Hello Folks,
I would like to say one thing that might help clear up some confusion concerning soft martails arts such as Tai Chi Chaun. Much of what is considered Tai Chi simply isn't. It is reduced to a physical exercise and many will not touch the spirit behind Tai Chi.
I have learned when speaking to Chinese people about martial arts, that a lot of them are ignorant of the nature of internal martial arts.
So it is hardly surprising that there are going to be misunderstandings about these things in the Western World.
I would also like to say that some on this post have mentioned philosophy and Taoism in connection with Tai Chi, I heard this years ago when someone said the five forms of Hsing-i were connected to the five forces of creation, water, fire, earth etc. These ideas may have came about through a group of Chinese intellectuals waxing philosophical, and are not really anything to do with the actual practice of martial arts. In fact there is no religion - as we in the west would understand it - connected with the Internal matrial arts: Tai Chi Chaun, Hsing-i or Pa-Kua. But there is a spiritual entity involved in these arts. Because the force/strength used is not natural physical strength. In fact such strength is the sort of thing a novice has, and is considered weak and useless. When I practiced these things, I learned forms that involved deflecting and defeating an attack from my blind side i.e. without the use of physical sight, this involves discerning the movement before the actual strike has a chance to impact, I could go into this subject at some length but it is not edifying, all I will say is it's not natural.
Some Christians may do Tai chi for exercise and that's all it will be a physical exercise. But one day the penny might drop and they will come to a watershed experience whereby the spirit behind Tai Chi becomes real. For the Christian this will usually be recognized for what it is, a spirit that is not of God. For the none Christian it will be recognized as life but not as they know it. Sometimes the strangeness of the encounter will prevent them from going further, but not always. For those who do go down that path they will need deliverance from spiritual bondage.
Blessings,
Tonyb
It's not pleasant writing about such things so I would just like to finish by saying isn't Jesus wonderful?
I would like to say one thing that might help clear up some confusion concerning soft martails arts such as Tai Chi Chaun. Much of what is considered Tai Chi simply isn't. It is reduced to a physical exercise and many will not touch the spirit behind Tai Chi.
I have learned when speaking to Chinese people about martial arts, that a lot of them are ignorant of the nature of internal martial arts.
So it is hardly surprising that there are going to be misunderstandings about these things in the Western World.
I would also like to say that some on this post have mentioned philosophy and Taoism in connection with Tai Chi, I heard this years ago when someone said the five forms of Hsing-i were connected to the five forces of creation, water, fire, earth etc. These ideas may have came about through a group of Chinese intellectuals waxing philosophical, and are not really anything to do with the actual practice of martial arts. In fact there is no religion - as we in the west would understand it - connected with the Internal matrial arts: Tai Chi Chaun, Hsing-i or Pa-Kua. But there is a spiritual entity involved in these arts. Because the force/strength used is not natural physical strength. In fact such strength is the sort of thing a novice has, and is considered weak and useless. When I practiced these things, I learned forms that involved deflecting and defeating an attack from my blind side i.e. without the use of physical sight, this involves discerning the movement before the actual strike has a chance to impact, I could go into this subject at some length but it is not edifying, all I will say is it's not natural.
Some Christians may do Tai chi for exercise and that's all it will be a physical exercise. But one day the penny might drop and they will come to a watershed experience whereby the spirit behind Tai Chi becomes real. For the Christian this will usually be recognized for what it is, a spirit that is not of God. For the none Christian it will be recognized as life but not as they know it. Sometimes the strangeness of the encounter will prevent them from going further, but not always. For those who do go down that path they will need deliverance from spiritual bondage.
Blessings,
Tonyb
It's not pleasant writing about such things so I would just like to finish by saying isn't Jesus wonderful?
Last edited:
