WHAT ARE T'AI CHI AND CHI KUNG

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=17.5% BGCOLOR="#BBBBBB" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <TABLE BORDER="3" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="111" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99CCCC HEIGHT= 20 ><NOBR><div> <U>CONTENTS</U></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99CCCC HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <U>QUICK GUIDES</U></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WHAT ARE TAI CHI AND CHI KUNG"><U>What are T'ai Chi & Chi Kung</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GREY HERON INTERNAL ARTS"><U>Grey Heron Internal Arts</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CLASSES"><U>Classes</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 66 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Information for People with Special Heal"><U>Information for people with special health needs</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CONTACT US"><U>Contacts</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI BROADSWORD"><U>Broadsword</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHINESE HEALING ARTS COURSE"><U>Healing arts Cour</U></A>se</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AT WORK"><U>T'ai Chi in the Workplace</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99CCCC HEIGHT= 49 WIDTH="97"><div> <U>MORE DETAILED INFORMATION</U></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI, HEALTH AND SPECIAL NEEDS"><U>Health & Special Needs</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AND THE MARTIAL ARTS"><U>Martial aspects</U></A></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AND MEDITATION"><U>Meditation</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHINESE MASSAGE AND ACUPRESSURE TUI NA"><U>Massage & Acupressure</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AT WORK"><U>T'ai Chi in the Workplace</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 33 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id43.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="STRESS MANAGEMENT"><U>Stress Management</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id46.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS"><U>FAQ</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 16 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="RELATED LINKS"><U>Links</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 18 WIDTH="97"><div> <A HREF="index.index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GREY HERON INTERNAL ARTS"><U>Home</U></A></div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#99CCCC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B><U>WHAT ARE T'AI CHI AND CHI KUNG</U></B></div> <bR> <div> T'ai Chi Chuan and Chi  Kung are 'Internal Arts' rooted in the healing, meditational and martial traditions of china. They make use of relaxation, meditation, breathing and postural techniques to help the student develop balancing and harmonious movements that can be practised for a variety of reasons; stress relief; good health; meditational ability and martial prowess are all goals attainable by the long term student. </div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Chi Kung</U></B> is a term increasingly being used to describe an ancient tradition encompassing a wide range of practises, from meditation and gentle movement for health and cultivating positive energy to more energetic exercises which can be used for developing inner strength and martial prowess; the art can range from simple breathing to the long flowing sequences of T'ai Chi Chuan</div> <div> <B><U>T'ai Chi Chuan</U></B>: T'ai Chi Chuan is one of the 'Internal' Martial arts of China. It's emphasis on such principles as calmness, good posture and the cultivation of the internal energy (Chi) has led to it being closely associated with the Chi Kung tradition and it is now regarded by many people as a style of Chi Kung that can be practised for health, meditation and martial ability. The full T'ai Chi system  includes individual exercises, flowing sequences (or forms), both open handed or with a variety of weapons; partner work and meditation</div> <div> T'ai Chi has evolved in to several main family styles; Yang, Chen, Wu, Sun and others. They all share many characteristics and will all have beneficial effects.</div> <bR> <div> Depending on the class and approach of the teacher you may start with just the solo movements or be taught martial applications right from the start. Either way, because of the emphasis on developing and harmonising mind, body structure and internal energy rather than muscular strength, these practises can be and are learnt by people with a wide range of abilities.</div> <bR> <div> As we progress in these Internal Arts we develop mind, body and breath as one. This leads to an improvement in health and wellbeing and to such aspects as increased awareness of the flow of energy in body and mind, its' energy centres and channels and the development of interenal strength and martial skills as desired. </div> <bR> <div> For those not interested in developing the martial aspect, T'ai Chi and Chi Kung can become practises offering many benefits and much interest and enjoyment.  If you have no liking for esoteric concepts of energy the increasing focus brings about a deepening calm and subtle changes in the body that help us develop a strength based on our own natural rytrhms and structures. </div> <div> Click a link below for more detailed information on different aspects of T'ai Chi and Chi Kung or find out about classes <A HREF="id44.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CLASSES"><U>here.</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AND THE MARTIAL ARTS"><U><B>Martial Aspects</B></U></A><B>  </B><A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI AND MEDITATION"><U><B>Meditation  </B></U></A><A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="TAI CHI, HEALTH AND SPECIAL NEEDS"><U><B>Health & Special Needs</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>