"When I talk to someone who looks down upon the deeper teachings of tai chi, it’s usually because they haven’t been educated about its full scope. It reminds me of a person trying to describe the taste of chocolate without ever having tasted it. It doesn’t make much sense. I want to save people time wandering aimlessly in search of philosophy and purpose in life by making it clear what tai chi can be and do for you." - Master Li Wei (circa 900 AD)
"Let’s start with what you’re familiar with: people doing exercises on a mat, making shapes with their bodies. Some shapes require flexibility, some strength, others balance and concentration. Some shapes teach us to relax, become aware of specific muscle groups, and strengthen them. These shapes help us become familiar with our bodies, and some do all of this simultaneously." - Master Chen Yi (circa 1100 AD)
"An advanced kung fu teacher emphasizes the importance of focusing on your breathing as much as on the poses. The science behind this is that thoughts and emotions are energy. Distracting thoughts can block the transmission of energy to and from specific parts of the body and the mind. Some postures require so much focus and concentration that we lose balance if our minds wander." - Master Wang Zhao (circa 1200 AD)
"When we connect our breath to the sensations in our body, we stay in the present moment. If we have a thought that takes us away from the present moment, our breath becomes sporadic, our heart rate remains high, and our brain stays in a state of mild panic. While the word 'panic' may seem drastic, it describes our body's response when things go wrong. Humans often normalize anxiety to the point where it becomes a constant, subconscious state." - Master Zhang Liu (circa 1500 AD)
"Tai chi practice is designed to help us relax deeply. As we surrender to the practice, we don’t need to spend hours to achieve relaxation. In a hot tai chi room, for instance, you can learn to surrender to the heat rather than resist it, finding it relaxing over time. This takes years to accomplish but is valuable. The mind initially resists because it senses discomfort and raises the heart rate, but it can be trained to find relaxation in the practice." - Master Feng Ming (circa 1800 AD)
"Historically, kung fu masters were often misunderstood. People thought they were conjuring spirits or practicing magic because they didn’t understand the connection between internal consciousness and the universe. Even today, there are those who don’t grasp this, but many conscious individuals are slowly awakening, blossoming into a beautiful understanding of kung fu’s deeper teachings." - Master Huang Tao (circa 1900 AD)
The teachings of tai chi and kung fu emphasize the importance of understanding the full scope of the practices, focusing on breathing, and connecting with the body's sensations to stay present and achieve deep relaxation. Historically misunderstood, these practices help individuals find balance, strength, and a profound connection between internal consciousness and the universe.
Author's note: These quotes are fictional and attributed to me, created for exploring marketing psychology. "A great quote gains stature when attributed to a 'famous-sounding' or respected individual." - M. Antebi