The Healing Power of Taiji quan
Bill Frazier introduces some of the most fundamental elements of Daoist cultivation, which he came to through practicing Taiji quan (Tai-chi). Originally a martial arts practice popularized throughout China in the nineteenth century, Taiji quan has come to represent the basics of Daoist cultivation in the slow, graceful form that it takes today. The basic principle of Taiji is that of a dynamic balance, a harmony of yin and yang that is maintained not by standing still but by maintaining a constant fluidity in the body.
Chinese medicine explains the healing benefits of Taiji quan through the concept of Qi (vital energy), which flows throughout the body along specific pathways known as meridians. Bill went to acupuncture school to learn more about Qi; acupuncture aims to promote the healthy flow of Qi throughout the body by stimulating it at certain points where it flows close to the surface of the body, especially the ear lobes, the face, hands and feet.
Traditional Chinese medicine forms, such as acupuncture, aim to heal the body through the flow of energy. Qi cultivation practices take this one step further by using the Qi to transform the body at a more psycho-energetic, spiritual level. All Daoist cultivation involves the cultivation of Qi, but not all Qi cultivation can be considered a spirtual or religious acitivity. However, this form of cultivation is popular in the west because of its emphasis on personal growth and transformation.