What is tai chi?Sometimes called "Chinese shadow boxing," tai chi is a gentle form of martial art and exercise that involves a formal series of flowing, graceful, slow-motion movements designed to harmonize the circulation of "chi" around the body. Chi, also rendered as ch'i or qi, is a term from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used to describe an energy flow that pervades the universe and sustains the living beings within it. It is a controversial concept in Western medicine, as chi has not thus far been detected via conventional laboratory techniques.

The term "tai chi" refers to the energy achieved by perfectly balancing yin with yang - held by TCM to be the two essential forces of the universe.

Regardless of whether one accepts TCM's conceptual framework, tai chi can serve as a healthy form of low-impact exercise that can help to develop strength, balance and flexibility.

What can tai chi do for health maintenance and health conditions?Tai chi is a healthy form of movement, especially for those with osteoarthritis or other musculoskeletal impairments. It can build core strength and improve lower limb musculature, as well as improving posture, balance, flexibility, and mobility. Tai chi can facilitate relaxation and focus even while executing the moves, and synchronizes the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. It helps to develop concentration and coordination, and can help reduce the risk of falls in the elderly. Because it promotes calming and relaxation, tai chi can be useful for conditions caused or worsened by stress and anxiety, such as hypertension, pain syndromes brought on by muscle tension and insomnia.

A study published in the August 19, 2010, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine suggested tai chi can be beneficial for relief of fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by chronic pain and fatigue. In addition, a recent review published in the July-August, 2010, issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion concluded that both tai chi and qigong (another movement-based TCM practice said to balance chi) were acceptable alternatives to traditional forms of exercise.

What should one expect on a visit to a practitioner of tai chi?Since you will be moving your body, it is important to dress appropriately in clothing that allows freedom of movement. Tai chi typically starts with a five to 10 minute warm-up designed to center oneself, focus on breathing and awaken the flow of chi. The instructor will then take you through a series of movements - often with unique names like "Wild Goose Looks for Food" or "Stomping on the Tiger's Tail" - most performed in continuous, circular motions, while focusing on breath and posture. These movements will often last 25-30 minutes, typically ending with a five to 10 minute cool-down.

Another way to practice tai chi is through video instruction. A variety of DVDs is available to access various tai chi and qigong methods, and a search for the term "tai chi" in Google's video search yields 278,000 results. These can be helpful alternatives when one can't find classes or trainers. Obviously, however, videos do not offer the kinds of hands-on application and management of proper form that an instructor might.

Are there any side effects or situations in which tai chi should be avoided?Anyone with an existing health condition is well advised to consult their physician before beginning any exercise program. Having said that, tai chi is perhaps the lowest impact exercise in popular use. It is extremely gentle, can be done standing or sitting, and can be used even for those with relatively fragile constitutions if done carefully with minimal if any side effects.

Is there a governing body that oversees or credentials practitioners in tai chi?The American Tai Chi and Qigong Association (ATCQA) offers a certification program. The ATCQU has a code of ethics and offers different levels of certification from practitioner to instructor, each with specific requirements for hours of study and practice, references, and continuing education to maintain qualifications.

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Tai Chi - Dr. Weil's Wellness Therapies

Lao ng Gi xng gim mnh, gi thc phm o o tng

Hm 22.12, gi xng gim k lc vi mc gi 2.000 ng/lt xng RON 92. y l ln th 12 xng gim trong nm vi tng s tin gim ln n 7.769 ng/lt ko gi xng xung cn 17.880 ng/lt. Nhng tng ng thi xng gim nh vy s tc ng ko gi hng ho, c th l thc phm gim theo, nhng theo kho st ti mt s ch H Ni ngy 26.12, 4 ngy sau t gim mi nht ca xng du, th gi hng ho gn nh bt ng, thm ch nhiu nhm hng ho li cn c du hiu tng so vi trc vi l do "thi tit trong khi , vi mi ln xng tng trc y, hng ho c c nc lm ti tng mnh, n theo gi xng.

Theo kho st hu ht cc mt hng u trong trng thi neo gi. Ch c mt s t thc phm ti cc siu th trong chng trnh bnh n gi mi c ng thi gim nhng khng ng k. C th, gi trng c gim 100 ng/qu, tht gim t 2.000 3.000 ng/kg.

Ti mt s ch nh ch H ng, ch Phng Khoang, ch tm Ng T S, gi tht ln lun nm trong khong 100.000 110.000 ng/kg, tht b th vi dim thn c gi t 220.000 250.000 ng/kg, b bp c gi 280.000 ng/kg cn b thn gi 300.000 ng/kg. Tht g ta (lm sn) tng 10.000 ng/kg (t 130.000 ng ln 140.000 ng/kg) cch y 10 ngy v cho n hin nay th khng c du hiu gim.

Cc loi rau qu cng tng gi. Cc loi rau gip v nh rau mung t 9.000 ng tng thm 1.000 ng n 3.000 ng/m, c chua ang mc cao, bn vi gi 16.000 ng/kg, rau ngt bn l 6.000 ng/m, ci ngng l 15.000 ng/kg cn nhng loi rau c qu v ng nh khoai ty c gi tm 20.000 22.000 ng/kg, su ho c gi 5.000 ng/c.

