principles

It is important to understand that at its core, T'ai Chi Ch'uan is not a study of form or style. At best, form simply allows a practitioner to exlore the heart of the practice which has always been understood to be a set of principles. These principles are qualities which have been observed to be effective in their positive influence regarding life in all its expressions of movement and change. T'ai Chi is therefore the study of these life affirming qualities, regardless of what style one studies, or what form one practices.

These principles have been handed down both orally and through the traditional writings of T'ai Chi which are collectively referred to as the Classics. They include an emphasis on relaxation of tension, both physical and mental, leading to the development of internal strength; a process of integration in which the mind and body become unified; and an unshakeable understanding that the key element in respect to any life success is the maintenance of the qualities of balance and harmony.

Styles come and go. Form is of value only in respect to the opportunity it presents in allowing insight into something more essential. The emphasis that T'ai Chi places on principles, and their sense of timelessness in the midst of constant change, is truly the key to the practice of T'ai Chi being an "internal study".