Most meditators will come across points of time where their energy is stuck and does not flow as it should resulting in disturbances of their inner peace. Some martial arts are focused primarily on working with chi, or the bodies internal energy, to rebalance the bodies systems. Tai chi and aikido serve this function well.
Martial arts originated out of of the orient and were primarily practiced, in the case of Tai Chi and Kung Fu, as a means of self defense and as a means of getting ones energy moving healthfully throughout the body thereby facilitating health and well being.
Tai Chi should be done under the guidance of a trained and knowledgeable instructor. Tai Chi means the Grand Ultimate, and as a student of this martial art I can testify to this training method. While the stances seem slow and less dramatic than karate or other more violent forms it is a deception.
Tai Chi, when practiced with martial intent, focuses and realigns the bodies energies while strengthening bones, ligaments, the mind, and the spirit. While the various stances can seem static and the movements awkward, they increase overall strength and range of motion. Over time the practice leads to an awareness of how the movements can be utilized in very effective defense at a much more rapid speed.
Because the body was trained to follow these movements, muscle memory develops and leads to crisp stunning movements pre-programed when needed within the synapses of the practitioner. This principle also functions in other sports where trained responses become second nature. Tai Chi is only the beginning for other martial arts practices including such things as PaKua. Tai Chi itself however is a complete martial art with its own forms.
Aikido is a dynamic flowing art utilizing your own energy as well as that the kinetic energy of the opponent. It can be difficult to learn if you do not have any previous martial arts training. Many of the practitioners of Aikido are practitioners of other martial arts who have developed muscle strength, balance, focus, and an expanded awareness of their bodies limitations and strengths.
Through intensive practice the practition learns about how to manipulate their own energy and the energy of their opponent. The practition of Aikido also learns the breakfall skill, which ensures their ability to survive more complicated and dynamic movements later learned as each participant practices both being the attacker and the defender.
Aikido brings a unique awareness of ones body and is unique in its application of force as it applies mainly to the manipulation of ones own inherent energy without the need to apply additional muscle power to become proficient.
Technique, in both Aikido and Tai Chi, are of paramount importance. With proper technique the need to exert ones physical strength diminishes and the practitioner learns how to move, or flow, within the art of self defence. Both of these martial bring unique benefits to the practitioner and are excellent for ones health depending on the activity level one desires in practice.
