuff, because that’s what most people are familiar with.

Have you ever tried to meditate? You sit down, close your eyes, and try to drop into a deep state of focus and relaxation….but you start thinking about a million different things, from what you have to do later today, to a fight you just had, to that itch on your leg that gets louder and louder….Given the way we are constantly bombarded by images and electronic messages, it’s not really surprising that you can’t quiet your “