What is the Tai Chi 24 Form? Demystifying this powerful practice

Have you ever wondered what Tai Chi is? Or Qigong? 

Why do millions of people around the world practice them? And how do they benefit the mind, body, and spirit?

As a Yang-style Tai Chi 24 Form Instructor and practitioner, as well as a Qigong practitioner, my goal is to answer to these questions through this blog post. Along with defining, and explaining the purposes behind these practices too. 

Yang-style Tai Chi 24-form. Tai Chi 24 form movements. Tai Chi 24 forms. Yin-Yang symbol with 4 Tai Chi 24-form movements. Defining Tai Chi. History of Tai Chi
Tai Chi purpose, moving meditation, internal martial art
The sacred Yin-Yang symbol, with 4 Yang-style Tai Chi 24 movements. Circling clockwise from the top left: Left heel kick, Push, Snake creeps through the grass, Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane

Definition of Tai Chi

Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan, more commonly known as Tai Chi, is a mindfulness-based healing, and internal martial arts practice. It develops, and circulates our life force energy (Qi), and fosters harmony between mind and body. People do it as a sport, for fitness, for health restoration, and for martial arts application reasons.

Tai Chi Chuan or Taijiquan, translates to ‘Grand Ultimate Fist,’ or ‘Supreme Fist that has no boundary.’ This means that by building up, and connecting to our own internal energy field, we can move and fight without bounds. Qi is our vital life force energy, and is similar to the concept of prana in yoga, or to ki in Reiki.

History of Tai Chi Chuan

During the 1600s, ancient masters created Tai Chi by combining components of Qigong and Shaolin Kung Fu for military combat, and self-healing. It was often passed down certain lineages, shrouded in secrecy. There are 5 main styles of Tai Chi: Chen, Wu, Sun, Yang (most popular), and Hao.

Tai Chi Chuan integrates thousands of years-old philosophies from Traditional Chinese Medicine, Daoism, Chinese shamanism, and Chinese martial arts. It utilizes classic Chinese doctrines, like the concept of Yin and Yang, and the Five Elements Theories of human health. Tai Chi espouses that the human body is a microcosm of the universe, and follows the same basic principles that govern it.

Tai Chi today

Today, Tai Chi classes are widely available. Most practitioners do it solely for its fantastic stress-relieving, and therapeutic properties. The Yang-style Tai Chi 24 Form is the most widely practiced form in the world. It is the shortened and standardized version of the original Yang-style Tai Chi 108 Long form. Tai Chi masters developed it to be much easier to learn and perform for most people. This is the form I teach in my in-person Beginner Tai Chi classes

Tai Chi’s many purposes

Is a moving meditation

Tai Chi consists of a continuous stream of slow, gentle, and controlled movements, blended with the breath. It’s a mindfulness meditation that calms and focuses the mind. Its impressive meditative qualities is one of the main reasons it’s so restorative.  

It’s an internal martial art

Tai Chi was developed as a martial arts form for the Chinese military in the 1600s. It branched out over hundreds of years into the five primary styles I listed above, each with its own unique characteristics. Learning the martial arts applications, along with the healing aspects of Tai Chi, honors the original roots and goals of the practice.   

Advanced practitioners can learn weapons forms such as the sword, cane, and fan forms. My husband and I have been studying these weapons forms for the past couple years. There are other advanced practices, such as Push Hands, that are the continued progression of the martial arts applications of Tai Chi Chuan.

Tones and stretches the muscles and internal organs, is excellent for balance, and lubricates the joints

Despite being a calm physical activity, Tai Chi is a great workout. Its softness and gracefulness hide the numerous things going on beneath the surface. Tai Chi requires lots of weight shifting, flexibility, and joint mobility, which uses muscles that are often neglected. The posture and breath components improve lung capacity, as well as massage and increase circulation to the internal organs.  

Many of the Tai Chi’s movements are flowy, and dance-like. Moreover, quite a few of them require, and thus reinforce, good balance. This makes it very effective for preventing falls.  

Plugging into nature

Tai Chi is usually done in a natural setting, like in a park or on the beach. This is by design to encourage communion with, and connection to, the nourishing energies of Mother Earth. Unplugging from computers and devices, and instead immersing oneself in nature, is replenishing and rejuvenating.

Is affordable and accessible for most people

Unlike with some other activities, you don’t need special clothing or equipment to do Tai Chi. With that said, Tai Chi clothing worn for competitions, or in classes, is often light and spacious, which allows Qi to move freely. Tai Chi shoes are flexible, and cushiony, which enables the deliberate, and precise movements to be as smooth as possible.

Tai Chi is adaptable to fit your personal circumstances. You can practice it seated, and in some cases, lying down. It’s very accessible for those with disabilities, or medical conditions. Even simply visualizing the movements can be incredibly therapeutic too.

Tai Chi 24-Form. Yang-style Tai Chi 24-form. Tai Chi classes. Tai Chi class. What is Tai Chi
Dietitian Seema Shah standing with the sign for her SeemaShahRD Beginner Tai Chi classes in Long Beach, CA. She is wearing traditional Tai Chi flowy attire in the color pink and is in a park with beautiful green grass and trees. Tai Chi internal martial art, moving meditation

Here I am in traditional Tai Chi attire holding up the sign for my 12-week Beginner Tai Chi course

My Tai Chi & Qigong Journey

My first introduction to Tai Chi occurred in the summer of 2015, when I started learning Kung Fu. My teacher told me that knowing Tai Chi was very important for proper form, and for being a good martial artist. That always stuck with me. 

