SPORTS & RECREATION / Martial Arts & Self-Defense

This book combines academic expertise and philosophical inquiry with the practical expression of TÕai Chi. The authors combine eastern philosophy and the wisdom of TÕai Chi as expressed through a Master. The result is a harmonious blend of Taoist philosophy and the everyday use of its principles through the Chinese art of TÕai Chi ChÕŸan. The exploration of Taoism and TÕai Chi begins by examining their origins and affiliations under the title of Beginnings. Subsequent chapters take up the themes of Harmony (expressing the duality and interrelation of yin and yang); The Way (which looks at the philosophy of the Tao and the path that leads to its practical expression through TÕai Chi); Change (which examines the influence of the I Ching and the Eight Energies); Direction (an analysis of the Five Elements); and Energy (which explores alchemy and the vital energy of chÕi). The primary focus is on Movement and Stillness, which harmonizes the softness of movement with the stillness of the inner self Ñ leading to the theme of Unity, the ultimate goal of philosophical Taoism and the practical dimensions of that philosophy in TÕai Chi.