Tai Chi and Healing Injuries

Tai Chi is a slow movement pattern that stretches and opens the body for it to find the correct way to move and balance the muscles in the body.  Tai Chi assists the body in being healthy and recovering the different organ and muscle systems.  When an injury occurs in the body it is definitely time to look at your movement and how it is serving you.  With muscle aches and pains the body is contracting muscles in a way that is not natural.  It is telling you there is a crisis in that area and that it needs help to reformat the movement pattern and to get rid of the cramping.  The foundation exercises are designed to assist in this movement.  They are very specific in their patterns and they relax the body, slow down the breathing and open the heart to release the body.  Inital recovery from a muscular injury can be to do nothing to let a tear heal, but after a few weeks time the body needs to get the area linked in with the rest of the body and it needs to find how to move in coordination with other areas.  Strength comes from taking the time to do the foundation exercises and getting back into the form.  If there is no tear and the injury is muscle contraction, then deep breathing and slow movements will lead the body to healing.  Foundation exercises can be done sitting if the injury is in the legs and standing is a problem.  There is much learning that can happen from focusing the movements from a strong sitting posture.  If sitting is difficult, there may be time needed to go from standing to sitting and back again.  Start slow with only a few minutes of each foundation movement.  Focus on the posture and assure yourself that the spine is straight, that the vertebrae in the spine are lifted and open, that the head is lifted on top of the head and open to free movement.

 

There are many legendary stories of Master Moy’s teaching when he would have a student do Don Yu’s for many hours during their healing process.  Yes, I did say “Hours”.  It is through the repetitive, slow, all encompassing movement that the body is able to find the tools to heal itself.  Don Yu’s are challenging at the best of times, but when the body tires of fighting to hold on to an unsupportive movement pattern, it releases.  It lets go of the muscles, tendons, fascia, and ligaments and it surrenders to the movement as it is designed to be.  It is at this moment that the healing can begin.  It is at this moment that relaxation is felt.  It is at this moment that the road to recovery is possible.  Patience is a virtue through all of this, as is perseverance.  There are many success stories that come from Master Moy’s teachings and the deepest respect and trust that was established through his methods and his ability to find the way to heal the body.  It is work, but the rewards are a new body that is ready to serve you as it was intended.  Many students who had canes or wheel chairs and were unable to stand or walk were able to find mobility again.  MS and Parkinson patients were able to find strength and control over their movements again and walk unassisted and with more strength than many regular people.  And those with chronic pain were able to find relief and release from the binds of the pain.  Master Moy’s own health was saved by the techniques of Tai Chi and he lived to be a senior citizen despite the ailments that he had as a child.

 

If you have a leg or foot injury, aches, pains, stiffness, back challenges, shoulder cuff pain etc., give yourself the greatest gift of all – healing.  Let Tai Chi open the body up and rebuild it.  Let Tai Chi build strength and flexibility for you.  Let the teachings of Tai Chi bring you to a new understanding of your body and your character to do the healing it will do.  The road may not be an easy one, but it will be a rewarding one.

 

And, if you can do Tai Chi on the beach…heaven!