Tai Chi (also spelled Taiji) is a movement and meditation discipline with roots in ancient Chinese traditions. On the surface, Tai Chi presents as a series of slow, fluid movements that embody symmetry, and grace. Many come to the art seeking to improve their balance, increase their functional mobility, and relieve mental stress. Indeed, Tai Chi can be a wonderfully accessible vehicle for achieving those goals, but it can also be much more.

Tai Chi – encapsulated in the yin-yang symbol – is a state of being in which apparent opposites are reconciled into a complementary whole. When we look at the world through that lens, we can see all things as examples of tai chi – from the smallest individual entity to the entire cosmos. This gives us the perspective needed to reconcile opposition and discover the inherent harmony that is always present. The physical practice of Tai Chi movements provides us with a laboratory for discovering that harmony in our own bodies. Then we can apply the revelations we have in practice to other aspects of our lives. In this way, Tai Chi can transcend the limits of its physicality and become a way living.

We have both beginners and advanced Tai Chi classes at Darsana Martial Arts. You can find the days and times for both in our Class Schedule. Bellow is a brief description of each class. If you are interested in private instruction, we offer 1-on-1 sessions by appointment both in-person and online. If you are unable to join us in person, we have an Online Tai Chi Academy with a growing library of instructional videos.

The classes labeled, Tai Chi are our classes best suited for beginners. In this class, fundamental movements and concepts are explained with clarity and depth, and each student is encouraged to learn at their own pace and move according to their current physical abilities. There is also a greater emphasis placed on Tai Chi’s moving meditation and qigong aspects in this class, rather than its martial aspects.

The classes labeled Advanced Tai Chi are our classes best suited for students who have been training with us for some time, or have prior experience in the art. The “chuan” in Tai Chi Chuan (also spelled Taijiquan)  translates as “fist” or “boxing” and implies the martial aspects of Tai Chi. In this class, students focus on advancing through the traditional Chen style curriculum. This includes the empty-hand and traditional weapons forms, as well as two person exercises such as push-hands (tui shou). Through this class, students can receive certificates of level (1 through 5) and learn the martial underpinnings of this art such as qin na (locking methods), shuai jiao (throwing methods), fa jin (explosive power), and the higher level internal qualities Chen Tai Chi Chuan is known for.