Moving meditation

I thought about the movie "The Karate Kid" when I recently spied two men practising tai chi in Benjasiri Park. Their arms moved slowly, fluidly as if they were making brushstrokes in the air.

The older man with the long hair, Khan Conor, was the young man's mentor. Conor says that tai chi combines self-defence with physical and mental fitness, and is widely believed to be good for the body's internal systems. People often practise tai chi to improve their health rather than as a form of self-defence.

Tai chi has been called an active form of yoga and meditation. It unhurriedly, gently, elegantly combines a number of so-called sets that form a sequence of movements derived from the Chinese martial arts.

"Doing tai chi slowly, softly, continuously, while breathing steadily and smoothly, helps the body generate internal energy and balance the mind, body and spirit," says Conor, 58. "Your mind becomes calm and your body absorbs more oxygen to help improve blood circulation."

For many people, tai chi is a meditative exercise for the body rather than a martial art. In Chinese medicine there is the concept of chi, an essential force that enlivens the body. Traditional medicine practitioners say that tai chi promotes the circulation of chi within the body so that health and vitality are improved.

Watching the pair practise, I note that Conor and his student, Kutchapon Sirigaya, move their entire bodies - expanding and contracting muscles, rising and falling, turning around and turning over. It is as if they are shadow boxing or playing with an invisible ball in their hands.

Conor says that his students first learn the correct way to stand, a posture called chuang chong, followed by the proper way to move without losing balance. Then students learn the routines that generate the balanced flow of energy, moving in such a way as to create the circle and division to form the yin-yang symbol.

The movements may be slow and refined, but they still tone and strengthen the body.

"When you stand correctly, you feel the force of gravity going through your body," Conor adds. "When moving, your bones, muscles and tendons resist the force. That's why tai chi can make your bones straight, your joints strong and your muscle firm."

To benefit from tai chi, practitioners must understand the principles of the exercises and follow them correctly, he says.

Doing them precisely enhances balance, alignment and motor control. Tai chi, as a result, improves posture and has a calming effect.

One of the reasons that Sirigaya began to study tai chi with Conor was because it could be practised without risking injury.

"I'll never tear up my muscles or tendons because I don't have to crash into other people," says Sirigaya, 26, who also believe tai chi is strengthening his personality.

Tai chi requires commitment. To get results, students must practise it for months or, preferably, years. Fortunately, it's a martial art that can be done at practically any age.

Conor's group classes cost Bt500 an hour. Individual study is Bt600 an hour. The classes, conducted in English, are now moved to Chuvit Park, opposite Robinson Sukhumvit and are also opened per request. Call (087) 047 8403 for details.

Watchara Saengsrisin

The Nation