Ten Essential Principles
1. Straighten (lift up) the Head
"Xu ling ding jin"
(Look straight ahead, naturally erect not bending side to side.
Raise your spirits.)
2. Sinking of Shoulders and
Elbows
(Keep you shoulders and elbows down and a small space under
your armpits.)
3. Correct Position of Chest
and Back
(Keep your your chest slightly inward and imagine your Qi sinks to the Dan Tien.
Also try to keep your back naturally rounded and open.)
4. Relaxation of Waist
(Waist relaxed to lead the movement. Sightly tuck under the tail bone.
Relax the Kua / pelvic girdle area like sitting on a barrel if you where in a wider stance.)
5. Solid and Empty Stance
(As you shift the weight on your body from the left leg to the right,
the leg taking the weight is towards Solid or full, the right towards empty.)
6. Co-ordination of Upper and Lower Parts
Upper and lower body connect together.
Tai Chi Chuan is a whole body movement.
Connected.
7. Importance of Continuity
This means you try to keep your movements and energies
flowing. You make a circle from one move to the next.
8. Harmony Between the
Internal and External Parts
Understanding the meaning of the movement. What is the application?
Your Internal imaginations and external movements should be
co-ordinated together. From the inside (internally) thinking about what your imagined
partner is doing, and reacting (externally) to that situation. Then your internal can be
co-ordinated together with your external movement. Your form has meaning.
9. Use the Mind Instead of
Force
Start from soft to hard. Not hard to hard.
10. Tranquillity in Movement
Keep the mind calmed. Try not to let your mind wander or think
about other things.