• Improve balance and prevent falls ^1-4
• Enhance cardiorespiratory function ^{3, 5}
• Lower blood pressure, heart rate, hypertension, and
  cholesterol ^{3, 5, 6}
• Relieve symptoms of arthritis ^{3, 7}
• Boost immune system response ^{3, 8}
• Reduce bone loss ⁹
• Enhance sleep and decrease daytime sleepiness ^{10, 11}
• Relieve psychological symptoms such as anxiety and
  depression ^{3, 12}
• Enhance psychological states such as well-being and quality of
  life ^{3, 12}

Due to health benefits such as these, Time magazine (August 5, 2002) called tai chi chuan “the perfect exercise,” especially for seniors.

Carry Tiger and Return to the Mountain

Benefits at Different Levels of Practice

At the most accessible level of practice, tai chi is a marvelous form of physical exercise and health cultivation. Its gentle and flowing movement allows it to be practiced by virtually anyone and is safe for those who may be physically challenged. At the same time, tai chi movements can be done more vigorously and can challenge the most physically fit practitioners. Relaxed turning and twisting of the body strengthens core muscles and stretches tendons and ligaments; shifting body weight from leg to leg improves balance and builds bone density in the hips and legs.

At a more advanced level of practice, tai chi is a formidable martial art. Every subtle turn of hand and shift of weight is a hidden self-defense application. Unlike more familiar martial arts such as karate that rely on strength and speed to overpower an opponent, tai chi relies instead on relaxation and internal energy to achieve its effects. Because of its subtlety, achievement of martial arts prowess in tai chi takes longer than other martial arts.

At its highest level of practice, tai chi is a means of spiritual cultivation, a way to use principles of Daoism to manage life’s contradictions and challenges. Tai chi principles such as balance, harmony, relaxed awareness, and doing every activity with minimum effort and integrated body, mind and spirit (no multi-tasking allowed!) are practiced in every moment of daily life. Being cut off while driving on the freeway becomes an opportunity to practice yielding and releasing annoyance and frustration. Misfortune allows one to let go of sadness and return to emotional balance. Good fortune provides the chance to extend oneself without grasping and holding on too tightly. Interpersonal conflict gives one the chance to explore both sides of an issue to search for its underlying point of balance and harmony. Weeding in the garden becomes an opportunity to merge mind and breath with every pull of the arm.

In time, one lives life with a tai chi mind and body that are soft, yielding, accepting, and unafraid. This may be the most valuable benefit of persistent tai chi practice and is what distinguishes it from mere physical exercise.