Pam Kircher, MD, MT, Pagosa Springs, CO
When Paul asked if I would write a general
article on Tai Chi and Wellness my mind immediately
went to my largest vision for the Tai Chi for
Health movement in the world. The development
of the adaptations for people with chronic illnesses
and the coaching style of teaching by the stepwise
progressive method have made tai chi available
to anyone. It has removed the barriers that
kept tai chi in the physically healthy and strongly
motivated community to include everyone of us
whether we are healthy or very determined. Projects
like World Tai Chi Day with its One World/ One
Breath slogan have brought disparate groups
of people together to share the enthusiasm and
fun of tai chi in the park. We are meeting people
that we might never have met had it not been
for our common interest in tai chi.
Tai Chi in the Workplace is bringing together
people not only from different departments but
also from administration to people at beginning
levels in a company. We are learning what we
have in common from people that we might never
have known beyond simple recognition.
Tai Chi 4 Kidz is allowing teachers and students
to enhance their health by playing tai chi together.
Students see teachers developing their skills
in tai chi at the same time that the students
are.
Tai Chi for Health programs in the hospitals
and clinics are improving the health of healthcare
providers as it improves the health of patients.
Healthcare providers and patients are breathing,
learning and laughing together as they learn
new forms.
Tai Chi for Health programs are returning health
care responsibility to the individual where
it rightfully belongs. People are seeing that
their own lifestyle greatly contributes to their
own sense of well being. It doesn’t have
to be hard or expensive to feel better.
These are the changes that we are already seeing
with Dr. Lam’s programs, but I would like
to take it a step further. I can envision a
time when our Congress does a few tai chi warm
ups together before potentially contentious
debates and when they stop for a tai chi break
when things get too hot. I can envision world
leaders doing a little tai chi before they sit
down to serious negotiating. It is much harder
to see some that you disagree with as evil incarnate
when you have just been breathing together while
focusing on your tai chi.
I can see a world where families meet in the
neighborhood parks to do tai chi together before
work or school. I can see a world where businesses
have tai chi breaks rather than coffee or smoking
breaks. I can see a noon hour that begins with
a little tai chi. I can see a world where business
meetings begin with a little tai chi in order
to focus attendees and help them shift gears
from individual details and work to planning
as a group. I can see a world where families
relax with tai chi after work rather than a
cocktail. I can see a world where families sometimes
take a tai chi vacation to learn a new form
or polish up one they already know—or
at least, include tai chi as a part of their
camping vacation.
I can see a world where we can join one another
at tai chi at any place in the world whether
we speak each others’ languages or not.
Is that contributing to the World’s Wellness?
I think so. It is releasing stress while improving
strength and flexibility, not only of our bodies,
but also of our minds and spirits as well. I
invite you to create your own visions of more
ways that tai chi might contribute to wellness
in our world.
back to list of articles
|
