Welcome to the Everyday T'ai Chi Ch'uan website. While T'ai Chi Ch'uan is a precious gift from the Chinese culture, and in no way ordinary, we believe students of T'ai Chi should practice it every day, so it becomes an ordinary part of their daily lives.

T'ai Chi Ch'uan has been around in one form or another for over 1,000 years to help people live in a more meaningful way. In addition to health and self-defense, T'ai Chi can help people to undersand themselves, their relations with others, and their environment. The basic principles that allow this, performed during the T'ai Chi exercise, can be practiced during any activity, and even while resting. These principles include deep relaxation, correct posture, proper breathing, and use of the whole mind and body to accomplish even simple movements. Long term practice of T'ai Chi offers people robust health, a calm and clear mind, and surprising strength and self-confidence.

T'ai Chi accomplishes this by joining the principles of traditional Chinese medicine with the Taoist teachings of naturalness and harmony. These combine to produce slow, flowing, and intentional movements, which encourage the mind and body to be calm and relaxed, and their energies to circulate freely. This allows one to identify and release tensions that can cause physical, emotional, and mental limitations, resulting in better health for the whole person.

The self-defense aspects of T'ai Chi Ch'uan follow the same principles, teaching one to harmonize with adversity. The perception and lightness fostered by regular practice allow one to sense an opponent's intention, and change position to neutralize or return their energy. T'ai Chi is sometimes called "the art of change," and accomplished practitioners can change position and direction several times for every change a novice makes. Regular practice also develops "internal strength," which can be many times stronger than the binding force of muscle and bone. This strength is only released once the opponent's center has been identified. The name T'ai Chi refers to the circular diagram of yin and yang, while the word Ch'uan translates as "boxing." The T'ai Chi student ultimately seeks to resolve all internal and external conflicts, gradually arriving at a state of peace.

T'ai Chi is an excellent system of exercise for young and old alike. It requires no special equipment, only a small space, and can be practiced by people in nearly any condition. The weak can become stronger, the strong can become more gentle, the distracted can become more present, the present can regain ease and naturalness.