Tai Chi Book Reviews & Recommendations

“The Philosophy of Tai Chi Chuan: Wisdom from Confucius, Lao Tzu & Other Great Thinkers”, (Freya & Martin Boedicker, 2009), Blue Snake Books:California.
ISBN - 978-1-58394-263-5

This book is a well-organized, succinct compilation of all the great Chinese thinkers who have played a significant role in shaping the mindset of not only traditional Chinese culture but also the principles of how Tai Chi Chuan should be practiced. The profound ideas from these people in Chinese history guide provide the context to the subtleties of Tai Chi Chuan. And so our understanding of this wonderful art deepens. For most of us when we think about the fundamental influences that shape Tai Chi we just think of the “Yijing/I Ching: Book of Changes”, Confucius' “Analects” and Laozi's “Tao Te Ching” only. Freya and Martin Boedicker bring to light the important contributions of the lesser-known Chinese philosophers such as: Sunzi, Zhuangzi, Wuzi, the Daoist text of “Neiye: Inner Training”, the Confucian “Daxue: The Great Learning”, “Zhongyong: The Book of the Mean”, Sun Bin, Huainanzi, and Liezi. These lesser known thinkers are given a fair weighting according to their contribution. In short, a good book that is both straight-forward to read and points to us in the right direction should we “Tai Chi heads” wish to do any further research into the background of this art.

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“Chi: Discovering Your Life Energy”, Liao,W.(2009), Shambala: Boston & London.
ISBN - 978-1-59030-695-6

I am really glad I read this little book, it fills a gap on the difficult, elusive topic of “Chi” and how it relates to what we Tai Chi practitioners/students do. So often we can focus on correct technique or form, or even nobly getting the principles right, or applications or whatever, but Liao reminds us of the bigger picture and that it's all about “Chi”. This is not a technical nor esoteric book, he explains in a personal, conversational tone, that the ancient Taoist masters got it right, and even though their knowledge has suffered and often misrepresented over the ages, they cracked the code to rediscovering our life energies. He also gives us an insight into how the theory and belief in Chi” has been the basis of so much of Chinese culture/practice. In this age when science is starting to realize the potential of “Chi” and its relationship to the universe, he reminds us of the wisdom and timeless relevance of the Taoist Masters. When much of what watered-down, business-minded, dance/performance-oriented, is popularized as Tai Chi, Liao reinforces that correctly-performed Tai Chi really isn't just a healthy exercise for developing balance, lowering blood pressure, exercising your major muscle groups, and relaxing, or other measurable indices, it is more. It's a special health-preserving, mind-body treasure that is in danger of being lost. He talks about the goal of meditation and “why Tai Chi provides a gateway to restore your connection to the infinite.” It's about our “Life Energy”, “Chi” is the real miracle & it's within you, how did I miss that one?

He talks about how we lose our connection to our Chi - why we should rebuild our Chi, the spiritual implications of a pure, clean, uncontaminated mind, how to feel our Chi again, the quality & quantity of our Chi. For me, he also reminds or encourages us (however you choose to take it) to educate ourselves to always strive for authentic, or safeguard against compromising the quality of our Tai Chi. Sometimes we all get tempted and stray off the path a bit. Why is it important? Liao believes that T'ai Chi is the only moving meditation left that can help us to develop the quality and quantity of our life energy. For more than half the book he gives us simple exercises that build our Chi awareness, how to keep our Chi pure and clean (which surprisingly & profoundly extend further than just doing certain exercises), how to strengthen & flow our Chi. As I said, I'm glad I read this book.

“Do Nothing & Do Everything: An Illustrated New Taosim”, (Qiguang Zhao, 2010), Paragon House: USA.
ISBN – 978-1-55778-889-4.

Taoism is undoubtedly paradoxical. mystical and confusing to most of us but right from the beginning Zhao's teaching skills are evident. He begins to clearly explain the central ideas in Taosim such as Wu Wei in ways that resonate and in its implications.Wu Wei or “Doing nothing” is to follow the course of nature. It is confidence in the universe” (Zhao,2010:1). And: “.. is wisdom. You tell life, “I trust you; do whatever you want.” Life will reward you with everything surprising. Wu Wei is habit.....It is not refusing to do anything, it is refusing to do insignificant things.

“Wu Wei is not passively doing nothing, but rather knowing when to act and when not to act....The goal is to achieve a state of spontaneous alignment with the Tao, and as a result, obtain a perfect form of supple invisible power.” (Zhao,2010:20-21).“Wu Bu Wei, “doing everything,” is the creativity to build a good habit. ..We just follow the established good habit, as a mathematician follows established equations without having to prove it every time”(Zhao,2010:2).

Each important point is dealt with clearly and with modern analogies and examples. Topics explained include: reversing (or thinking outside the box), our relationship to the universe, naming (categorizing), emptiness, water, calming down, serenity & health, fame and fortune, love, life & death, etc.

Being a Tai Chi practitioner himself, he also nicely relates some Daoist points with Tai Chi practice, in particular I like: “Think of transitions as part of the movement....speed must be held constant. Think of the earth rotating in space....The earth moves and yet it does not move.” (Zhao, 2010:172)

And: “Tai Chi is not a performance. Performance sacrifices the correct way for the entertaining way.” (Zhao, 2010:172). “Tai Chi is not a performance but a return to the natural and universal”(Zhao, 2010:173). How many of us view Tai Chi in that way? There is also some nice explanation of how to handle the Tai Chi sword.

Zhao uses many of his own doodles to illustrate the point and an interesting historical example of Taoisms' efficacy. Being an academic he says that the period of Taoist -influenced rule (Wen and Jing 180 BCE-141 BCE) in Chinese history was characterized by benevolence, thriftiness, the reduction of taxes & other burdens, pacifism, unparalleled prosperity, and general political stability. Other emperors try to do too much, not know when to stop and burden the people.

I think any student attending Zhao's lectures or reading this book would find them/it engaging, entertaining, memorable, demystifying and very useful should they seriously ponder on the Daoist messages & if they aren't there just for the credit. A revealing insight into Daoist Chinese wisdom and mind.