Combining Hatha yoga and Thai Chi

[markern]

My practice has mostly been yoga (now Iyengar) and Vipassana meditation. I\d like to add a bit of Thai Chi since I realy feel it develops my awareness and helps my chi flow in a way the yoga doesn`t. I`m wondering if this is considered safe. When I do a program of yoga developed by a teacher there is a plan of how it is meant to work wioth my energies behind the program. If I do thai chi before or after this might not be a good mix or is it perfectly safe?

 

I`m also very attracted to the tan tien aproach and the MCO and would like to use this in my yoga or at least right afterwards to bring the energy down and store it. Mantak Chia said this would be OK. I feel like otherwise too much energy fets to my head. Actualy I would like to use the Taoist/chineese understanding of chi and energy in the body to guide my sequencing of the yoga practice because it seems to be a lot more systematic and better explained, at least in available form. Is this possible and safe? I know there are taoist yoga that uses a lot of the same sitting postures as in the indian system so I presume this would be OK.

[Buddy]

Thai Chi? Thigh Chi?

[Xienkula1]

Thai Chi? Thigh Chi?

 

No it's chi because it's from Thailand!

Edited April 17, 2008 by Xienkula1

[markern]

Hmmm. Taiji is what I mean. I would apreciate if anyone has an opinion about my question.

[doc benway]

I think it's perfectly safe and potentially beneficial to mix taijiquan with yoga.

I also think proper practice of the small heavenly orbit is fine with both.

In fact, sitting meditation is critical in achieving high levels of proficiency in taiji, IMO.

Good luck

[Cameron]

Probably would be good not to do them back to back. Maybe do your Tai Chi in the morning and Hatha at night, or vice versa.

 

Or just generally keep them seperate.

 

Then again, maybe yoga would be a good warm up for tai chi, so hard to say for sure.

[Spectrum]

Using the Sun Salutation Sequences for neutralizing any lower back or flexor tension caused by extended periods of stancework or moving practices of taijiquan is a good option for most people. Esoterically those sequences can also be used as ways to clear the front and back (Con/Gov) channels for meditation.

[Teddy]

I have recently been researching yoga, particularly Iyengar to see if I can incorporate it in to my daily practice. However, I have found that Iyengars methods go against a lot of what my Chi Kung teacher Lam Kam Chuen has told me. ...For example... Iyengars 'Mountain pose' says that you should have locked knees -this blocks chi ...and puffed up raised chest like a soldier -this blocks chi ...and also Iyengar says that your feet should be together. To me this pose looks like the way a soldier stands, and for from being like a mountain, it raises your centre of gravity and makes you very easy to knock over.

I have heard so many great things about yoga, and I am really tempted to try it. However, I am put off because of these sort of concerns. Plus, I have heard all sorts of anecdotes about yoga teachers who have damaged themselves by practicing yoga. So, I am hesitant. Can anyone allay my fears and suggest a good form of yoga to practice, because I am genuinly intriged. Thanks.