The Seven Forms of Home-based Tai Chi

Four Unique Characteristics of the Seven Forms:

While common Tai Chi principles include lifting the head, slightly concave the chest and straightening the back, sinking the shoulders and dropping the elbows, relaxing the waist and hips, and focusing the mind on the dantian (lower abdomen), these are familiar to most people and will not be elaborated upon here. The focus here is on the four unique features of the Home Tai Chi Seven Forms: "Seal Formation," "Pull-like Movement," "Stretching," and "Balanced Tension and Relaxation."

The first characteristic is seal formation. The "knot" in "seal formation" refers to a hand gesture, and the most basic stage is called "Seal Formation" (the advanced stage is called "Connecting Seal"). Seal formation is rarely mentioned in most Tai Chi styles. In the Home Tai Chi Seven Forms, seal formation is seen as a bridge connecting people to heaven and earth, and communicating with nature. Through correct seal formation, you will quickly gain Qi (vital energy), which commonly manifests as heat, numbness, and expansion.

The second characteristic is the "pupa-like movement" (or "surging movement" in a more advanced stage). For example, when we are young, we may get pricked by needles or thorns, but we usually don't say our fingers hurt; instead, we say it's excruciatingly painful, a pain that reaches our heart. This is one origin of the folk saying "the ten fingers are connected to the heart." In fact, the ten fingers are not only connected to our heart, but also have three Yin meridians and three Yang meridians distributed along them, connecting to our five internal organs. Practicing the "pupa-like movement" actually produces a gentle stretching and massage effect on the internal organs, offering certain health benefits. Some Tai Chi practitioners particularly like to exert force, making it very powerful and impressive, attracting a lot of applause. However, for non-professional practitioners, especially those over middle age, it is recommended to avoid such vigorous movements and training, as it can cause impact and shock to the internal organs, which can be harmful in the long run. Because the "pupa-like movement" is very gentle, slow, and subtle, it produces a stretching and massaging effect on the internal organs, making it a beneficial and harmless form of exercise.

The third characteristic is stretching.  In traditional Chinese martial arts and Tai Chi, stretching is not a very common practice; some schools include it as a basic skill. However, stretching is an integral part of the seven-form Tai Chi practice at home. It's normal to experience pain when stretching for the first time, as the body initially adjusts. This is similar to the discomfort experienced in middle school after skipping physical education classes for several days and then suddenly attending two hours of PE. However, this pain usually subsides naturally within three to seven days. If pain occurs during training, with consistent practice, those with some experience will recover in three to five days, while beginners will recover in five to seven days.

The fourth characteristic is the balance of tension and relaxation, alternating between tension and relaxation. In home Tai Chi movements, for every tense movement, there is a corresponding relaxing movement.