Shrfu Don Lee Schurman
Shrfu Don Lee Schurman
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BACKGROUND
Shrfu Schurman counts his Taijiquan lineage
through several lines for both the Yang Long Form and Cheng Man-Ch'ing (Zheng,
Manqing) form, as shown in the chart below. His Daoist lineage is
through Master Jou, Tsung Hwa, from whom he received Qi Gong and Meditation
training. Shrfu Schurman has a Second Degree Reiki certification and
has experience in Daoist massage.
Beginner classes are held on Thursday night, 7 - 8:30 p.m. at the Eastern
Idaho Technical College. Sign up through the college registration.
There are currently ongoing Evening Classes from 7:30 pm to 9 pm. These classes are $30/month. An expert class for those who already know the form is held on Saturday Morning from 8 am to 11 am in the Zheng Man-Qing form with Qi Gong and Push Hands, as well.
by Dr. Don Lee Schurman
Well, to begin with, the practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan (as it is more properly known) promises me better health and a longer active life. I believe that promise because I have known many long time practitioners of the art, many of them in their 70's, 80's, and 90's, who show vibrant good health. They, all, attribute their alert longevity to the practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan.
There is also Western research evidence that supports their claims. Before I tell you about that research and how it is thought that the practice of these movements accomplish that goal, I will give a (very brief) lesson in the Chinese language. T'ai Chi Ch'uan is how the symbols are spelled in the Wade-Giles system of spelling. The Pin Yin spelling system that has been adopted by the current Chinese government spells it Taijiquan, but pronounces it the same way. I will use the Pin Yin system throughout the rest of this article. Tai Ji translates as, "the Supreme Ultimate", the top, the highest. The familiar Yin-Yang symbol is the Tai Ji Du (meaning, simply, "the supreme ultimate symbol"). Quan (pronounced "chwan") means "fist" or "boxing". Thus, you can see, Tai Ji Quan is a martial art - a method of fighting.
Why, then, do people practice Tai Ji Quan for health?
Because the fighting method was developed to build and use internal energy rather than muscular strength to defeat opponents. By building and learning to direct internal energy for fighting, the practitioners also cleansed their bodies and built their immune systems. But don't just take my word for it - there is research that shows that Tai Ji Quan does exactly what the old Chinese have been claiming for centuries. For example, David Anderson reported in the journal T'ai Chi, February 1993 an experiment in which 20 minutes of Tai Ji Quan was shown to increase heart rate and the amount of oxygen present in the tissues of the toes. Patrick Hancock, MD, reports healing a number of problems that ranged from high blood pressure to heroin addiction, using Tai Ji Quan (T'ai Chi, February, 1990). A more recent experiment was conducted at Emory Medical School and widely reported in medical journals. This study was directly focused on the benefits of Tai Ji Quan for senior citizens. It was found that the practice of Tai Ji Quan reduced the number of falls (by half) and markedly reduced the incidence of broken bones in a test group who had done Tai Ji Quan for more than a year, when compared with a group of the same age range who jogged, bicycled, or performed other exercise for the same amount of time every week (Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, May, 1996). Research at China's Zhong Shan Medical College, showed that 20 minutes or more of Tai Ji Quan practice increased the number of both T-cells and H-cells (disease fighting cells) in the bloodstream and the increase was greater than for persons who jogged, lifted weights, or did other strenuous exercise for the same amount of time..
How does it work?
Oriental medicine has believed, for millennia, that the nature of life involves a special energy that the Chinese call, "Qi" (pronounced "chee") and the Japanese and Indians call, "Ki". There is now research evidence for this energy (see The Body Electric, Becker & Selden). This energy, this qi, is the vital force that keeps us alive. The qi is of two types, yin and yang, and the amount and balance of the two types keeps the body healthy and in balance. Tai Ji Quan helps relax the body (and thus mind) and open the joints. Since qi is known (by the Chinese and Indians) to be blocked from its normal flow by tension and by tight or cramped joints, relaxing muscles and opening joints promotes qi flow. In addition, properly done, Tai Ji Quan promotes the gathering of additional qi from the sky and from the earth. Finally, the full Tai Ji Quan form is designed to balance yin and yang in the body. Tai Ji Quan also "strengthens the sinews and builds the bones". (This has been verified by the Sports Medicine center at Utah State University, although the mechanism is too lengthy to go into here.)
In a sense, Tai Ji Quan is only one of a huge body of exercises called "Qi Gong" by the Chinese. All of these exercises are aimed at increasing a person's qi and balancing qi. Tai Ji Quan, however, seems to be one of the most effective all-round methods, besides being fun to do. The daily practice of Tai Ji Quan for 20 minutes, or more, every day benefits health, extends life, and increases alertness and body awareness. This practice also has psychological benefits - but that is another long story, all in itself.
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