L gii nguyn nhn gi thc phm ch tng ch khng gim theo xng, mt s tiu thng cho bit, gi khng gim l do ph vn chuyn vn nh c. Cha k sp n dp l Tt, nhu cu thc phm tng cao trong khi ngun cung li mun gm hng ch cn l hn mi bung cho c gi khin hng ho b khan him, ri th gi rau c qu tri ma nn gi c ng nhin phi cao.

ng V Vinh Ph, Ch tch Hip hi siu th H Ni tha nhn rng nim vui gi xng gim su ca ngi dn vn cha c trn vn bi gi hng ha, vn ti tuy gim nhng cha c tng xng vi vic gi xng gim gn 30%.

C quan qun l Nh nc c th kim sot gi thnh cc n v ln v vn ti, kinh doanh hng ha h gi xung nhn dp Tt v ngy l sp ti, v gi c hng ha ang mc mc cao v l, ng by t./.

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Gi xng gim mnh, gi thc phm o o tng

When Google released its top trending search terms for 2014, the search engine invited us to peer into the abyss and ponder a terrifying question: what do these searches say about us? If the trending calorie searches tell us anything, its that Americans cant be trusted to feed ourselves. The list is split almost evenly between fruits/vegetables and junk food (how many calories in a Big Mac? alongside how many calories in an apple?) suggesting a binge-and-restrict approach that cant be good for our national health. But its the diet searches that reveal Americas love for a good lifestyle hack. While some old chestnuts wont diethe cheeseburger-no-bun Atkins Diet, the sensible and slightly romantic Mediterranean Dietmany of 2014s trendiest diets prove Americans love junk science almost as much as they love junk food. From co-opting Gwyneth Paltrows gluten sensitivity to injecting themselves with hormones, here are the most trendy ways we tried to reduce ourselves in 2014.

The Paleo Diet

This diet continued to have legsstrong, swift CrossFitted legsthis year because it promises that you can think like a lady (get that bikini body!) and eat like a caveman (all of the lard!). Paleo eaters get to eliminate dairy along with a lot of unnamed toxins and nebulously harmful contaminants (found in, I guess, beans?) while sounding virile, not fussyall thanks to evolutionary biology. The Paleo Diet claims to be a lifestyle diet that works with our genetics, not against them. Paleo looks to ancestral wisdomwhether from cave-dwelling Paleolithic ancestors or remote native populations untouched by Western diseasefor guidance on what to eat and how to live, says a basics article in Paleo Magazine. Its food spirituality for the recreational Krav Maga set, a way to give up gluten without taking up meditation.

Gluten-Free Diet

In the recent horse race of food sensitivities, real and imagined, gluten retained its lead this year. The practice of avoiding it has been co-opted from people with awful and inconvenient gastrointestinal disorders and severe allergies by those looking for a trendy yet science-y reason to avoid the bread basket in restaurants. While celiac disease patients are actually allergic to the wheat proteins, for trend-followers its also the next step in emulating Gwyneth Paltrows super-sensitive lifestyle brand.

The Military Diet

The Military Diet claims to be designed by top secret nutritionists at the U.S. military to get soldiers into tip top shape, which it does through a one-two punch of interval fasting and shame. According to the website, The people that fail on the Military Diet simply dont have the drive and determination that you do. They complain about hunger or low energy because they are used to eating way more calories in a day. Thats how they gained weight in the first place. The Military Diet involves eating the bare minimum of sad foods like hot dogs, cottage cheese, saltines and canned tuna for three days, then eating a reasonable amount of tasty foods on the four days off. In the interest of national security, top secret military nutritionists comments on the nutritional validity of hot dogs have been redacted.

The HCG Diet

Its hard to know where to start with this one. Named after a hormone the female body produces during pregnancy, the space-agey hCG Diet demands severe calorie restriction and daily injections of the hormone hCG, under the super-legit claim that itll help youll lose fat but not muscle. Who would have thought that if you restrict yourself to 500 calories a day, youd lose weight? Youll probably lose your hair, too. The pregnancy hormones are supposed to take care of those inconvenient pangs of hunger while you starve yourself. Thank the geniuses over at the Dr. Oz Show for publicizing it.

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2014: Our year in trendy diets

The New Year waits around the corner and one is inevitably drawn to a list of resolutions which is crafted with much care. If past experience is an indicator, then this year too this list will find its way to the last shelf in a cupboard where it will join its comrades of years gone by! The best kept secret seems to be that it is more fun to make a resolution than actually keep it! A friend wears a T-shirt that says, I made a resolution this year not to make a resolution. So instead of going down the beaten track of resolutions unresolved, inspired by connections with readers who have helped shape this column each week, here is a list of ways to connect, renew and celebrate the year gone by and in the process allow the resolutions for the coming months to evolve on their own.

