Six Internal Tai Chi Form Principles

1. Yin-Yang Form

The training of the Yin and Yang form consists of 7 internal disciplines. Related to characteristics in body movement and structure, balance between yin and yang, mind and timing, all correlated with the breathing in- and out. This is the first and most important structuring of the form.

2  Chi-Form

With the Chi-Form the direction of the spiral turn in the arms are practiced. With the Chi form the development of the vital energy (Chi) moving through the body and directed through the arms becomes evident to the student.

3 Center-Move

All movements in Tai Chi Chuan are guided by the "Centre", the lower Dan-tien, which also is the mass center of the human body. With Centre move you learn to turn on this engine with a focus on the correct rotation of the centre in correlation with the specific application/action in the form.

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4. Leg-Spiral in weight & Yin Yang Hand and leg spiral

In the leg spiral in weight the vertical spiral movement in the lower leg is trained in connection with your centre establishing a greater balance. The Yin Yang hand and leg spiral trains the energetic expanding (big bang) relation between knee, hands and centre.

5. Yin Yang Hand and Neck-Spiral

The neck spiral establishes a clear distinction between movement upward to the crown and downward in sinking energy with an energetic connection between the head movement and the hand movement.

6. Internal Breathing

All previous described inner principles are supportive to the internal breathing, practiced in meditation (sitting and standing), the Daoïst Health Exercises and the form. Lot’s of time and exercise is required to first as it appears establish an outer whole body structure, corporal relaxation and physical balance. ‘You need first a teapot before you can pour tea’.

The 6 Inner principles are for the advanced practitioners hereafter further refined with ‘secret principles’. ‘Secret’, meaning that those principles are not visible from the outside but manifest in an internal sensible own corporate relation between limbs and extremities or in relation to another person.