Tai chi chih is a series of 19 movements and 1 pose that together make up a meditative form of exercise to which practitioners attribute physical and spiritual health benefits. Some studies have found the practice to reduce stress and relieve certain ailments.

Developed in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...

, in 1974 by Justin Stone, tai chi chih has spread mostly through word-of-mouth in a grassroots fashion among practicing individuals. It is now taught and practiced in the US and Canada, France, Italy, New Zealand, Zimbabwe, Namibia, and other countries.

Tai chi chih has visual similarities to t'ai chi ch'uan, but no martial arts

Martial arts

Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....

 aspect. According to practitioners, tai chi chih focuses on circulating, developing and balancing the chi

Qi

In traditional Chinese culture, qì is an active principle forming part of any living thing. Qi is frequently translated as life energy, lifeforce, or energy flow. Qi is the central underlying principle in traditional Chinese medicine and martial arts...

(in the traditional Chinese concept, a kind of spiritual energy residing in every living thing).

External links

• T’ai Chi Chih: www.taichichih.org
• T’ai Chi Chih East: Promoting T'ai Chi Chih Events and Activities in the Eastern part of the US
• T’ai Chi Chih Community website