Hand and foot diagrams are excellent!

Tai chi is an ancient Chinese exercise system for body, mind and spirit-a form of 'moving meditation'. Loosely translated as 'supreme, ultimate energy', tai chi is all about generating and feeling energy through graceful movement. The range of benefits is enormous, from improving your overall health and fitness to boosting your own vital energy and heightening your spiritual well-being.

The Tai Chi Manual is the perfect practical introduction to the most widespread style of tai chi-the short yang form. In Part One, step-by-step photography combines with clear, precise instructions in an easy-to-folow, structured learning programme. This is divided into eight lessons, beginning with esential warm-up exercises and general advice on basic stances and hand positions. The book then goes on to demonstrate all the movements that, when put together, form the eight-minute 'dance'. Each stance is accompanied by foot diagrams which indicate the required positions, orientation and weight distribution, as well as close-up illustrations of the hands as the student would see them.

The relevance of tai chi to personal well-being and to the Western lifestyle is strongly emphasized throughout the book, and the health benefits are discussed in more detail in Part Two. This section also introduces simple exercises for working with a partner. The ancient principles underlying the practice of tai chi are explored in greater depth here: yin and yang, the tao and the fundamental wisdom shared by all oriental philosophies.

The ever-increasing popularty of tai chi is a sign that more and omre people are becoming aware of its benefits, trying it for themselves and discovering that it really does work. Now you too can experience vitality and a sense of well-being for yourself: The Tai Chi Manual will show you how.

Robert Parry became interested in oriental philosphy at the age of twenty and later trained in taai chi with teachers from the International Tai Chi Chuan Association. He began teaching tai chi in 1987 while continuing to study chi kung under several influential masters. In 1989 he took up formal studies in shiatsu and oriental medicine, and graduated from The Shiatsu College, London in 1993. As well as running a busy shiatsu practice in Kent, he continues to teach the health and relaxation aspects of tai chi and, more recently, his own Body Energetics (a unique health and fitness system based on oriental medicine and body movement) at a number of colleges and adult education centres in south-east England. He is also currently studying acupuncture at the College of Integrated Chinese Medicine in Reading, England. His previous works include Tai Chi, published by Hodder & Staughton in 1994.

This ancient system of exercise for body and mind is fast becoming recognized as an ideal way to deal with the pressures of modern living. The Tai Chi Manual provides practical instruction on how to learn and perform the popular style of tai chi-the short yang form. This graceful sequence is broken down into a structured learning programme of eight lessons, each of which includes easy-to-follow, staep-by-step photography and clear instructions for every movement featured. The fundamental principles of tai chi-how and why it wors-are alos explored, along with specific advice on how to get the most out of practising tai chi.

Easy-to-follow learning programme.
Over 250 full colour 'how-to' photographs.
Features exercises for you and a partner.
Close-up illustrations show the hands as you-the student-would see them, and foot diagrams indicate the position, orientation and weight distribution for each stance.

By practising tai chi for just ten minutes a day yu can restore harmony to your body, and find your own natural state of health. Your vital energies will be stronger, you will feel healthier and you will be less suscepible to illness. There is no beter practice than tai chi to help you make the most of your life.

Contents

Inroduction
Part One Learning the form
One Getting started
Two The early moves
Three Introducing narrow stances
Four Finding the diagonal
Five Stepping back and sepping sideways
Six Downwards and upwards
Seven Rotating and turning
Eight The closing sequence
Part Two Taking it further
Nine Tai chi and health
Ten Partner work
Eleven The eternal cycle
Resources
Index
Acknowledgements