A phrase from guide and teacher Eckhart Tolle, the power of now in its simplest essence means that we stop and really be with what is happening now. The pictures in the rear view mirror are hazy and coloured by our own perceptions and prejudices that alter with time. The vision we have of what will happen in future is not in our control. The only thing we can do is to stop the chase and just be with the moment. This is often not as easy as it sounds but it is very powerful. Especially on the days when you feel like you are juggling so many hats you've missed your bus, your assignment is half done and you feel swamped by the avalanche of things to do. It is a great way to recharge and connect with yourself. Start with the now.

Once in a while, indulge in a completely random act of kindness. This can come in the smallest of actions, and each of us has countless opportunities every day to practise this higher aspect of ourselves. Listening to a friend in need (without interrupting to give solutions or trying to fix their life), offering helpers at home a hot cup of coffee (the emphasis on hot) before they start their day and sometimes just taking out time to be kinder to ourselves and asking that critical voice in our heads to quieten down. Each of us is doing the best we can in whatever we do, and to quietly appreciate that is a gift that is priceless! After all, only when we are filled with kindness can we give it to others.

Mention unconditional love and students would groan. It seems like something so difficult and only reserved for the likes of Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa who lived their lives on the principle of unconditional love. Many spiritual teachers and guides ask us to explore what unconditional love means in our daily lives. It means that we accept ourselves and others completely as they are without trying to change them. Sometimes, in our relentless desire to change people or ourselves, we dont realise that we are pushing them further away from us or making ourselves bitter about our own nature. It is a most curious phenomenon; when we accept people as they are and quietly demonstrate those aspects of them that we wish to change, they transform. That transformation is far more powerful than trying to change people into being the version of what we think they should be.

We are living in an age where we are constantly bombarded by images, and, often disturbing news, of violence. The recent incident of terrorist brutality and violence in a school disturbed and shook the very foundations of faith. The world suddenly became a constricted space of fear and anxiety. In a show of solidarity, many schools held two-minute silences or prayer meetings and there was an outpouring of compassion to the families of the slain. We do not have control over events, but what we can keep a watch on is the violence in our own thoughts and dealings with people. We can see how we label people, communities and nations, colouring it with our own prejudice. We see how our own thoughts shield us from really being there for someone in need. Cradle your anger like a baby, gently, a monk advises. It means that we accept this side of us and slowly see that our anger is the result of thoughts and the attachment we have with those ideas. It is a slow process but a beautiful beginning. In many ways isnt the violence in the external world a projection of the violence inside us?

We often look for magic all over the place- in a new relationship, a change of job, acquiring a new gadget and once we reach that, after a while the magic of the experience wanes and we look for the next magical high. Once in a while, if we just look, we might find the magic we are searching for right within our reach, in the most ordinary of processes. In an acting workshop, we were introduced to a set of walking exercises that helped us enjoy the actual dynamics of walking. There was so much magic in just observing the breath and all the changes within the body. Around our homes, examples are plenty. The gardener who pulls out weeds in an almost meditative dance, the way the dosai seller down our street pours the batter and the sizzle on the pan as his artistry weaves the perfect butter dosai, an uninhibited loving welcome from a puppy after a long days work outside when we see magic in the ordinary, there is zero expectation from people we meet or things we buy to constantly entertain us.

Life is what happens when we are busy making plans, said a famous Beatle. So, lets put aside our well-laid plans for a while and just smile.

As I write this, the silent black-inked midnight sky is filled with a canvas of twinkling stars and one can only sense the wonder and mystery of life itself.

Wishing all the readers a joyous year ahead.

Do share your ideas and thoughts at: lifeplus590@gmail.com

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Resolutions, reflections

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MV Shaolin ( 2011).........WU Enlightenment....... an ERHU Instrumental !
"WU "..... #39;Enlightenment #39;......theme soundtrack of the 2011 MV Shaolin......played instrumentally by ERHU !......a KennieGMusicVideoWorks ! Music belongs/ credits to the erhuist ( YungAn )...

By: chenshi56

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MV Shaolin ( 2011).........WU Enlightenment....... an ERHU Instrumental ! - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeJ5s7MADpo

Alan Watts - Lecture - Why Democray in Heaven is Discouraged

By: Glenn Frosty

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Alan Watts - Lecture - Why Democray in Heaven is Discouraged - Video

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Alan Watts - Lecture - How the inside of your head really feels

By: Glenn Frosty

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Alan Watts - Lecture - How the inside of your head really feels - Video

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg8ciJs-f3Q

Zig Ziglar Motivation - See You At The Top!

By: Ziglar

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Zig Ziglar Motivation - See You At The Top! - Video

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"Evaluate Where You Are" With Zig Ziglar
Zig Ziglar Motivation - See You At The Top! http://youtu.be/hg8ciJs-f3Q Zig Ziglar Motivation - Discipline And Commitment http://youtu.be/UCR6aJks5M0 Zig Ziglar - Qualities Of Success http://yout...

By: Ziglar

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Spiritual Science of Higher Consciousness and Life Script Doctor
Spiritual Science http://www.lifescriptdoctor.com/ Spiritual Science, Higher Consciousness and Self-Healing Visualization Techniques from Life Script Doctor. Go beyond spiritual life coaching...

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