2500 years ago, the father of tai chi philosophy advised the emperor
of China.
His counsel was so wise and his foretelling so accurate, his name
became legend in Asia.
He set the strategies for battles, predicted the dates of earthquakes,
and forecasted the arrival of storms and the duration of droughts.
He tracked the rise and fall of flooding rivers, the vitality of
food animals, and the survival of crops.
He recommended allegiances and devised political moves.
The secret power that allowed him to read the subtle magic of the
world is still available, and known to such luminaries as Wayne
Dyer, Warren Buffett, George Lucas, and many more.
More information about tai chi
Read the history of Chen Tai Chi in Rosenfeld's article in Kung
Fu / Tai Chi magazine [Read
Article]
On September 8, 2007, Jane Kwiatkowski of The Buffalo News quotes
Pen & Sword Founder Arthur Rosenfeld extensively in her article Tai
Chi: Healing in motion [Read
the article]
On August 27, 2007, Chief Instructor, Arthur Rosenfeld was a guest
on Accent Radio's The Right Balance with Host, Greg Allen.
[Click here
to listen to the mp3]
On July 23, 2007, Pen & Sword Founder Arthur Rosenfeld was featured
on Patient Power with Andrew Schorr. The show was titled Daily
Tai Chi vs. Our Healthcare System. [Click
here to listen]
Article in Kung Fu / Tai Chi magazine : Chen
Style Taijiquan by Sifu [teacher] Arthur Rosenfeld
What is Tai Chi?
Tai chi ch'uan (taijiquan in pinyin, or abbreviated simply as tai
chi) is perhaps the most exalted of the Chinese martial arts and
most powerful of the mind/body modalities, with dynamics powerful
enough to both defeat physical assailants and beat back the degenerative
diseases of aging. Translated, the name means Ultimate Cosmic Fist
and indeed this transformative longevity practice offers sophisticated
body mechanics, a practical philosophy that offers a healthier way
of looking at conflict, challenge and change. Spiritually inclined
practitioners will even find that at higher levels the practice
has a mystical dimension.
Legend has Tai Chi Ch'uan originating with a Taoist sage named Chang
San-Feng at the turn of the last millennium. Historically, what
we know today as tai chi was likely created by Chen Wang-ting (1597-1664),
a 9th generation member of the Chen family and resident of a small
village in the north of China. Chen constructed the system upon
a tripod of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Taoist thought,
and proven martial techniques.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) differs from Western medicine
in significant ways. Broadly put TCM costs less and has fewer side
effects than its Western counterpart, and may be less effective
for acute health crises and at least as effective for some chronic
conditions. TCM sees the body in terms of systems rather than organs.
In the TCM model the body is crisscrossed by meridians, channels
through which a life force called qi flows like water through a
garden hose. Practicing Tai Chi increases this energy, opens the
hoses, and aligns them for maximum flow.
Recent medical research confirms what practitioners have known for
centuries, namely that tai chi can lower stress levels and blood
pressure, save us from morbid falls, boost our immune system, aid
in managing ADD/ADHD, chronic pain, and depression. Studies also
show that the practice also improves cardiovascular health, trains
the muscular core, and enhances flexibility, stamina, and range
of motion.
Taoists believe there is a guiding force or intelligence to the
universe. They call this force Tao, which means The Way. In the
Taoist view, pairs of opposing forces (yin and yang) arose from
nothingness (wuji) in much the way the Judeo-Christian creation
story chronicles God's manufacture of heaven and earth from nothingness.
Examples of yin and yang include male and female, light and dark,
and weak and strong. Every Tai Chi Ch'uan movement directly embodies
this Taoist worldview. In fact, there may be no system of movement
anywhere that more closely obeys philosophical rules.
China has a long and illustrious martial tradition. At times China
has been little more than a conglomerate of warring states. Conceived
by monks, doctors, scholars and warriors, numerous martial systems
were derived from the movements of animals and the forces of nature.
Early fighting techniques were tested in combat, and were lost if
ineffective. The ones used in tai chi are many of the very best
techniques to survive the ages.
Authentic Tai Chi was very nearly lost during China's so-called "Cultural
Revolution" when the armies of Mao Tse Tung gelded, killed,
or banished its masters. These days the art is practiced worldwide
by people of all ages, and is changing and evolving to suit the
needs of the modern world. At Pen & Sword Tai Chi, we strive
to keep the deep, original teachings alive and kicking, while making
them accessible to everyone. Training will bring you flexibility,
harmony, strength, peace, insight, and longevity.
