More than one Dahn Yoga book has explored the benefits of tai chi, an ancient, so-called "soft" martial art that harnesses the body's energy in the pursuit of mental and spiritual peace. Those who utilize tai chi may discover that their capacity for intellectual and personal development has expanded beyond their expectations.
Tai chi was first practiced in Asia thousands of years ago as a complement to martial arts. Unlike, say, judo or karate, tai chi was not meant to harden the body or prepare it for physical skirmishes.
Instead, the pursuit was created to help realign the body and mind by focusing inward on one's natural energy and purposefulness.
Today, many forms of the exercise exist, such as Qigong, which may be considered a close relative of tai chi, the Baltimore Sun reports. However, these techniques have long since shed any martial trappings they might once have had.
Dahn Yoga tai chi involves slow, gentle movements of the body, accompanied by serene reflection on one's connection to all things. Taking even a few minutes to practice tai chi puts a practitioner in a position of physical and mental repose.
