Tai chi

Tai chi is a traditional Chinese martial art made up of a series of slow, rhythmic, circular movements, each flowing into the next. The postures that make up a sequence are called forms. Today it is mostly practised as gentle exercise: the Australian Government's healthdirect service describes it as combining smooth, graceful movements with breathing techniques that focus the mind, and notes that it is sometimes called a "mind–body" exercise.

Description

Underlying ideas

Tai chi rests on the idea, drawn from Confucian and Buddhist philosophy, that two opposing life forces, yin and yang, govern health. In traditional Chinese medicine this extends to the free flow of internal energy, called qi or chi. Practitioners understand the controlled breathing and circular movements of tai chi as helping qi to flow and bringing yin and yang into harmony. These are the tradition's own explanations; the research described below measures outcomes such as pain or falls, not qi.

Styles and forms

Many styles have developed over the years; the most widely practised are Chen, Wu, Yang and Sun. They differ in the forms (postures) used, the order of the movements, their pace, the emphasis on muscle work and how far the knees are bent. A classic Yang-style sequence has 108 forms and the Wu style 119. All styles share the same basic principles: deep breathing and relaxation combined with slow, gentle movements of moderate intensity. In tai chi the muscles are relaxed and the joints are not fully straightened or bent.

Practice and classes

Tai chi needs no special equipment and can be practised anywhere with enough space. It is most often practised in groups, commonly outdoors in parks, with an instructor; it is also taught through recorded media, and people can practise at home after learning the principles. Classes usually run for 60 to 90 minutes and can be adapted, for example as seated tai chi or tai chi for older people. One cycle of a Yang-style sequence takes from about 5 minutes for the simplified 24-form version to 20 to 30 minutes for the classical 108-form version, and is usually repeated. healthdirect notes that a modified form, tai chi for arthritis, has been developed for older people with arthritis and other health conditions.

What the evidence says

The evidence for tai chi's effects varies by condition. A 2015 review for the Australian Government found only very low-quality evidence. A 2023 systematic review for the Natural Therapies Review found moderate-certainty evidence that tai chi probably reduces pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, reduces fear of falling in adults at high risk of falls, and improves psychosocial wellbeing in adults with neurocognitive disorders. It found low-certainty evidence of benefit for a range of other outcomes. It also found moderate-certainty evidence that tai chi probably has little or no effect on activities of daily living after stroke, on balance in adults at high risk of falls, and on pain in people with low back pain. Its effects on rheumatoid arthritis and headache disorders are unknown. Its main searches ran to August 2020.

Scope

What it includes

• Slow, continuous sequences of movements (forms) with controlled breathing
• Group classes, individually tailored sessions and home practice
• Adapted forms, such as seated tai chi

What it is not

• Practised for health, tai chi is no longer mainly a fighting art, although that is where it began.
• Tai chi is not a substitute for medical care. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) advises people not to use tai chi to put off seeing a health care provider about a medical problem.

Traditions and lineage

Tai chi originated as an ancient martial art in China and over time has become more focused on promoting health and on rehabilitation. The 2023 evaluation dates its development to the thirteenth century, and notes that it has been practised widely in China for centuries as an art form, a religious ritual, a relaxation technique and a form of exercise. Research into its possible health effects began to appear in the early 1980s, and it has since spread more widely as a recreational exercise.

Context

Within Spiritualism

The only link Spiritfold has found between tai chi and Spiritualism is as an activity: the Spiritualists' National Union (UK) says that its Lyceum, the body that educates members of all ages in Spiritualist principles, has since 1948 grown to include practices such as meditation, yoga and tai chi.

In Australian Spiritualism

Spiritfold has found no published source linking tai chi with Spiritualism in Australia.

A Spiritualist perspective

Watch a group practising tai chi in a park and you see people moving slowly, breathing deeply and giving their whole attention to the present moment. It is easy to understand why, as noted above, at least one Spiritualist body has included tai chi among the activities offered to its members alongside meditation.

Tai chi comes from a Chinese tradition with its own ideas about qi, yin and yang, and those ideas are not Spiritualist teaching. A Spiritualist would respect them as belonging to that tradition, and would not borrow them to explain spirit communication. A Spiritualist could still find the practice a gentle way to quieten the mind before meditation or circle work, and a good form of exercise in its own right. Learn from an experienced instructor, use adapted forms where needed, and treat it as a complement to medical care, not a replacement.

Tai chi in Australia

A 2017 survey estimated that more than 127,000 Australians practise tai chi.

Training and associations

The main industry body for tai chi practitioners in Australia is the Tai Chi Association of Australia (TCAA). Training varies, but its accredited member instructors usually hold recognised qualifications or are recognised as a tai chi "master". The professional bodies aim to maintain the quality of practice through codes of conduct, codes of ethics and continuing education.

healthdirect suggests asking about classes at local community centres, councils and community health services, and asking your doctor, physiotherapist or friends to recommend an experienced instructor who can cater for your health needs and fitness level.

Regulation

None of the natural therapies examined in the Natural Therapies Review, including tai chi, is regulated in terms of who can provide it.

Private health insurance

Since 1 April 2019, tai chi has been one of 16 natural therapies that private health insurers can't cover. The Natural Therapies Review 2024 looked at the evidence again. Its Chair, Professor Michael Kidd, recommended re-inclusion for therapies with moderate-certainty evidence of effectiveness for at least one health outcome in one condition, and tai chi was one of the seven therapies he recommended should become eligible again.

Safety and good practice

Tai chi is gentle, but it is still exercise on your feet, and the main safety advice is about falls, dizziness and existing health conditions. healthdirect says tai chi suits people of all ages and its movements can be adapted to different levels of fitness and mobility. It advises talking to your doctor before starting if you have a health condition or difficulty moving, or take medicines that make you dizzy or lightheaded. No studies have looked at its safety in pregnancy, so healthdirect suggests that anyone pregnant asks their doctor first. For safe practice it suggests comfortable clothing, thin-soled, non-slip and supportive shoes, a practice area free of obstacles and trip hazards, and water close by, especially in hot weather.

In the view of NCCIH, tai chi appears to be a safe activity. In a 2019 review of 24 studies, adverse events were about as frequent among people doing tai chi as among those doing another activity or nothing, and the events linked to tai chi were minor, such as muscle aches and pain. It suggests asking about an instructor's training and experience. The 2023 systematic review did not assess safety.

Related modalities

• Qigong
• Yoga
• Meditation
• Pilates

Further reading

• Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. "Natural Therapies Review 2024". Australian Government.
• Health Technology Analysts. Tai Chi for preventing and treating health conditions: evidence evaluation report. Australian Government Department of Health, 2023.
• healthdirect. "Health benefits of tai chi". Healthdirect Australia, 2024.
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. "Tai Chi: What You Need To Know". US National Institutes of Health, 2023.