Welcome,
This is Nicolado.
Welcome to Beginner Tai Chi.
Start by standing up straight,
And then slowly open your legs up.
Feet about shoulder width apart.
Allow your knees to soften slightly,
Not locked,
Not tense.
Just let your arm gently rest naturally by your side.
Close your eyes if you're comfortable.
If not,
You can soften your gaze towards the ground.
Take a slow breath into the nose.
Place one hand on the belly,
One hand on the chest.
So inhale to the nose.
Belly expands,
Exhale to the nose,
Belly goes in.
Try to make it like a wave.
As you inhale for four seconds,
The belly expands like a balloon.
Exhale,
Belly goes in for five seconds.
The breath is the most powerful thing we can master.
It takes time to really understand how it works.
But with time and practice,
You will too.
One more inhale to the nose.
Exhale,
Let it all go.
Feel your weight sinking into the feet.
Imagine roots growing downward into the earth,
Supporting you effortlessly.
This is called wuji,
The state before movement.
Quiet,
Balanced,
Present.
Now slowly begin to raise your hands in front of you,
In front of your body.
Palms are facing down,
Fingers pointing forward.
Now move them up as you inhale.
Elbow comes in,
Exhale,
Palms face down.
Slowly bring your hands down towards your belly.
Inhale once more,
Lead with the wrist.
Wrist goes up,
Fingers follow.
Exhale,
Palms face down,
Fingers follow.
Elbows in,
Relax your shoulders.
Inhale,
Hands go back up.
Exhale,
Palms face down.
Remember the breath.
Inhale to the nose.
Exhale to the nose.
Move slowly without effort.
Take time and move.
There's no right or wrong here.
The idea is to move and flow like water supporting us.
Now bring your hands back to center.
Rotating the palms facing to the side,
To the right side.
Both palms facing to the right side.
Inhale,
Sweep,
Rotating your hips towards the left.
Exhale,
Rotate your hips.
Rotate your palms like you're sweeping energy from side to side.
Only the hips move.
Inhale,
Hips rotate back to the left.
Exhale,
Sweeping the palms to the other direction.
It's like you're sweeping bad energy away from you,
From side to side by only moving your hips.
Your hand stays in the center of your body.
Do not move your hands,
Only rotate the wrist.
Imagine the air around you has softness and resistance,
As if you are moving to calm water.
This is a moving meditation.
This is why people practice Tai Chi and Qi Gong.
It's because you use your breath,
Your body,
Movement.
You breathe into one thing,
One action.
Letting only the mind wander to the right intention.
I'm bringing hands back in front of you.
This one's going to be beating on the drum.
Pretty much both palms are facing down.
Inhale,
Lift one hand up,
The other hand goes down.
You're hitting a drum.
Exhale,
Opposite side.
Left hand goes down,
Right hand is up.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Switch.
Right hand down,
Left hand up.
Palms always face down,
Wrist follows first.
Going down,
Then the fingers follow.
Keep going like this.
Go slow,
Relax your shoulders.
Hitting the drum slightly,
Slowly,
Softly.
Each inhale,
Make it intentional.
As your motion going up,
Exhale,
Motion going down.
Now bring your hands back to center.
Are you holding a ball of energy?
Let your body connect.
Bring your hands in front of you.
One hand up,
One hand on top.
Then you can rotate the ball.
Inhale,
Bring your left hand on the bottom,
Right hand on top.
Rotating the ball.
Remember,
It's like you're holding a ball.
Do not drop the ball.
Always have one hand on top,
One on the bottom.
You can inhale and exhale.
Now bring your hands back to center.
Go ahead and rub your hands together.
Both hands together,
Friction,
Create the energy.
And then bring your hands back like you're holding a ball.
Try to feel the energy now that you just manifested.
Energy is all within us,
All around us.
Learn to manifest it and do not waste it.
Stay here with the ball.
Close your eyes.
Imagine the energy flowing between your palms and fingers.
Now inhale.
You can also open your hands,
Extend the hands.
Open the ball,
Make it bigger.
Then exhale,
Bring the hands back towards you,
Making the ball smaller.
Bring the hands towards your belly center.
This is where the energy center is stored.
In Tai Chi,
We call it the Dong Tian.
It's right below your belly button.
So visualize the center as you do this exercise.
Now inhale,
Bring your hands up to the sky.
Exhale,
Bring your palms,
Both palms towards the belly center,
The Dong Tian.
Close your eyes.
Feel the energy,
The heat in the center.
Take a big inhale to your nose.
And exhale,
Relax.
Rest here for a moment.
The body is calm,
The mind is clear.
When you're ready,
Take one deeper breath in.
Feel your feet,
Your surroundings,
This present moment.
Exhale,
Feel grounded,
Feel present.
Let go.
And gently open your eyes,
Bringing this calm awareness with you.
Thank you.
Namaste.
