In the practice of tai chi, what does it take to learn how to manipulate energy?

Question

Please direct me to resources to check out. I'm interested in the science of it.

Sirs, thank you for your replies. My concern is not with internal but with external energy manifestations, if those are not myths. Appreciate the links provided. Still looking there..

Sensei, I'm not likely to learn internal energy control in one week's time. I question too much before doing.

Bagua1, thanks for keeping me grounded, but I still believe there is science in Tai Chi.

Answer 1

When you say energy, you have to be very specific here. Tai Chi Chuan uses body movement, good body mechanics, and relaxed power to generate its force. If you coordinate breath, good body alignment, and relaxed force (don't tighten up before you hit) and good focus you generate a lot of power. That is the Tai Chi I learned. Check out the website below. there is also a forum to ask questions there, they might be able to help

http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/
Best of luck

Answer 2

I'm not a Tai Chi person, but I do have friends that are into combative Tai Chi and Push Hands.

According one guy, the best way to learn is to have a good instructor to feed you the right energy. That's not all, you need to practice the form with intent. So with the right muscle memory from form practice and right sensitivity from the instructor, you should achieve the right intent.

You can also post your question at this forum:

http://www.emptyflower.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.cgi/YaBB.cgi

Answer 3

In learning the internal arts, you would have to learn Qi Gong while you are learning the Tai Chi Form.

You can develop Qi just be learning the form but in the beginning you have to concentrate on posture, alignment and body mechanics.

You already have Qi. Breath is Qi. You just have to manifest it and learn how to move your Qi. It develops pretty quickly.

You can learn it all in about a week.

Any who tells you it takes extended periods, years and decades, is BS'ing you.

Either that or they really don't know what they are doing.

If you don't learn it in a week after having been taught by a competent teacher, you are just not paying attention and doing exactly what the teacher tells you to do. That's on you.

Answer 4

I study Ba-Gua and Tai-Chi, most people do not want to hear this, there is NO super energy that you can manipulate. The thing that you must understand and implement, is the PRINCIPLES of the system and it's techniques. The strength of ANY system is in PROPER LEVERAGE and BODY MECHANICS. (CHI) is very subjective, and means different things to different people, it is a METAPHOR more than any thing that is provable,that is why there is no real science to it.