Taijiquan the “Taiji World” Way: Towards a Cosmopolitan Vision of Ecology
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Taijiquan, Daoism and Ecology
Traditionally is based on Chinese calisthenics that are practiced slowly and smoothly and usually involves a meditative dimension akin to that found in Indian yoga. By focusing on breathing, practitioners claim to feel the energy (qi) flowing through their bodies, an energy that provides a therapeutic effect on every organ of the body…Beyond the meditative and therapeutic aspects, diligent practitioners usually are aware that taiji quan also is a fighting art, with each movement designed to counter a physical assault. Muscle/mind relaxation trains practitioners to “listen” to their adversaries, to feel and follow their aggressive energy and redirect it against them.
Taoists typically believed that personal transformation must be a holistic transformation, a transformation of all their being—including what other traditions have often distinguished as mind, body, and spirit—in accord with the most subtle and sublime processes at work in the world in which we live.
May at least help us to examine our current ways of living in a new light. The recapturing of a sense of the cosmic content of human life at one extreme, and at the other the cultivation of a non-aggressive attitude to life may, as contributions to a changing attitude of mind, be the key to a more ecologically benign way of life than one which is driven by the ideal of “progress” and which is strenuously busy trying to change the world.
The individual physically embodies the interplay of yin and yang in sequences of movements that embody assertive (yang) and receptive (yin) modes of action…At a more cosmic level, it is possible to see Taijiquan as a type of ritual dance in which one embodies and plays out the basic yin-yang complimentarity of the Dao.
3. The Case Study Method
3.1. Document and Media Data
3.2. Observational (Fieldwork) Data
3.3. Life History Data
3.4. Ethical Considerations
3.5. Data Analysis
4. Analysis: Taijiquan the Taiji World way
4.1. Taijiquan as a Wellbeing Practice
The hardcore sociological question is: Where is the support for ecological changes supposed to come from, the support which in many cases would undermine their lifestyles, their consumption habits, their social status and life conditions in what are already truly very uncertain times?
Taiji is a dynamic form of moving meditation which helps to bring about calm and peace of mind whilst gently exercising the whole body. It stresses the principles of relaxation and yielding, and the cultivation of inner strength and harmony of both body and mind. The practise of this art brings us into balance with ourselves and those around us. It is a form of “inner” martial art.[35]
Together, Taiji and Qigong offer a wealth of benefits much needed in today’s hectic world. Where modern life is fast paced and stressful, Taiji and Qigong help us to slow down and rebalance ourselves. When we can’t seem to switch off and our mind is spinning, both these arts help us return to a calm, peaceful state free from worry and anxiety.[35]
I will not say that Taiji is just a health art, because it’s not. But what we teach is for health and wellbeing. Our emphasis is not on teaching them how to fight. Although if they want to learn that stuff, we teach workshops on it and that kind of thing. But our primary interest, largely due to our own interests and the groups of people that we work with…[is health and wellbeing].[37]
When qi is not flowing, when qi is stuck or stagnant, things begin to spiral downwards. A pure, flowing river supports life but when the water is blocked, things begin to stagnate and rot. In a similar way, when qi becomes blocked and stagnant in the human body, illness and pain result.[35]
4.2. Interconnectedness
Global risks entail being confronted with the global other. They tear down national borders and mix the local with the foreign, not as a consequence of migration, but rather as a consequence of “interconnectedness” (David Held) and risks. Everyday life becomes cosmopolitan: people have to conduct and understand their lives in an exchange with others and no longer exclusively in an interaction with their own kind.
We think you’ll agree that Dontshire goes well with Taiji and Qigong—fresh air equals fresh qi (energy) and fresh qi equals health and vitality. Finding renewed energy and an enlivened approach to life is what our weekend can give you.[35]
Time to put your feet up, enjoy the expansive views, take a walk to the river and realize that actually when you let go, life is all ok. The weekend will include workshops on Qigong, Taiji and Self Massage. Simple.[35]
It does give that great feeling of connectedness to the outside. You get all kind of things that could be classed as mystical experiences. You get animals watching you. One place I used to practise in, I used to get loads of butterflies land on me. Which is amazing. Admittedly there were loads of butterflies there and I was moving very slowly, so I was probably quite easy to land on (we laugh). I used to practise on a beach, and the seals used to come and watch. The female seals liked it, but the male seals didn’t like it all, and were quite threatened by it. God knows what that means! (We laugh). Birds watch it; birds of prey have landed and watched me practise. Yeah, that quietness and stillness. You just blend in. To be able to let go of everything and just be there, be in nature. It’s a very amazing feeling that we miss in our society. We’re surrounded by walls, TV screens…we don’t just wander around the forest like a hunter gatherer. Taiji is a really good way of accessing that.[37]
I was brought up as an environmentalist really. I expect that kind of connection will influence the Taiji, to an extent. I know some people think it’s a bit airy-fairy, but if you practise Taiji outside, it’s totally different. If you practise it on a beach, a field, a forest…it’s good to practise that stuff. I say to my students, “If you practise somewhere nice, you’ll feel good. But if you practise in your bedroom, that’s fine. If you practise on the verge of the *** [local motorway], then you’re going to have a different feeling.” The Chinese knew about organisational space, working with natural energies. That’s true for pre-modern Western culture as well. It does give that great feeling of connectedness to the outside.[37]
4.3. Alternative Meta-Narrative
It is not a ‘singing into the apocalypse’, and it is not simply a ‘wake-up call to reality’. Rather it is about expectation and anticipation, it is about a narrative to dream differently. ‘Emancipation’ is the key word. Either the ecological concern manages to be at least as powerful as this hunger for modernization or it is condemned to repeated failure.(p. 265)
- To bring the benefits of Taiji to as many people as possible.
- To be contemporary, relevant and ethical.
- To be the first Taiji company to interact with 1 million people.
We are trying to pass on Taiji as a healing, meditative art to as many people as possible in an accessible way. So (to) as many people can benefit from it. That’s our core principle: To millions of people. We do that through lessons, retreats, merchandise.[37]
Finding new energy through complete relaxation with awareness and intention is what Taiji is all about. On the weekend you will discover what this means for you ‘in Taiji’ and “in your life.” It promises to be a transformative weekend in which you can discover personal nuggets of Taiji wisdom.[35]
Most people do just do it for a bit of exercise, because they enjoy it. They see people under the trees, by the lake, it’s beautiful…and that’s what it feels: It’s relaxation. They don’t want to know how to use it [martial applications]. But some people do. It’s a broad church... Again, you can really only pass on what you know.[37]
Initially we have done a range of t-shirts, using bamboo fabric which is really light and soft. We only use organic or environmentally friendly fabric. The shirts are really nice—inspired by some well-known Taiji moves and the concept of qi.[35]
We also sell merchandise and stuff. Eco-friendly, Taiji t-shirts. Because if you look at yoga wear, there’s loads of really funky yoga wear. Taiji, you get silk pyjamas or whatever. Not everyone’s into that. I’m not into that, the culture of the uniform and that kind of thing. You should just dress comfortably. Paul’s developed some very nice Taiji t-shirts. You try to make a living out of it, and it’s very difficult to make a living out of it by teaching only. The more strings on it, the better.[37]
Embrace tree: We’ve just planted another 5 trees in Africa, with Tree Nation. You can water them here and plant some more. That’s 17 so far!Tree Nation: Free social community dedicated to fighting climate change. Get involved and help Tree Nation plant 8 million trees in Africa, creating a giant heart shaped park…
5. Summary and Reflections
Certain basic elements—the integration of physical and mental therapies, or internal and external energies, the emphasis on meditation, harmony and balance, and perhaps above all their sense of being close to the rhythms of nature—mean that these techniques will enjoy continuing appeal in the West.
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References and Notes
- Szerszynski, B.; Urry, J. Changing climates: Introduction. Theory Cult. Soc. 2010, 27, 1–8. [Google Scholar]
- Beck, U. Climate for change, or how to create a green modernity? Theory Cult. Soc. 2010, 27, 254–266. [Google Scholar]
- Mincyte, D.; Casper, M.; Cole, C.L. Sports, environmentalism, land use, and urban development. J. Sport Soc. Issues 2009, 33, 103–110. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Humberstone, B. Re-creation and connections in and with nature. Int. Rev. Sociol. Sport 1998, 33, 381–392. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Wheaton, B. Identity, politics, and the beach: Environmental activism in Surfers Against Sewage. Leis. Stud. 2007, 26, 279–302. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Shove, E. Is Sociology Missing? How to Put Society into Climate Change. BSA Presidential Event. 2010. Available online: http://pgforum.libsyn.com/category/BSA (accessed on 5 January 2011).
- Urry, J. An Introduction to the Issue of How to Put Society into Climate Change. BSA Presidential Event. 2010. Available online: http://pgforum.libsyn.com/category/BSA (accessed on 5 January 2011).
- LaRochelle, D. Making the New Appear Old: The Daoist spirituality of Chinese martial arts in Taiji quan manuals published in North America. Nova Relig. 2014, 17, 64–83. [Google Scholar]
- Kirkland, R. Taoism the Enduring Tradition; Routledge: London, UK, 2004. [Google Scholar]
- Clarke, J.J. Taoism in the West: Western Transformations of Taoist Thought; Routledge: London, UK, 2000. [Google Scholar]
- Miller, J. Daoism: A Short Introduction; Oneworld Publications: Oxford, UK, 2003. [Google Scholar]
- As Miller [10] (p. 140) points out “Wu Wei can be translated literally as non-action, but in fact means ‘action as non-action’, that is “actions that appear or are felt as almost nothing””. Miller [10] (p. 59) further clarifies that Yin/Yang is a central part of Daoist cosmological theory that “the process of life itself takes place in the form of a continuous dynamic, made up of the projection (Yang) and reception (Yin) of energy.” Yin and Yang energies are taken to be in all things, including the human body and importantly, it is possible to manipulate and therefore cultivate these energies for a range of purposes.
