Acu-points and Tai-Ji

Most people aren&#39t interested in the theory of Tai Chi using Chinese medical theory. The

majority of instructors don&#39t know anything about this topic.

There are many scientific papers on the benefits of Tai Chi and mild exercise.

For example, recent research conducted at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, published in the Nov. 14 online issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, indicates that even moderate exercise can greatly reduce the risk of heart attack for seniors.

They used certain biomarkers, which were tied to heart injury that was otherwise undetectable, but were associated with a higher risk of death by cardiovascular disease.

The study consisted of 2900 subjects over the age of 65. They were tracked for their biomarkers along with their levels of physical activity.

The researchers concluded that not only did the biomarkers lower as physical activity went up, but that the probability of heart failure went down. They additionally concluded that even moderate amounts of exercise in seniors dramatically lowered the risk of death by heart attack.

This gives support for another beneficial effect of Tai Chi for health. If the exercise studied was Tai Chi, they probably would have obtained even better results.

I intend to look for such resources myself, but do you have any suggestions?

It is interesting that the practice of tai chi and Chinese medicine often take off in different directions (practitioners focusing on one art while practically ignoring the other), when it seems to me that they basically depend on each other. How can one realize the full benefits of Chinese medicine without the practical alchemy of tai chi "moving meditation" to balance yin and yang? Likewise, how can one realize the full benefit of tai chi practice with no knowledge of meridians and such? Like many things, however, it is difficult to understand or intellectualize the benefits of tai chi from the outside - one has to practice and see for oneself.