Tai Ji Quan is a traditional Chinese martial art which seeks to promote health through the cultivation of Qi, better known in other Asian martial arts as Internal Energy. The Chinese culture has long since made an association between nature and the human body.

Through modern science, it has been well documented that the ecologies within nature are quite interdependent of each other. Any unbalance in one will most certainly cause an adverse reaction elsewhere within nature. The human body is in this sense a microcosm of nature.

This understanding of the balance in Nature and within the human body has led to the concept of Qi or the essential energy for life. Any unbalance of Qi in our bodies will cause a reaction within and in many cases it may be expressed in the form of an illness.

The ancient practice of Tai Ji sought to promote the cultivation of Qi to strengthen the body and generate power for combat; however, it was also determined that this energy also provided the body with the ability to heal and rejuvenate itself. The fundamental theory for practicing Tai Ji required the practitioner to learn to use the mind, body and Qi together. This is a very essential concept because it emphasizes the mind's ability to control the physical movement of the body; the mind directs and the body obeys.

Qi is harnessed through stretching, breathing and slow, meticulous controlled movements of Tai Ji. These mind-body exercises promote relaxation of the muscles; massage the internal organs; improve blood circulation; and set into motion the Qi within our bodies.

Only within the last decades has Western medicine really come to the realization that prevention of illness is the best way for the human body to stay healthy. In contrast, Traditional Chinese Medicine has always taken the approach of prevention and in accordance with these practices, Tai Ji Quan is viewed as a means to prolong life and promote good health.

Millions of Chinese people believe in this inner harmony that must be kept in check. For these reasons, Tai Ji is practiced throughout China every morning by young and old alike.