Tai Chi and Qigong are often mentioned and taught together, and there is a good reason for that. They share many principles and practices, including mindful movement, breathing, relaxation, and awareness of the body. But they are not the same practice.
Tai Chi: From Martial Art to Wellness
The Tai Chi we usually talk about today is Tai Chi Quan (太极拳), which originally developed as a martial art. It can still be practiced for martial arts today, but today it primarily practiced for health, wellness, balance, relaxation, and mindful movement.
Tai Chi we practice in a community wellness class is not about learning how to fight. Instead, we explore how the body moves, how weight shifts from one side to another, how movements connect, and how we can remain relaxed and aware while moving.
There is also a deeper layer to Tai Chi. Tai Chi movement is rooted in the idea of Yin and Yang—the complementary and opposite aspects of one whole. We can experience this principle through many ordinary movements:
- up and down
- left and right
- forward and backward
- open and close
- movement and stillness
In a Tai Chi form, these qualities are constantly changing and transforming into one another.
For a beginner, you don’t need to understand the philosophy in depth. If you begin to notice that Tai Chi movements are about transitions between complementary opposites, you have already taken an important first step.
There is a deeper concept called Yi (意)—often translated as intention or mind—which plays an important role in Tai Chi practice. This is something we can explore as our practice develops. For a beginner, however, simply becoming familiar with Yin and Yang through movement is more than enough.
Qigong: Cultivating Qi
Qigong (氣功) is a broad tradition of practices centered on cultivating and regulating Qi (氣).
Breathing is an important part of Qigong, together with movement, posture, relaxation, and attention. Qigong practices have traditionally been associated with health, well-being, and longevity.
Many Qigong exercises use relatively simple or repetitive movements. You may repeat one movement several times while paying attention to your breathing, posture, relaxation, and how your body feels. This can make many forms of Qigong very accessible to beginners.
Why Are They Often Taught Together?
Tai Chi and Qigong have different histories and emphases, but there is considerable overlap between them.
Qigong exercises can help us develop qualities that are also important in Tai Chi: relaxed breathing, body awareness, balance, and a settled mind.
Tai Chi allows us to explore similar qualities while moving through connected sequences and transitions.
You don’t need to understand all of this before you begin.
For a beginner, start with the movement. Notice the left and right. Notice the up and down. Notice the forward and backward. Notice when one leg becomes full and the other becomes empty.
Over time, the Yin-Yang philosophy begins to make more sense because you can feel it in your own movement.
Learn in person or start following movements as in below.
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