This third post in our series on finding the best Tai Chi instructor you can covers some great questions to ask your prospective teacher to see if he or she is qualified to teach you the best quality Tai Chi classes.
Real Tai Chi has so many great health benefits including helping with blood pressure, stress relief, balance, arthritis, range of motion, and much more. So be patient as you do a little homework in picking the best teacher. Keep in mind that certified Tai Chi instructors can mean different things to different people.
At Clear Silat’s Tai Chi local school here in Maryville, TN our instructors have over 8 years experience each in the art at least.
Here are some questions for you, the Tai Chi student, to ask your potential or current instructor:
- Basics of Chinese Medicine including Yin and Yang theory
- Chi Kung including an understanding of what Chi is and what it is not
- Knowledge of sources of Chi. Chi is very explainable in Western medical and physics terms and the actual meaning and application of Chi Energy would make complete sense to any Western medical doctor, physicist, biologist, chemist, engineer etc etc… If it sounds like a bunch of metaphysical hokum, that would be a potential red flag.
- An understanding of Chi Blockages and how to remove them using Tai Chi. This includes understanding the difference between Excess and Stagnant Chi and knowing how to restore proper balance and flow in the body using Tai Chi.
- The Meridians and pressure points as used in Acupuncture and how Tai Chi stimulates proper flow of Chi through them
- The 3 Treasures Li, Chi and Jing
- The 3 Powers Heaven, Earth and Man
We’ll continue this post with more questions you should ask your Tai Chi instructor to assess their experience and learn more about Tai Chi.
Best,
Richard Clear (Posted to site by Sarah Vose)