“There is an inward center in ourselves
where truth abides in fullness.”
-Robert Browning
The essence of our practice
The
disciplines of t’ai chi, qigong and meditation are the tools
of our practice. Qigong (practice of vital energy) is a discipline in
itself and is the umbrella under which t’ai chi and
meditation rest in the internal arts of China. Through the
complimentary practices of movement (embodied in t’ai chi and
qigong), and stillness (in meditation), these disciplines foster
vibrant good health, peace of mind, and the nurturing of conscious
awareness. In the practice of these disciplines may the human capacity
for wisdom and goodness be more fully realized.
For our Health
In
addressing posture and the body’s vital systems, including
the central nervous system and how we manage stress, a holistic
approach to wellness is emphasized. Through relaxed, continuous and
fluid movement, the disciplines of t’ai chi and qigong gently
stimulate and develop joint manipulation, muscular development,
respiration, circulation, coordination, balance, and attention. In the
stillness of meditation we learn to observe, and consequently change,
our tendencies toward habitual and conditioned responses to our
environment. We learn to live in the present. As a result these
disciplines generate chi (vital energy), stimulate the function of the
immune system and optimize the body/mind’s natural tendency
toward self-healing. A general “ease of being”
begins to replace the dis-ease in our lives.
For Self Defense
True martial proficiency
requires specific training techniques beyond Full Circle’s
approach and outside of our philosophical intent. All who practice
these basic disciplines consistently, though, gain a benefit for self
protection: In the words of t’ai chi master and influential
teacher, Fong Ha, “A mind that is free and at peace will
recognize immediately either a kindness or an aggression, correctly
interpreting and responding appropriately at once to any touch, whether
that touch is physical, mental, or spiritual. In this sense our
practice is a martial art…”