Recently I ordered a video tape from our store by David Carradine, star of the TV series, 'Kungfu', in which he and Arnold E. Tayam, certified Instructor, (Arnold is a lineage holder of both Chen style Tai Chi Chuan and Pa Kua Chang), provide "a modern approach to a time-tested fitness program" It is called, 'Tai Chi: workout for beginners"
"Tai Chi has proven to be one of the most powerful, yet gentle ways to rejuvenate the body and maintain and restore health. The Chines believe that one's health and vitality is directly influenced by the flow of one's internal energy. This flow of energy can be easily enhanced by combining smooth and circular body movement with mental relaxation and focus. This is the essence of Tai Chi and this program is devoted to the simplicity of this essence." (Taken from the jacket of the video)
I am just beginning. What I discovered is just how out of shape I am. This program is slow, gentle and yet, I worked up a sweat without even moving my feet. It is a program that men, women, and children of all ages can do. There is no violence, no physical attacks, no being thrown to the mat, no fending of would-be attackers. It is more like a gentle ballet, that needs no one else around to perform.
What I liked about Tai Chi is the flow of movement. I have watched reports for years of the Chinese who start each day with Tai Chi as a ritual handed down for centuries from father to son, mother to daughter. It is a part of their culture just as much as bowing to the east is part of the Moslem prayer rituals, or the English stopping for tea in the afternoon, or the Siesta to the Mexican and South Americans. It represents who they are as a people.
As I watched David Carradine explain and perform the delicate movements in a slow, deliberate manner that allowed even me to follow along, (though I looked like a ruptured duck compared to the performers on the tape), I was amazed that he spoke and walked and was exactly as he was in the 'Kungfu' series. I had heard that he had known nothing about martial arts when he had first started the series, having to take instruction just as I was now doing. He had found it magical and had taken it into his life and it has become his life. I was very impressed.
David Carradine and Arnold E. Tayam have produced, what some think, is the best Tai Chi video out there. They use wonderful photography combined with the healing music of John Serrie, and the choreography of Tayam to enrich the soul and heal the sprit and body. They take each movement slow enough that even I can learn it, in time. They use slow motion to allow the beginner to see the movement and the flow of each position. Nothing is hurried, nothing forced. When I am done, I am relaxed and revived. It is a marvelous program and I recommend it to anyone who would like to bring focus, inner peace and healing into their lives. And if I can do it, anyone can!
Chris
