Stuart Alve Olson

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Tai Chi According To The I Ching : Embodying the Principles of the Book of Changes

Reveals the close relationship between the eight basic postures of T'ai Chi and the hexagrams of the I Ching. As handed down in the teachings of the Yellow Emperor and Chang San-Feng. Explains the physical and spiritual benefits that result from the practice of the Before Heaven T'ai Chi form. An essential reference book for any serious student of T'ai Chi and the I Ching. T'ai Chi is a physical expression of Taoist thought--a philosophy in motion. The relationship between the I Ching, Taoist philosophy, and T'ai Chi is well established in many of the classical texts and teachings handed down by the Yellow Emperor and Chang San-Feng, yet it has essentially remained a mystery in the West. Stuart Alve Olson, a longtime student of renowned T'ai Chi Ch'uan Master T. T. Liang, shows how the hexagrams of the I Ching relate to the eight basic postures of T'ai Chi, and how together they comprise the orderly sequence of the postures in the Before Heaven T'ai Chi form. The practice of this form initiates a process of internal alchemy that allows for the stimulation and accumulation of chi through the major energy systems of the body. Physically, this process restores youthful flexibility. Spiritually, it frees the mind to roam the sublime Tao." Because the Before Heaven sequence of postures is the foundation of all T'ai Chi forms, this book provides valuable advice for all practitioners, regardless of the style they practice or the depth of their experience. An essential reference book for any serious student of Taoism, T'ai Chi According to the I Chingis an invaluable guide to how even the most esoteric aspects of Chinese philosophy are firmly rooted in a physical practice.