- Henning, S.E. Academia encounters the Chinese martial arts. China Rev. Int. 1999, 6, 319–332. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Mroz, D. Technique in exile: The changing perception of taijiquan, from Ming dynasty military exercise to twentieth-century actor training protocol. Stud. Theatr. Perform. 2008, 28, 127–145. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Raimondo, S. Heritage tourism and Taijiquan: The case of Chenjiagou, Henan, RPC. IDO Mov. Cult. J. Martial Arts Anthropol. 2011, 11, 52–59. [Google Scholar]
- The word style is often used to refer to a “school” or “lineage of Taijiquan. Each style typically offers a slightly different interpretation of the techniques, philosophy and interpretation of the art.
- Green, T.A. Sense in nonsense: The role of folk history in the martial arts. In Martial Arts in the Modern World; Green, T.A., Svinth, J.R., Eds.; Greenwood Publishing: Westport, CT, USA, 2003; pp. 1–12. [Google Scholar]
- Frank, A.D. Taijiquan and the Search for Little Old Chinese Men: Ritualizing Race through Martial Arts. Doctoral Thesis, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA, 2003. [Google Scholar]
- Ryan, A. Globalisation and the “internal alchemy” in Chinese martial arts: The transmission of Taijiquan to Britain. East Asia Sci. Technol. Soc.: Int. J. 2008, 2, 525–543. [Google Scholar]
- It is worth noting here that another Dancer Sophia Delza is credited with being the first to introduce Tai Chi to Westerners in the United States after learning it in China (1948–1951). She published the first text by a Western practitioner of Taijiquan, namely: T’ai Chi Ch’uan: Mind and Body in Harmony, An Ancient Chinese Way of Exercise to Achieve Health and Tranquility; Good News Press: New York, NY, USA, 1948.
- Sport England. Active People Survey 2007/08. Available online: http://www.sportengland.org/research/active...2/idoc.ashx? (accessed on 7 January 2011).
- Wu, G. Evaluation of the effectiveness of tai chi for improving balance and preventing falls in the older population—A review. J. Am. Geriatr. Soc. 2002, 50, 746–754. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Sandlund, E.S.; Norlander, T. The effects of tai chi chuan relaxation and exercise on stress response and well-being: An overview of research. Int. J. Stress Manag. 2000, 7, 139–149. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Stake, R.E. The Art of Case Study Research; Sage: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 1995. [Google Scholar]
- Hartley, P. Group Communication; Routledge: London, UK, 1997. [Google Scholar]
- Flyvbjerg, B. Five misunderstandings about case-study research. Qual. Inq. 2006, 12, 219–245. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lindsay, P. Repositioning documents in social research. Sociology 2008, 42, 821–836. [Google Scholar]
- Plummer, K. Documents of Life 2: An Invitation to a Critical Humanism; Sage: London, UK, 2001. [Google Scholar]
- Atkinson, R. The Life Story Interview; Sage: London, UK, 1998. [Google Scholar]
- De Campos Rosario, C.; Delamont, S.; Stephens, N. ‘I’m your teacher! I’m Brazilian!’ Authenticity and authority in European Capoeira. Sport Educ. Soc. 2010, 15, 103–120. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Spencer, D.C. Habit(us), body techniques and body callusing: An ethnography of mixed martial arts. Body Soc. 2009, 15, 119–143. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Joseph, J. “Going to Brazil”: Transnational and corporeal movements of a Canadian-Brazilian martial arts community. Glob. Netw. 2008, 8, 194–213. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Atkinson, M. Entering scapeland: Yoga, fell and post-sport physical cultures. Sport Soc. 2000, 13, 1249–1267. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Maykut, P.; Morehouse, R. Beginning Qualitative Research: A Philosophic and Practical Guide; The Falmer Press: London, UK, 1994. [Google Scholar]
- Data obtained from a range of online sources including the Taiji World Website, discussion forum, facebook and uTube. The specific details of these have not been included for reasons of protecting anonymity as discussed in the methods. All references to these sources are taken to be the Taiji World Website unless otherwise indicated in the text.
- Dawson, A. East is East, except when it’s West: The Easternization thesis and the Western habitus. J. Relig. Soc. 2006, 8, 1–13. [Google Scholar]
- Joe. Taiji World Instructor, Interview transcript. 2008.
- Palmer, D.A. Qigong Fever: Body, Science and Utopia in China; Columbia University Press: Irvington, NY, USA, 2007. [Google Scholar]
- Frank, A.D. