I feel Blessed that I don’t need to go find a good Tai Chi Teacher because I already found an excellent Teacher named Susan Thompson. I’m so grateful. I just wish. I was a better student. ❤️🙏🏽😊
Thanks for clarifying the qualities of a good Tai chi teacher. I feel so fortunate to have found your TH-cam channel as well as a local highly qualified tai chi teacher and a welcoming, kind, and joyful family of tai chi brothers and sisters.
Awww. Thank you so very much. And you ARE very lucky to have a high qualified TC teacher and a welcoming, kind, joyful Tai Chi family! That is the way it should be. Believe it or not, I am visiting a new area and saw they had a Tai chi practice group, so I thought I would go join them. They REFUSED my participation!!!! Would not let me even watch. They essentially kicked me out of the room. WOW. It was humiliating and hurt me to the bones, partially for being rejected as a human being with a common interest, but more for the poor representation of what Tai Chi is. Keep feeling and appreciate that joy. And tell your teacher I am offering a personal message of thanks for creating such a wonderful Tai Chi community. 💞
That group probably came from an old fashioned practise and their members would also be frown upon learning from other teachers. Feel good to walk away from the wrong practice for you.
Hello Susan. A most informative and well explained video once again. Beautifuly put with inner grace. You beam Tai Chi. Your aura is dazzlingly bright with a powerful magnetic force. You are the very essence of Tai Chi. Love and light are being sent to you. Julie. Gasha 🙏
Julie, thank you so very much. I once had a student tell me that I didn't just teach Tai Chi, I WAS "Tai Chi." I thought it was one of the best compliments I had ever received. And here you offer the same beautiful compliment. Thank you. You have lifted my heart and brightened my day!
You are talking about yourself Susan. So glad I found your on line classes. As you say tai chi is not simply about the external movements. And you have so many ways to help us engage the internal.
Thank you, Phil! When I made this video, I was making it in honor three of my teachers/mentors of Tai Chi: (In no specific order) - Master William Ting, Jordan Misner, and Howard Wang (Huai Hsiang Wang). I am so very happy you have joined our live streaming classes. You are a great addition! Thanks for leaving the comment.
@@InternalTaiChi I would love to meet you too Susan but unfortunately I am out in Connecticut. I do plan on making a trip to Texas at some point to see my teacher, Master Aiping Cheng, in Austin, my cousins in Houston and Shifu Painter at The Gompa and would love to visit you as well.
@@AipingTaiChi Well, please contact me when you are in my area. It would be fun to get together. My email address can be found in the "about" section on my home page of my TH-cam channel. I look forward to meeting you!
My definition of a Tai Chi master is someone who can show you that they have a high degree of developed sensitivity which they can use for self defense and then show you logically that they can teach this to you. I am not against laughter or jokes in my teaching but I don't go out of my way for this.Self defense is a serious matter like everything there is balance Thank you for the video it was helpful
Yes I would agree. However, this video was addressing a good *teacher* of Tai Chi, not necessarily a master. Also, not all are interested in Tai Chi as a self defense mechanism. However, if I discover an individual who can display "a high developed sensitivity" and in the context you describe, I would definitely qualify them as a good Tai Chi practitioner, and if they can "logically teach this to you" as you said, then they would also be a good teacher of Tai Chi. Laughter is a by product not a goal. Again, not all folks are looking toward the martial art aspects. Sincere laughter can also throw your opponent off. Those with internal levity usually have an advantage. Thanks for your comment and for watching.
This tracks. I was SO passionate about tai chi, and embarked on a course that would, over the course of a year or so, teach me the short form, and get me to a standard where I could teach it. But the teacher was so .. I know repetition is how we learn, but repetition without engagement is wasted time, and the teacher made me repeat just the first few movements to absolutely nail out every tiny imperfection until it absolutely numbed my brain, and straight up murdered my interest, it was so monotonous. No sense of exploration or discovery, only "do it exactly this way or you don't get to learn the next move." It's ironic because the guy was phenomenal at tai chi, it was clear he knew what he was doing when it came to demonstrating stuff, but his approach was enough to put me off completely. If it was weekly classes I would have quit but I'd paid for the year through the college so I persevered. So I'd offer that as something for folks to bear in mind when looking for a class as well: just because someone is good at tai chi, doesn't mean they're good at teaching it :P Totally different skillset, and I've met a good few teachers in whom the level of skill in the two didn't match. It's taken me about 8 years to finally get back into it and find the pleasure in movement and the satisfaction of improved flow and remembering the sequence again. What's funny is, those moves he drilled into me with agonising monotony? Because I was asleep the whole time I don't even remember how to do the first move or two :P But the Yang 24 style that I taught myself over months (based on my experience of a closed Yang-based class I used to go to), that I went through a lot less often and longer in the past, that was still 90% in my brain after the eight years, because while I'd put it through the same repeition, it was a journey of personal discovery of what my body could do, and the satisfaction of learning it and I was present for every second. Stays in my mind much better that way. I think a good teacher is also someone who can assess your level of engagement and mix things up enough that everyone gets something from it ^_^
So very well said!! I get frustrated at hearing such stories, and I know they happen to many people who, as you said end up, with a "murdered interest." Few are like you....who persevere to find rewarding journey. I am so impressed by you! And oh my goodness YES...."a good teacher is someone who can assess your level." That is so perfectly right. I have experienced many instructors who either refuse to asses my level and only teach to a "formula" , or who are incapable of assessing, or worse yet, who DO assess and then withhold because they don't want to bring you along to the level you can obtain! It is such a challenging thing to find a good, sincere teacher. My Master once told me that eventually I won't need a teacher. It will come from the inside. I think that is happening with you. Kudos and I offer my support and praise to you as you continue your Tai Chi journey!
#7 is the most important. Life is always short and having fun and enjoying the things that you do is simply the most important thing there is - OK, being nice to people, being friendly and kind, being a good person, etc etc are obviously also important - but if you are not having fun, it's difficult to have those other qualities.
I have taken over teaching as my teacher had to focus more on family and no longer had time to reach. Some students chose not to continue with me so I'm trying to rebuild. New students come mostly out of curiosity but don't stay. They want the "just follow along" approach that they get in yoga or Zumba classes. How can I engage them so they don't get frustrated or bored?
First of know that attrition is a very normal occurrence in Tai Chi classes. Most folks want a "quick fix" nowadays. To answer your question, I would consider giving a little bit of both elements. When I start a new class, I give them follow along opportunities to get them moving (about half the class is easy follow along Qigong, and an easy Tai Chi form set). Then I will take them a bit deeper with one movement and teach principles of movements. I do this with a movement that is very simple. This is the other 20 - 30 minutes of class. I do direct them to my TH-cam channel (you can too...:-) to give them resources so they know Tai Chi is much more than it appears at first glance. Eventually, over time, you will begin to attract the right kind of people. Then those people will attract more like minded people, and it will grow accordingly. Just like learning Tai Chi, building a class of deeper, like minded people, takes time. I hope this helps!
My teacher, Master William Ting, was awesome. He was so unassuming; the very embodiment of Tai Chi. You would never think he carried such internal power that could be demonstrated easily and impressively. He was humble, funny, wore T-shirt and loose pants when teaching, and was so very dedicated to teaching the truly important aspects of Tai Chi to anyone that desired to learn them. He passed away this past December. It was a huge loss.
First and far most you should know what you want out of taich! I wanted fighting skills and I found excellent masters but they refused to teach that. So I had to settle for a less skilled 5th generation teacher. The martial side teaches exercise and medicine. Then going to other teachers/sifu’s I found this teacher was still better!
Hi Sue, To add to this wealth of knowledge.... Technically speaking, Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan are different. Tai Chi is the spiritual practice, Tai Chi Chuan is the addition of hands, or fists (chuan (手) - hand, hands, etc.) to the Tai Chi practice, making it the martial arts side of things. But yes, most people refer to tai chi chuan as "tai chi', the 'shortened' term. In China, 'sifu' is what we call cab drivers, etc. No kidding. When I hear someone call themselves 'sifu' in relation to tai chi, I just walk away. And you are correct, there are NO degrees, belts, certifications, etc. in the world of Tai Chi. When someone says they're 'certified', once again, I just walk away. Real masters are found in the park, quietly teaching a group of followers, just stand nearby, sooner or later you'll be invited to join in. If the teacher sees that you're serious (after showing up for a year or so), the teacher will start to give you some extra attention, etc. That's how I learned, and continue to learn. Excellent post, thank you ! Bill P.
Hi Bill! Thank you for your insight and clarifications. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind clarifying further the difference between the spiriitual Tai Chi and YiChuan. As far as the "sifu" insight, that is funny about cab drivers being called "sifu." I also like your statements about certificates, etc. and walking away. Best of all is what you said about masters being found in the park, quietly teaching. On a side note, what alot of people do not realize is TH-cam drives off of keywords. So when I include words such as "master" "sifu" "tai chi chuan" "tai chi" it is simply for getting my video discovered by keyword search. I don't make all my videos like this, but occassionally I do have to "backward engineer" in order to keep my channel growing. It is a part of the TH-cam creator business that I dislike. However, TH-cam is getting much better through AI in putting the right video in front of the right people, without my having to push keywords. I love that!! Anyway, just a bit of insight as to why I chose the words I did. The content and message is the same: If you have a teacher full of pomp and circumstance, run. If you find a teacher with humbleness and depth of knowledge that may not even be readily recognizable, embarce the gem. Thanks again, Bill. I am truly interested in your insight in the differences between the spritutal Tai Chi and Yi Chuan. I am headed toward more Yi Chuan now in my own journey I think.
@@InternalTaiChi Hi Sue ! Okay, here we go. Yiquan or Yichaun is a system that was created by Wang Xiangzhai in the early 20th century. It is similar to Tai Chi Chuan. I don't know enough about it to comment, and it is not tai chi chuan, although similar. To address your question more thoroughly, Tai Chi is the internal art of circulation chi (qi) and more specifically, unblocking meridians and acupuncture points within the body to promote health and cure diseases. Chi Kung (qigong) is the art of cultivating qi, and many of us consider Tai Chi a subset of Qigong. Tai Chi Chuan on the other hand, is the practice of disrupting those acupuncture points to temporarily (or permanently) disable an attacker. Very few people are aware of this, since the true art of pressing those points takes years of practice and is becoming a lost art due to its complexity. This technique is called "Diǎnxué (點穴", or "Dianmei", of the more common "Dim Mak", (Death Touch). Tai Chi Chuan employs the spiral motion of Tai Chi to concentrate power into a fingertip and issue explosive force (Bàofālì 爆發力) known as "Fājìn (發勁". This knowledge is all but lost due to Mao Tse Tung's abolishment of ALL martial arts in 1949 (really). This was his form of 'gun control' if you will. As a side note, Mao reintroduced the Tai Chi that we see today as the Yang style 24 form, which was mandated by Mao in 1955 as a health regimen for the Chinese population. That is why the 24 form is so well known today. The four masters who created the 24 form in 1955 incorporated the 13 postures of Tai Chi Chuan, very well disguised, and to this day few people are any the wiser. It's interesting how you have to deal with youtube's search algorithm. I am currently not posting anything. I enjoy your posts, especially the joint stretching through meditation exercise, which my teacher taught us many years ago. Very obscure stuff, most people have no idea about it. I hope I have been ale to shed some light on your inquiry. Best of success, Bill P.
@RocknRollkat This is excellent!! Thank you for taking the time to clarify for both me and my followers. I find your description of Tai Chi Chuan extremely interesting. I am currently studying with someone who seems to have this skill but has not so clearly described it. It helps explain many things I witness but haven't been able to categorize or understand. It is sad what has happened to the true essence of Tai Chi. I believe we need to break away from 'traditions' and share the peices we know with open collaboration. You have demonstrated that beautifully by sharing your insight and through your support in my work. Thank you for your insight, your comments, and for watching my videos.
@@InternalTaiChi It is my pleasure to help you in any way possible. I have dedicated my study of Tai Chi Chuan to piecing together as many fragments as possible of the original techniques. What makes it even more difficult is that I do not speak Chinese, and many of the people I've met (old timers) who do know these techniques don't speak English ! I live in a largely Chinese neighborhood in Queens, New York and I've been fortunate enough to have studied with several of these people. Maybe someday I will post some videos, I want to get this knowledge out into the Tai Chi community before it's too late. Keep up the good work ! Bill P.
@@RocknRollkat Thank you again for sharing. Yes, we need to share and get the info out so the true art of Tai Chi doesn't become completely extinct. I had the good fortune to study with Master William Ting who has good command of English and was able to disseminate the most salient information because he is also a great teacher. He actually asked his GrandMaster in China if he could teach the deeper art because he saw it was going to be lost with generations dying off and all the secrecy. He gained permission and brought it to many students in the USA. His book is also an excellent resource. I certainly have more to learn, but I am grateful for what Master Ting gave me. Keep up the mission, Bill!
Slight correction: Sifu (Shifu) is Chinese for Master. Laoshi is Chinese for Teacher. Good points about certification. There is no legitimate certification for Taiji. Certification is just a scam perpetrated on students by the unscrupulous.
The only reason I would say a certification is needed, is if you want to teach at a facility and they require it. Otherwise, the credibility and quality of a Tai chi teacher should be based on the depth of their knowledge and ability to impart that knowledge, not on their "certifications."
@@InternalTaiChi thanks. The people I helped with their tai chi, liked how I tough them. I’m not certified. Some places had tai chi open Positions but needed to be certified.
@@PalaniInn I think it depends on your goal. If you want to teach somewhere and they are requiring a certificate and you feel qualified to teach but just need a certificate, then I'd search for the easiest path. However, if you are wanting to further your understanding while you get "certified" then I'd do some research. Again, it just goes back to your purpose and goal for wanting to get certified.
At first, pronunciation is wrong - please make an effort and try to pronounce Tai Ji correctly. Ji doesn't sound as "Chi" in English. Second - Tai Ji is very old term and when used without Quan, it does not mean "the same" as with it. There are many "kua's" not only hip joint. Historically learning TaiJi was not fun at all - one of Yang LuChan descendants wanted to commit suicide, so demanding was his father in teaching, one wanted to escape from home for the same reason, so he was enclosed in room for long time. Only after Yang ChenFu modified Taiji there was more "fun" in it. If you want to "try" teacher, play some pushing hands with his/her, and second, see if he/she really have knowledge how to react real violent action - some blow or kick, not some flimsy "grab my wrist" thing. Tui Shou is not self-defense study! (only helping exercise). If person exercises TaiJi as QiGong (Qi Gong is by the way, modern term, not "ancient"), then he can make many many mistakes performing it.
@@InternalTaiChi I apologize, my words were too harsh. My attitude towards you as teacher and your teaching is very appraising, and I feel sympathy towards you as person (I liked your piano playing too). We interpret some "rules" differently but that is natural and OK. For me there are/were to extremes: so called "spiritual" persons who enjoyed Taiji for health, relaxation and spiritual awareness, but who got so easily "beat up" by thugs that it was a shame to watch. Often they "knew" many "theoretical" aspects quite well, but missed so many points of reality. Another company are persons who doesn't really understand the Taoist truths of tranquility and "Song" and "Shen", who are interested of Tui Shou competitions and medals and so on. Both are "too much, too far" extremes. But there are details and real history and cultural background Westerners are ignoring too easily (even such a "simple" thing as pronunciation, cause it's meaning can be something absolutely different), and I disagree with that. May be I'm too demanding. I'm still student (honestly). I studied and teached Taiji and Chinese culture now 40 years and my understanding about Taiji changed quite a much - from some kind of "Hippie Taiji" to concentrating too much of fighting aspect, then to Health then to ...just unpretentious one now. Wish the best for You too.
I feel Blessed that I don’t need to go find a good Tai Chi Teacher because I already found an excellent Teacher named Susan Thompson. I’m so grateful. I just wish. I was a better student. ❤️🙏🏽😊
Awwwww. That is SO sweet. Thank you, Brenda. We are all good students when we seek with a pure heart. You have a pure heart. Thanks for making my day!
@@InternalTaiChi ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏽🌷🌻🌞😁
Thanks for clarifying the qualities of a good Tai chi teacher. I feel so fortunate to have found your TH-cam channel as well as a local highly qualified tai chi teacher and a welcoming, kind, and joyful family of tai chi brothers and sisters.
Awww. Thank you so very much. And you ARE very lucky to have a high qualified TC teacher and a welcoming, kind, joyful Tai Chi family! That is the way it should be.
Believe it or not, I am visiting a new area and saw they had a Tai chi practice group, so I thought I would go join them. They REFUSED my participation!!!! Would not let me even watch. They essentially kicked me out of the room. WOW. It was humiliating and hurt me to the bones, partially for being rejected as a human being with a common interest, but more for the poor representation of what Tai Chi is.
Keep feeling and appreciate that joy. And tell your teacher I am offering a personal message of thanks for creating such a wonderful Tai Chi community. 💞
That group probably came from an old fashioned practise and their members would also be frown upon learning from other teachers. Feel good to walk away from the wrong practice for you.
I love your teaching style and have learned so much from your channel. Keep up the good work!
Thank you so much. I appreciate your taking the time to watch and comment. Thanks for following my videos!
Thank you for your kind gentle energy experience that you shared thru this video today with me.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed the video and gentle spirit intended.
Hello Susan. A most informative and well explained video once again. Beautifuly put with inner grace. You beam Tai Chi. Your aura is dazzlingly bright with a powerful magnetic force. You are the very essence of Tai Chi. Love and light are being sent to you. Julie. Gasha 🙏
Julie, thank you so very much. I once had a student tell me that I didn't just teach Tai Chi, I WAS "Tai Chi." I thought it was one of the best compliments I had ever received. And here you offer the same beautiful compliment. Thank you. You have lifted my heart and brightened my day!
Very nice and I learnt vital aspects , happy 😊
Thank you! It makes my day to know that I made someone happy!
This is tremendously helpful…thank you, it is information that Tai Chi students can benefits from, but just as importantly, Tai Chi teachers!
Thank you for your wonderful comment. 🙂
You are talking about yourself Susan. So glad I found your on line classes. As you say tai chi is not simply about the external movements. And you have so many ways to help us engage the internal.
Thank you, Phil! When I made this video, I was making it in honor three of my teachers/mentors of Tai Chi: (In no specific order) - Master William Ting, Jordan Misner, and Howard Wang (Huai Hsiang Wang).
I am so very happy you have joined our live streaming classes. You are a great addition!
Thanks for leaving the comment.
Wonderful video! You are an excellent Tai Chi teacher. Shifu John Painter thinks so and I do too ❤
Oh thank you so much! I would love to meet you. We are not too far away from each other geographically.
@@InternalTaiChi I would love to meet you too Susan but unfortunately I am out in Connecticut. I do plan on making a trip to Texas at some point to see my teacher, Master Aiping Cheng, in Austin, my cousins in Houston and Shifu Painter at The Gompa and would love to visit you as well.
@@AipingTaiChi Well, please contact me when you are in my area. It would be fun to get together. My email address can be found in the "about" section on my home page of my TH-cam channel. I look forward to meeting you!
Hi Shirley! 😁
After listening to these qualities, I realize that you are way beyond a “good” teacher, you are a great teacher!!!
Awww. Thank you so much. I do believe I was a born teacher. I love teaching and I love Tai Chi. Putting these two together is my passion!
😊
Excellent advice
Thank you. Thanks for watching and commenting!
My definition of a Tai Chi master is someone who can show you that they have a high degree of developed sensitivity which they can use for self defense and then show you logically that they can teach this to you. I am not against laughter or jokes in my teaching but I don't go out of my way for this.Self defense is a serious matter like everything there is balance Thank you for the video it was helpful
Yes I would agree. However, this video was addressing a good *teacher* of Tai Chi, not necessarily a master. Also, not all are interested in Tai Chi as a self defense mechanism. However, if I discover an individual who can display "a high developed sensitivity" and in the context you describe, I would definitely qualify them as a good Tai Chi practitioner, and if they can "logically teach this to you" as you said, then they would also be a good teacher of Tai Chi.
Laughter is a by product not a goal. Again, not all folks are looking toward the martial art aspects. Sincere laughter can also throw your opponent off. Those with internal levity usually have an advantage.
Thanks for your comment and for watching.
This tracks. I was SO passionate about tai chi, and embarked on a course that would, over the course of a year or so, teach me the short form, and get me to a standard where I could teach it. But the teacher was so .. I know repetition is how we learn, but repetition without engagement is wasted time, and the teacher made me repeat just the first few movements to absolutely nail out every tiny imperfection until it absolutely numbed my brain, and straight up murdered my interest, it was so monotonous. No sense of exploration or discovery, only "do it exactly this way or you don't get to learn the next move."
It's ironic because the guy was phenomenal at tai chi, it was clear he knew what he was doing when it came to demonstrating stuff, but his approach was enough to put me off completely. If it was weekly classes I would have quit but I'd paid for the year through the college so I persevered. So I'd offer that as something for folks to bear in mind when looking for a class as well: just because someone is good at tai chi, doesn't mean they're good at teaching it :P Totally different skillset, and I've met a good few teachers in whom the level of skill in the two didn't match.
It's taken me about 8 years to finally get back into it and find the pleasure in movement and the satisfaction of improved flow and remembering the sequence again. What's funny is, those moves he drilled into me with agonising monotony? Because I was asleep the whole time I don't even remember how to do the first move or two :P But the Yang 24 style that I taught myself over months (based on my experience of a closed Yang-based class I used to go to), that I went through a lot less often and longer in the past, that was still 90% in my brain after the eight years, because while I'd put it through the same repeition, it was a journey of personal discovery of what my body could do, and the satisfaction of learning it and I was present for every second. Stays in my mind much better that way. I think a good teacher is also someone who can assess your level of engagement and mix things up enough that everyone gets something from it ^_^
So very well said!! I get frustrated at hearing such stories, and I know they happen to many people who, as you said end up, with a "murdered interest."
Few are like you....who persevere to find rewarding journey. I am so impressed by you! And oh my goodness YES...."a good teacher is someone who can assess your level." That is so perfectly right. I have experienced many instructors who either refuse to asses my level and only teach to a "formula" , or who are incapable of assessing, or worse yet, who DO assess and then withhold because they don't want to bring you along to the level you can obtain!
It is such a challenging thing to find a good, sincere teacher. My Master once told me that eventually I won't need a teacher. It will come from the inside. I think that is happening with you. Kudos and I offer my support and praise to you as you continue your Tai Chi journey!
#7 is the most important. Life is always short and having fun and enjoying the things that you do is simply the most important thing there is - OK, being nice to people, being friendly and kind, being a good person, etc etc are obviously also important - but if you are not having fun, it's difficult to have those other qualities.
I absolutely, 💯 percent agree! Thanks for commenting and watching. 👍have fun out there!
Hi, can i only song joints n not practice tai chi or qi gong?
Yes. Songing the joints can be a daily internal practice which improves health and well being with or without Tai chi and Qigong.
I have taken over teaching as my teacher had to focus more on family and no longer had time to reach. Some students chose not to continue with me so I'm trying to rebuild. New students come mostly out of curiosity but don't stay. They want the "just follow along" approach that they get in yoga or Zumba classes. How can I engage them so they don't get frustrated or bored?
First of know that attrition is a very normal occurrence in Tai Chi classes. Most folks want a "quick fix" nowadays.
To answer your question, I would consider giving a little bit of both elements. When I start a new class, I give them follow along opportunities to get them moving (about half the class is easy follow along Qigong, and an easy Tai Chi form set). Then I will take them a bit deeper with one movement and teach principles of movements. I do this with a movement that is very simple. This is the other 20 - 30 minutes of class.
I do direct them to my TH-cam channel (you can too...:-) to give them resources so they know Tai Chi is much more than it appears at first glance.
Eventually, over time, you will begin to attract the right kind of people. Then those people will attract more like minded people, and it will grow accordingly. Just like learning Tai Chi, building a class of deeper, like minded people, takes time.
I hope this helps!
What a good video!
Thank you! 😊
Your teacher must be awesome!
My teacher, Master William Ting, was awesome. He was so unassuming; the very embodiment of Tai Chi. You would never think he carried such internal power that could be demonstrated easily and impressively. He was humble, funny, wore T-shirt and loose pants when teaching, and was so very dedicated to teaching the truly important aspects of Tai Chi to anyone that desired to learn them.
He passed away this past December. It was a huge loss.
First and far most you should know what you want out of taich! I wanted fighting skills and I found excellent masters but they refused to teach that. So I had to settle for a less skilled 5th generation teacher. The martial side teaches exercise and medicine. Then going to other teachers/sifu’s I found this teacher was still better!
It is indeed a journey trying to find the right teacher for what you want out of Tai Chi.
What is Tai Chi ?
When you find out, let me know !
What are the benefits of Tai Chi ?
When you become Tai Chi, you'll know.
Hi Sue,
To add to this wealth of knowledge....
Technically speaking, Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan are different.
Tai Chi is the spiritual practice, Tai Chi Chuan is the addition of hands, or fists (chuan (手) - hand, hands, etc.) to the Tai Chi practice,
making it the martial arts side of things.
