bio: a bit of a biography. i have practiced yoga and meditation at different points of my
life. my most recent practice has been pretty consistent since 1999. i practice
iyengar yoga. i certainly do not consider myself an expert, though it is a topic i take very seriously and have studied.
i am not a yoga teacher, although, i have filled in for my teacher on a few occassions.
i am keeping this yoga blog for a number or reasons. first of all, to experiment
with a different style of blogging, next, in a hope it will enrich my practice - by focusing my reading and by keeping my focus on my
daily practice - on and off the mat, and lastly, in an attempt to provide a resource for new and experienced yoga practitioners -
a resource that will contain links to what i find interesting, informative, etc., about yoga admittedly, filtered
through my own biases. i keep another weblog _monk in case you are interested
in the more mundane events of my life, or a potpourri of random thoughts.
11:39 AM
I have practiced yoga consistently for close to five years. It has had a profound influence in my life. I began practicing yoga as a way to deal with issues of depression and anxiety. It has helped me control those issues. In addition, it has helped me reconnect with my body after living a very sedentary lifestyle. I have also become a vegetarian since I began practicing yoga.
For a long time, I have been intrigued with t’ai chi. I have read about it, but like yoga, you can’t learn much about it by just reading. So, I was very happy to finally be able to take a class, which I have enjoyed immensely and feel like I’ve already been able to get a taste of some of the benefits.
I have found t’ai chi and yoga to be similar in some respects and dissimilar in others. I am going to compare the two based on my understanding of both. First of all, t’ai chi is a martial art while yoga is not. Both, however, are forms of meditation and include mediatation as part of the practice. Both my t’ai chi teacher and a recent article of Yoga Journal have stressed the importance of meditation to the respective practices. Both practices yield similar benefits and seem to be ideal for people of all ages and abilities.
The most striking difference between yoga and t’ai chi in terms of the physical component is that yoga asanas (postures) are held without moving whereas the t’ai chi forms are always in motion. There are vinyasas in yoga, which are flows between postures, but these are the exception and not the rule.
In addition, especially in the style of yoga I practice (Iyengar) the focus is in the asanas is to have very precise alignment. In most postures the goal is for everything to be straight. This is very different than the approach to the t’ai chi forms, where a more natural, flowing approach. As my t’ai chi teacher has stated, “Nothing is perfectly straight in t’ai chi.”
One similarity between the physical aspects is that both yoga asanas and t’ai chi forms is a sense of balance. In asanas, there is always a balance between forces in opposite directions. For example, in utthita trikonasana (the triangle pose), one arms pushes into the ground while the other reaches up. The back heel is rooted strongly into the ground, while the body bends to the other side. The chest is to roll open and the front sit-bone is pulled in. If any of these actions dominate over the others, the alignment of the posture is incorrect. Most every asana is like this; to execute it one has to be aware of one’s body and the pose and balance the conflicting forces. In this way, the asanas are a meditation in which the subject of the meditation is the body and the asana. Yoga asanas were a way for people to prepare their body and mind for meditation. I have practiced seated meditation and with my “monkey mind” – always hopping from thought to thought, I have found it very difficult. By engaging my body as the subject of my mind’s focus, I have been able to train the monkey mind at least a bit.
I get the same sense from t’ai chi, except that the forms are dynamic and this provides an additional dimension. Chungliang Al Huang writes: “In Zen Buddhist zazen when you sit in lotus position, you find your center. In hatha yoga postures you also put your body into a closer position so you can really sense where you are. All these ways are basically static. Tai ji is slightly different in this one point: It helps you find a moving center. It’s a movement meditation; you move the center with you. Although you are constantly in motion, you retain that quietness and stillness.” In that way, the practice of t’ai chi is a great metaphor; the goal of retaining my center as I move through life is indeed the goal of my spiritual practice.
Where I see the biggest similarities is that in yoga and t’ai chi, the physical practice is a means to a higher end. Yoga is a system of spiritual development developed by the Hindus. Given that t’ai chi is influenced by Buddhism, which sprung out of Hinduism, it is not surprising that there is common ground. Most people in the USA equate yoga with the physical postures, however, in yoga, the physical postures (asana) are only one of the eight limbs, the others being yamas and niyamas (ethical rules), pranayama (breathe control), pratyahara (control of the senses), dharana (concentration on a single point), dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (enlightenment). The asanas are just one part of a complete practice. Although they have physical benefits, they are a means to an end. I get the same sense with t’ai chi. The goal is not to perfect the forms for their own sake, but as a way of focusing and purifying the mind.
I see yoga and t’ai chi as similar and complimentary practices. I hope to enjoy the benefits of both and learn more about both for years to come.
Resources
What I recall from my teachers’ instructions. Although I have read a lot about both topics, my teachers are the main way I have learned about them. For anything I have written which is true, they deserve the lionshare of the credit. For any inaccuracies, I take all the blame.
Light on Yoga: BKS Iyengar
Numerous issues of Yoga Journal
Embrace Tiger, Return to Mountain: Chungliang Al Huang
posted by Mike at 11:39 AM