Then in 2017, as I began experiencing some distressing health issues, I remembered what my Kung Fu Instructor had said about Tai Chi. So I decided to take my now husband with me to a Tai Chi 24 Form class in Long Beach. We both fell in love with it. It was definitely challenging to learn all the movements, but we stuck with it. At the same time, I began doing Qigong classes online.  

Years later, when I found out that my Tai Chi Teacher was offering an Instructor Course, I knew I had to do it. I like that it’s non-strenuous and relaxing, so almost anyone to do it. Including those with limited mobility, chronic pain, or low energy levels. Tai Chi has been very supportive and enriching for me. My hope is for others to have that experience too.

My husband and I have been advanced Tai Chi practitioners for several years now. We continue to learn Tai Chi weapons forms, and other advanced practices. Additionally, I am a volunteer Tai Chi Instructor for the free Tai Chi 24 Form classes we first started going to in 2017.

I have also started teaching my own in-person Beginner Tai Chi classes in Long Beach, CA. Information about these classes can be found here

Tai Chi’s health benefits

It’s hard to overstate the plethora of ways that Tai Chi nurtures the body, mind, and spirit. It’s not only amazing for our physical health, but it revitalizes our mental health, especially when managing one or more chronic medical conditions.

Prevents, manages, and facilitates healing for many health issues such as:

Improves various mood & brain/cognitive health concerns like:

Offers whole person spiritual support in:

  • Connecting to and understanding oneself and one’s body
  • Self-efficacy
  • Self-empowerment
  • Self-confidence
  • Self-defense/self-protection
  • Connecting to and feeling at one with nature
  • Philosophical/spiritual exploration of life force energy (Qi), Yin and Yang, and 5 elements theory
  • Feeling a sense of peace and contentment
  • Loneliness
  • Interpersonal relationships

Community Building & addressing loneliness

The practice of Tai Chi is more potent when done as a group. This is because the amount and flow of Qi is heightened when multiple people are practicing together at the same time. Thus, doing Tai Chi in a group setting is ideal.

Group classes offer an opportunity to socialize, and to feel a sense of community. Loneliness is damaging, and sometimes deadly, especially for the elderly. Group Tai Chi classes can help alleviate that. 

Therapeutic and protective for an aging population

Because its gentle and slow, Tai Chi is a perfect physical activity for elders. Its emphasis on balance, joint mobility, and delicate strength-training helps older people stay fit, while helping prevent falls. It’s great for memory and cognitive health too, which is important to tend to as we age.

Furthermore, it is very safe to do, with little to no adverse side effects. Overall, it’s a perfect workout for all ages, particularly seniors.  

Qigong vs Tai Chi. Tai Chi energy ball. Tai Chi 24-form. Female Tai Chi practitioner holding a ball of energy between her hands during Tai Chi practice. Qi, life force energy. Yin and Yang. Tai Chi clothing. Defining Tai Chi, Tai Chi moving meditation, internal martial art

Tai Chi Practitioner forming a Tai Chi energy ball with her hands

Qigong vs Tai Chi

Tai Chi is technically a form of Qigong, but Qigong is not Tai Chi. Qigong is a 5,000 year old treatment modality in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). It involves medicinal movements and postures, paired with the breath, that are used to treat and prevent medical conditions.

There are hundreds of different Qigong forms. They do not include a martial arts application though. Qigong recommendations are frequently customized for the patient, with specific movements paired with certain ailments. They also include seated meditations, with breath and eye movement components.  

Both Tai Chi and Qigong nourish, circulate, and unblock Qi. They similarly include smooth, fluid movements paired with the breath. Lastly, both are preferably done in nature.

I recommend Tai Chi/Qigong for those who are new to, or who need a break from, seated meditation

I consider seated meditation an advanced practice. It can be intimidating to sit alone with your thoughts and feelings, and very difficult as well. Sometimes it can be dangerous too, as meditating can unearth traumas or painful memories that we may not be prepared to handle. 

That’s where Tai Chi and Qigong have the advantage. The constant and steady rhythm of postures gives the mind something to anchor to, allowing it to calm down. Through moving the body, we can more easily still the mind.  

Tai Chi & Qigong are perfect practices for modern times

It seems like our lives are only getting faster, and more stressful. Everyone is on the go, and relaxing can be seen as a sign of weakness.

But, what if slowing down is the medicine? What if soothing, flowing movements are the path to peace and healing? That’s what Tai Chi and Qigong propose and prove. 

The antidote to our modern ills isn’t through a new gadget or app. It’s through mind-body practices, like Tai Chi and Qigong, that reconnect us to our true inner essence.  

2 thoughts on “What is the Tai Chi 24 Form? Demystifying this powerful practice”

  1. Hemlata Shah

    I recently took the class my husband also joined and we Loved it she explained so well very relaxing and felt calming I really recommend this class to try and see for your self you will love it too thank you Seema.

    1. Seema Shah MPH,MS,RD,IFNCP,WIMI-CP

      Thank you for attending my in-person Beginner Tai Chi classes! I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, and found them relaxing and restorative.

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