The Tai Chi Bible (Godsfield Bible) - Softcover

Dan Docherty

4.33

39 ratings by Goodreads

9781841814339: The Tai Chi Bible (Godsfield Bible)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1841814334 ISBN 13: 9781841814339

Publisher: Godsfield Press Ltd, 2014

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Dan Docherty presents practical Tai Chi Chuan - the most common Tai Chi techniques - and explains them with reference to the Ming dynasty book The Classic of Boxing and to Chinese myth and legend. Beginners benefit from practising the postures, while advanced practitioners will gain greater insight into their regular practice. From his experience of teaching Chinese concepts to thousands of students throughout the world over a great many years, the author gives down-to-earth advice that will be of use to novice and adept alike.

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About the Author:

Since 1989, Dan Docherty has been the organizer of the British Open Tai Chi Championships. He is Chairman of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain and a Tai Chi and Qigong consultant who teaches seminars throughout the world. He is the author of Tai Chi Chuan and Complete Tai Chi Chuan.

Foreword

Tai Chi is a paradox. Its image with the media and the general public is that it is some kind of moving meditation, a bit like yoga. It's done slowly. It's easy to learn. It's effortless. It's about breathing. All of these images are partially accurate.

Tai Chi can involve the Chinese internal alchemy practices that influenced Kundalini yoga. Learning to do Tai Chi really well is neither easy nor effortless for most people. It's about correct posture and smooth movement, which are the prerequisites for correct breathing.

Tai Chi is a highly effective system of self defense as it relies on skill and evasion, as demonstrated on pages 36-227. Concepts, drills and techniques used in Tai Chi self defense can be easily adopted by practitioners of other arts such as karate and judo and help improve their understanding and effectiveness. Sports people from soccer, golf, tennis and other sports have told me how Tai Chi practice has raised their mental and physical game and improved their technique.

Tai Chi practice relaxes the body and improves the balance and coordination. This helps to prevent falls -- the most common reason for the elderly to attend the Accident and Emergency Department in hospitals. Tai Chi practice also leads to better respiration and circulation. I have taught many asthmatics who are able to give up their inhalers after some weeks of daily practice. Regular Tai Chi practice helps with Type 2 Diabetes: my Tai Chi master had type 1, and it helped him too. Those who suffer from heart problems, arthritis and conditions such as Parkinson's (I was diagnosed in 2011) can also benefit greatly from the daily practice of Tai Chi.

Tai Chi is for all and it has a lot to offer as this book shows. The equation is simple. Firstly find a suitable teacher and method; secondly, practice everyday.

I wish you every success with Tai Chi

-- Dan Docherty, author of The Tai Chi Bible

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