The Mind Inside Tai Chi: Sustaining a Joyful Heart

by Henry Yinghao Zhuang

Overview

FINALIST — SELF HELP — USA Best Books Award 2015

This book has three goals
• To motivate you choose tai chi as a way of improving your health and increasing your happiness for an entire lifetime.• To enliven your practice with or without a formal teacher.• To provide guidance to advance your tai chi practice from a mere act of 'doing' tai chi to a method of "tai chi as a way of following your heart."
Why tai chi? After more than thirty years of practicing tai chi chuan, author Henry Zhuang shares what has kept him with tai chi for so long, and how tai chi evolved to a rewarding path toward improving life and happiness. Step-by-step, the author presents a clear exploration of the benefits of tai chi. Some benefits are physical (strength, balance, vitality), while others are internal (virtue, courage, harmony). This careful examination will help you answer the first big question, "why should I get involved with tai chi practice."

What if I already practice tai chi? If you already practice tai chi, you may need a boost to help you stay on track, or help you over a block in your progress. Simply doing the act (aerobics) is not enough. You must find ways to constantly advance your mindset and your physical body. Knowing what this means and how to do it are important tools for keeping tai chi the most rewarding and enjoyable experience in your life, day after day, year after year.

The author will explain for you:
• The four spirits of tai chi• How tai chi cultivates the mind and improves character• Eight important tips for proper tai chi bodywork• Eight keys to pay attention to when practicing tai chi chuan• The four principles of tai chi chuan• Five mindsets for practicing tai chi chuan• Six points for your tai chi practice so your heart is always in it• Eight imagery/energy drills to help you get your mind / intent in the proper place
All of these will accelerate your skills, and help incorporate tai chi as part of who you are, so you can use "tai chi as a way of following your heart."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781594393334
Publisher:	YMAA Publication Center
Publication date:	06/15/2015
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	428,840
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Henry Yinghao Zhuang has been involved with tai chi for over 30 years. He began learning tai chi alone and then sought-out formal instruction. This puts him in a unique position to help others on this rewarding, but sometimes solo journey of seeking health and happiness through tai chi. Henry Zhuang is a chief real estate appraiser and tai chi instructor. He resides in Shanghai, China.

Table of Contents

Editorial Notes ix

Acknowledgements xv

Authors Preface xvii

Chapter 1 Fundamentals of Taijiquan 1

1-1 Definitions of Taiji 3

1-2 Spirit of Taijiquan 5

1-3 Powers of Taijiquan 9

1-4 Cultural Elements of Taijiquan 22

1-5 Bodywork of Taijiquan 27

1-6 The Knack of Practicing Taijiquan 34

1-7 Four Principles of Taijiquan 45

1-8 Levels oOfTaijiquan 48

1-9 On Practicing Taijiquan 57

1-10 Taijiquan and Buddhadharma 73

Chapter 2 Essentials of Mind Approach in Practicing Taijiquan 87

2-1 Origin of the Mind Approach 87

2-2 Mind Approach in Practicing Taijiquan 90

2-3 Qi 92

2-4 Small Qi Ball and Mass (Big Qi Ball) 96

2-5 The Mid-perpendicular and the Plumb 102

2-6 San Guan (Three Gates) 103

2-7 Three Circles of Qi 107

2-8 The Cross in From of the Chest 111

2-9 Source of Force 112

2-10 Look of the Eyes 113

2-11 Taiji Diagram and the Yin and Yang Palms 114

2-12 Eight Forces 117

Appendix A 129

Glossary 137

Bibliography 145

Index 147

About Henry Zhuang 153

Editorial Reviews

In The Mind Inside Tai Chi: Sustaining a Joyful Heart, Henry Zhuang provides an overview of taijiquan (also known as tai chi); the Chinese martial art often practiced more for its perceived health benefits than its defensive value . . . The most useful portion of the book is one near the end, in which the author includes photographs that demonstrate various taijiquan techniques and movements. This not only provides a needed visual representation of what is a physical activity, but also makes the concepts feel more practical than do the earlier, more textbook-like parts of the book.

Foreword Reviews - Jeff Fleischer