After many years of practicing Tai Chi I recently decided to revisit some fundamentals of the Tai Chi 24 form. This one was my first major form which started my passion for Tai Chi.
Over the next few weeks I will go through each posture starting at the beginning and re-explore the breathing part of it. This page will be continuously updated until I have revisited each individual posture.
Opening Posture
The opening posture contains two breath cycles.
The first cycle starts by slowly inhaling when you move your weight onto the right foot and lift your left foot to the left. The first cycle finishes by slowly exhaling when placing the left foot onto the ground and moving your weight to the left foot so that it is evenly distributed across both feet.
The second cycle starts by slowly inhaling when you raise both arms. The inhaling is supporting the raising action of your arms. The moment between inhaling & exhaling is when the arms have reached the top of the up movement and they are about to begin the down movement. The second cycle finishes by slowly exhaling when the arms are lower to the final position.
Parting the Wild Horse’s Mane Posture
This posture contains one breath cycle spread across the two main sections of the posture. The first section is the centering of the body and gathering of the energy, where you visually hold the ball. During the first section you inhale. During the second section where the practitioner expands and steps out to left or right, you exhale to support this movement.
White Crane Spreads Its Wings
This posture also contains only one breath cycle across the gathering & expanding section. You inhale very slowly during the first section (gathering of the energy) where you half step forward with your right foot and hold the ball. Then during the second section you slowly exhale where you unwind the torso and separate the arms into their final position. This releases the stored/gathered energy.
Brush Knee and Step Forward
This posture also contains only one breath cycle across the gathering & expanding section. You inhale very slowly during the first section (gathering) where you get your arms and feet into position before you step forward and brush your knee. During the second section (expand) you slowly exhale while you step forward, brush your knee and push with the other arm but during the last repetition (third) the exhalation is not finalised in this posture since it continues into the next posture.
Playing the lute
This posture contains two exhalations and one inhalation. The first exhalation happens when the practitioner is extending the right arm. This exhalation is a carry over from the previous posture. The inhalation happens when the practitioner brings the weight back on the right foot, brings the right arm back and extends the left arm to the front. The second exhalation happens when the practitioner brings both arms in the final position and lowers the left heel to the ground until it touches.
Repulse Monkey
The breathing is very similar to the ‘ Brush Knee and Step Forward’ posture. It also contains only one breath cycle across the gathering & expanding section. You inhale very slowly during the first section (gathering) where you get your arms and feet into position before you step backwards and push forward with your arm. During the second section (expand) you slowly exhale while you step backwards and push forward with your arm. Each repetition (4 total) is one breath cycle.
Grasp Sparrow’s Tail
This posture contains the following main sections: Ward-Off, Rollback, Press, and Push but it contains only three breath cycles. The first breath cycle is across Ward-Off where you slowly inhale until you hold the ball and slowly exhale when you stepping forward into the archer’s stance. The second breath cycle is across Rollback & Press. Basically you slowly inhale when rolling back and slowly exhale when pressing. The third breath cycle is across the push section. You inhale during the withdrawal part (shifting weight to the back leg) of the push and exhale when you shift the weight back into the front leg to execute the push.
Single Whip
This posture contains two breath cycles and basically two main sections. The first section transitions from the push into the wave hand-like movement. When you move to the left you slowly inhale and when you move back to the right you slowly exhale. The second section starts when you commencing the hook and center your feet and during those movements you slowly inhale. You start slowly exhaling when you place your foot sideways/forward and push out with your hand to complete this posture.
Cloud Hands
The posture basically contains two main sections that get repeated three times. The first section is when both hands are changing the position - the top one (visualize: washing the wall) is moving down and the bottom one (visualize: scooping the water up) is moving upwards. During this section you slowly inhale. The second section is when both hands move sideways while the practitioner is exhaling slowly.
Right Heel Kick
The posture contains one breath cycle. When you raise up your crossed hands and lift your right knee you slowly inhale. When you extend your right heel for the kick and separate your arms you slowly exhale.
Strike to ears with both fists
The posture contains one breath cycle across two main sections. You slowly inhale during the first section where the practitioner withdraw the arms down towards the waist. The practitioner slowly exhales when the arms circle back out and deliver the double fist strike.
Turn Body and Left Heel Kick
This posture contains two main sections and each sections has it's own breath cycle. The first section the practitioner turns around while breathing in and out slowly. During the second part the practitioner performs a left heel kick. When he/she raise up your crossed hands and lift your left knee you slowly inhale. When you extend your left heel for the kick and separate your arms you slowly exhale.
Left Lower Body and Stand on One Leg
Again this posture contains two main sections and each sections has it's won breath cycle. The first part (Snake Creeps Down) you inhale when you place your left foot down. When you start dropping your left hand along your thigh you slowly start to exhale. The second part (Golden Rooster) you slowly inhale before you lift your right leg and exhale while lifting your right leg.
Right Lower Body and Stand on One Leg
The same as the left lower body and stand on one leg. See above
Fair Lady Works the Shuttles
This posture also contains only one breath cycle across the gathering & expanding section. You inhale very slowly during the first section (gathering) where you get your arms to hold the Tai Chi ball. During the second section (expand) you slowly exhale while you step forward and perform the palm strike.
Needle at Sea Bottom
This posture also contains only one breath cycle. You slowly inhale when you step up and prepare you arms until you start bending over. You start exhaling when you bend over, brush your knee with your left hand strike with your right hand.
Fan Through the Back
This posture also contains only one breath cycle. You slowly inhale when you left your left foot and prepare your arms for the final position. You exhale when you shift on the your left foot and finalise your arms in the final position.
Turn Body, Deflect, Parry, and Punch
This posture contains two breath cycles across two main sections. You inhale slowly when turning around and exhale when deflecting with your right hand. Then you slowly inhale when preparing your arms (both rotate horizontal) during the second section and exhale when you perform the punch with your right hand.
Cross Hands
This posture also contains only one breath cycle. You inhale slowly when moving your weight to the right until you reach the parallel stance. When you raise your hands you slowly exhale.
Closing Posture
This posture also contains only one breath cycle. When you separate the hands you slowly inhale and when you lower your hand you slowly exhale.