Music and Tai Chi

I’ve had a great interest in Tai Chi for many years. I was always fascinated by the slow movements of the people doing it in the park. Little did I know I would actually be a Tai Chi student later on though. For the past four years I’ve been studying Tai Chi and other martial arts at Wujitang Martial Arts in Richmond. I’m very grateful for the guidance and assistance from my Master. I feel that Tai Chi and music are similar in ways. In Chinese Kung Fu you practice and train hard on a form. You can practice the same form for many years and still have much to learn about that form. I feel in a way this connects a lot to music because in music we learn songs inside and out and after many years we can still learn new things about how to play and improve our musicality.

In Tai Chi, our instrument is our body. We focus on connecting our feet to the floor and connecting the power from the ground to the rest of the body. I feel a same sort of feeling when playing string bass. Due to the size of the bass you need to be grounded and relaxed at the same time. When you have this correct feeling the sound of the instrument can come out a lot stronger and more full.

Another aspect is you must have a clear mind in Tai Chi. When your mind is clear, you are focused and alert but also relaxed in your body. This is quite similar to music, because if you are thinking about something else there is no way you can play at your best.

Lastly I feel that both Tai Chi and Music share an aspect of training. To become most successful in both arts you must practice consistently and make practice enjoyable for yourself.