But yes, most people refer to tai chi chuan as "tai chi', the 'shortened' term.
In China, 'sifu' is what we call cab drivers, etc. No kidding.
When I hear someone call themselves 'sifu' in relation to tai chi, I just walk away.
And you are correct, there are NO degrees, belts, certifications, etc. in the world of Tai Chi.
When someone says they're 'certified', once again, I just walk away.
Real masters are found in the park, quietly teaching a group of followers, just stand nearby, sooner or later you'll be invited to join in.
If the teacher sees that you're serious (after showing up for a year or so), the teacher will start to give you some extra attention, etc.
That's how I learned, and continue to learn.
Excellent post, thank you !
Bill P.
Hi Bill! Thank you for your insight and clarifications. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind clarifying further the difference between the spiriitual Tai Chi and YiChuan. As far as the "sifu" insight, that is funny about cab drivers being called "sifu." I also like your statements about certificates, etc. and walking away. Best of all is what you said about masters being found in the park, quietly teaching.
On a side note, what alot of people do not realize is TH-cam drives off of keywords. So when I include words such as "master" "sifu" "tai chi chuan" "tai chi" it is simply for getting my video discovered by keyword search. I don't make all my videos like this, but occassionally I do have to "backward engineer" in order to keep my channel growing. It is a part of the TH-cam creator business that I dislike. However, TH-cam is getting much better through AI in putting the right video in front of the right people, without my having to push keywords. I love that!!
Anyway, just a bit of insight as to why I chose the words I did. The content and message is the same: If you have a teacher full of pomp and circumstance, run. If you find a teacher with humbleness and depth of knowledge that may not even be readily recognizable, embarce the gem.
Thanks again, Bill. I am truly interested in your insight in the differences between the spritutal Tai Chi and Yi Chuan. I am headed toward more Yi Chuan now in my own journey I think.
@@InternalTaiChi Hi Sue !
Okay, here we go.
Yiquan or Yichaun is a system that was created by Wang Xiangzhai in the early 20th century. It is similar to Tai Chi Chuan.
I don't know enough about it to comment, and it is not tai chi chuan, although similar.
To address your question more thoroughly, Tai Chi is the internal art of circulation chi (qi) and more specifically, unblocking meridians and acupuncture points within the body to promote health and cure diseases.
Chi Kung (qigong) is the art of cultivating qi, and many of us consider Tai Chi a subset of Qigong.
Tai Chi Chuan on the other hand, is the practice of disrupting those acupuncture points to temporarily (or permanently) disable an attacker.
Very few people are aware of this, since the true art of pressing those points takes years of practice and is becoming a lost art due to its complexity. This technique is called "Diǎnxué (點穴", or "Dianmei", of the more common "Dim Mak", (Death Touch).
Tai Chi Chuan employs the spiral motion of Tai Chi to concentrate power into a fingertip and issue explosive force (Bàofālì 爆發力) known as "Fājìn (發勁".
This knowledge is all but lost due to Mao Tse Tung's abolishment of ALL martial arts in 1949 (really).
This was his form of 'gun control' if you will.
As a side note, Mao reintroduced the Tai Chi that we see today as the Yang style 24 form, which was mandated by Mao in 1955 as a health regimen for the Chinese population. That is why the 24 form is so well known today.
The four masters who created the 24 form in 1955 incorporated the 13 postures of Tai Chi Chuan, very well disguised, and to this day few people are any the wiser.
It's interesting how you have to deal with youtube's search algorithm. I am currently not posting anything.
I enjoy your posts, especially the joint stretching through meditation exercise, which my teacher taught us many years ago.
Very obscure stuff, most people have no idea about it.
I hope I have been ale to shed some light on your inquiry.
Best of success,
Bill P.
@RocknRollkat This is excellent!! Thank you for taking the time to clarify for both me and my followers. I find your description of Tai Chi Chuan extremely interesting. I am currently studying with someone who seems to have this skill but has not so clearly described it. It helps explain many things I witness but haven't been able to categorize or understand.
It is sad what has happened to the true essence of Tai Chi. I believe we need to break away from 'traditions' and share the peices we know with open collaboration. You have demonstrated that beautifully by sharing your insight and through your support in my work.
