Tai Chi

Tai chi originated as a form of martial art, but is now practiced as a way to calm the mind, relax, and reduce stress. Tai chi is a series of slow and flowing body movements that are done while focusing on breathing and keeping the attention in the moment. It is sometimes called "moving meditation."

Originally developed in the 12th century AD, it was elaborated by a Toaist monk named Chang San-Feng, who created a set of exercises that mimic the movements of animals, especially the crane and the snake. These exercises focus on flexibility and suppleness rather than on strength. The simplest form of Tai Chi consists of 13 of these exercises, but there are more complex styles of Tai Chi that have dozens of routines. The practice of Tai Chi allows people to combine meditation with movement, in an effort to maintain and improve health.

Tai chi is accessible to people of all ages, as it is safe and low impact. It is suitable for people who are recovering from injury. It is something you can practice on your own, wherever you may be. In Western terms, Tai Chi is considered a complementary and alternative medicine approach to health. Remarkably, Tai Chi is the most widely practiced of the martial arts, and is especially common in China. One estimate places the number of Tai Chi players at 20% of the world's population (according to The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & Qigong)