Tai Chi has been used for centuries as a natural way to curb stress and anxiety.
But it wasn’t always been that way…
In fact, Tai Chi is a martial art—technically meaning “military” art—used as a method of self-defense. To put it bluntly, Tai Chi was originally designed for “fighting” and hand-to-hand combat. I’m getting stressed just writing about it.
But Tai Chi differs from many of the Asian martial arts in that it is an “internal style”. Internal style martial arts value flow over force, style over strength, and form over flashy moves. In addition, the internal martial arts, like Tai Chi, include an emphasis on healing, breathing, and smooth flow of energy—known as Chi.
Over time this healing side of the martial art began to take prominence—now Tai Chi is known as a great way to reduce stress and anxiety.
The medical and health benefits of Tai Chi in reducing stress, anxiety, and other chronic health problems emerged in scientific research, primarily in China and other Asian countries where mainstream medical practice INCLUDES tried and true traditional eastern medicine modalities like Acupuncture.
Now Western medicine is beginning to catch on. Acupuncture, Yoga, and relaxing exercise methods like Tai Chi are used in complementary medicine programs as prominent as UCLA Health at University of California, Los Angeles.
Leaving the combat techniques behind, Tai Chi classes are now often focused on the health benefits and feature relaxing, light, and flowing techniques reminiscent of dance. Tai Chi is a hit with older people and those seeking a meditative movement practice that can improve balance and stamina.
You can still find Tai Chi teachers that teach the traditional “fighting” techniques if you look hard.
Chi Gong is another great tool for stress and anxiety reduction.
Chi Gong is a derivative practice of Chinese martial arts that has almost totally separated itself from its martial arts roots. Chi Gong literally means energy work. It can be described as a form of Chinese Yoga and Meditation that includes healing work.
The Chinese martial arts masters were also masters of herbal remedies to heal and relax the body.
It was a requirement that serious martial arts students also learn the uses of all herbs.
To this day, many popular herbs and remedies meant to relieve stress and anxiety are derived from the ancient knowledge of this Eastern healing practitioners. This is yet another area that Western medicine and science is now opening up to. Though we’re a little late to the game, we now have the scientific methods and the technology to measure which of the ancient methods really work.
Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and a catalog of thousands of herbal remedies for stress and anxiety relief are just a few of tools you can benefit from—thanks to this ancient wisdom now gaining scientific validation.