Thank you for your insight, your comments, and for watching my videos.
@@InternalTaiChi It is my pleasure to help you in any way possible.
I have dedicated my study of Tai Chi Chuan to piecing together as many fragments as possible of the original techniques.
What makes it even more difficult is that I do not speak Chinese, and many of the people I've met (old timers) who do know these techniques don't speak English !
I live in a largely Chinese neighborhood in Queens, New York and I've been fortunate enough to have studied with several of these people.
Maybe someday I will post some videos, I want to get this knowledge out into the Tai Chi community before it's too late.
Keep up the good work !
Bill P.
@@RocknRollkat Thank you again for sharing. Yes, we need to share and get the info out so the true art of Tai Chi doesn't become completely extinct. I had the good fortune to study with Master William Ting who has good command of English and was able to disseminate the most salient information because he is also a great teacher. He actually asked his GrandMaster in China if he could teach the deeper art because he saw it was going to be lost with generations dying off and all the secrecy. He gained permission and brought it to many students in the USA. His book is also an excellent resource. I certainly have more to learn, but I am grateful for what Master Ting gave me. Keep up the mission, Bill!
Chuan however means fist so if you here taijichuan don’t go there if your looking for medical
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Slight correction: Sifu (Shifu) is Chinese for Master. Laoshi is Chinese for Teacher. Good points about certification. There is no legitimate certification for Taiji. Certification is just a scam perpetrated on students by the unscrupulous.
Thank you for the added insight and support!
Should people get Taichi certified away?
The only reason I would say a certification is needed, is if you want to teach at a facility and they require it. Otherwise, the credibility and quality of a Tai chi teacher should be based on the depth of their knowledge and ability to impart that knowledge, not on their "certifications."
@@InternalTaiChi thanks. The people I helped with their tai chi, liked how I tough them. I’m not certified. Some places had tai chi open Positions but needed to be certified.
You think any taichi certification will do?
@@PalaniInn I think it depends on your goal. If you want to teach somewhere and they are requiring a certificate and you feel qualified to teach but just need a certificate, then I'd search for the easiest path. However, if you are wanting to further your understanding while you get "certified" then I'd do some research. Again, it just goes back to your purpose and goal for wanting to get certified.
At first, pronunciation is wrong - please make an effort and try to pronounce Tai Ji correctly. Ji doesn't sound as "Chi" in English. Second - Tai Ji is very old term and when used without Quan, it does not mean "the same" as with it. There are many "kua's" not only hip joint. Historically learning TaiJi was not fun at all - one of Yang LuChan descendants wanted to commit suicide, so demanding was his father in teaching, one wanted to escape from home for the same reason, so he was enclosed in room for long time. Only after Yang ChenFu modified Taiji there was more "fun" in it. If you want to "try" teacher, play some pushing hands with his/her, and second, see if he/she really have knowledge how to react real violent action - some blow or kick, not some flimsy "grab my wrist" thing. Tui Shou is not self-defense study! (only helping exercise). If person exercises TaiJi as QiGong (Qi Gong is by the way, modern term, not "ancient"), then he can make many many mistakes performing it.
Sadly you have completely missed the intent of my work my and my channel. 😔 Wishing you the best in your journey.
@@InternalTaiChi I apologize, my words were too harsh. My attitude towards you as teacher and your teaching is very appraising, and I feel sympathy towards you as person (I liked your piano playing too). We interpret some "rules" differently but that is natural and OK. For me there are/were to extremes: so called "spiritual" persons who enjoyed Taiji for health, relaxation and spiritual awareness, but who got so easily "beat up" by thugs that it was a shame to watch. Often they "knew" many "theoretical" aspects quite well, but missed so many points of reality. Another company are persons who doesn't really understand the Taoist truths of tranquility and "Song" and "Shen", who are interested of Tui Shou competitions and medals and so on. Both are "too much, too far" extremes. But there are details and real history and cultural background Westerners are ignoring too easily (even such a "simple" thing as pronunciation, cause it's meaning can be something absolutely different), and I disagree with that. May be I'm too demanding. I'm still student (honestly). I studied and teached Taiji and Chinese culture now 40 years and my understanding about Taiji changed quite a much - from some kind of "Hippie Taiji" to concentrating too much of fighting aspect, then to Health then to ...just unpretentious one now. Wish the best for You too.