It might look like the slow motion section of a martial arts movie but Tai Chi continues to be embraced by people across a range of ages throughout the world. I’m sure that most of us have seen people going through the motions out in parks at one time or another.
Being what’s described as a ‘soft’ martial art, Tai Chi is practiced by many older people to help with balance and to keep themselves mobile and healthy. But there’s another side to Tai Chi – a spiritual side.
Does Tai Chi help not only with our physical balance but with our spiritual balance? Is the kind of spirituality it promotes healthy or something we should avoid? Can Tai Chi be practiced without the spiritual element, purely for better health?
My regular Wednesday morning guest on 98.5 Sonshine FM is Ross Clifford is the Principal of Morling College in New South Wales and current President of the Baptist Union of Australia. Each week we chat about a range of issues relating to spirituality and belief.
Today Ross tried to answer some of the questions about Tai Chi and you can listen to our conversation by clicking here.
Posted by Rodney Olsen
Click here for regular email updates from this blog.
Technorati Tags: Tai Chi – Spirituality – Radio – Sonshine FM
Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading The spirituality of Tai Chi? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.
Nothing to do with tie-chee…. but
“Well, that’s my bit done. Now I tag Sarah from This is what Sed Said, Indigo from Thoughts Outside My Head, Chad from WordUp, Cha from Inside Cha’s Head, and Grahame from Gra Nomad Wanderings”
I’m thinking….. it’s coming.
The question you have posed is a complex one, and I’ve heard it raised before.
I work in a company where many (somewhat vocal) christians work, and I have no problem with that. I have also overheard the subject of yoga and tai chi come up, and heard them say that they would never go because it would betray their faith. Again, I have no problem with that either.
I just think it’s a huge shame (looking at the bigger picture) that in this “modern”, supposedly educated world, people are still being discouraged from taking part in any activities that involve a different faith (however remotely) or world view.
I’ve been training in taiji for quite some time. Over my years of training, there was never any “faith” taught with the practice. The only somewhat esoteric thing was the concept of yin/yang, or the balance of opposing forces. Seems like another way to explain physics. Nothing too mystical about that 🙂
In my fundamentalist upbringing, I was taught to run like hell from Tai Chi and similar practices. I will have to listen to the program when I get more time. I’d be very interested in hearing what Mr. Clifford had to say!
Hi Rodney, just came across you on a search of Aussie spirituality blogs and here I see you discussing Tai Chi and Ross. I actually did a fair amount of stuff with him and Philip Johnson down the Mind Body Spirit Festival over a number of years. I’m encouraged to see you exploring these issues. You’ll catch me blogging at http://mattstone.blogs.com
Blessings
Matt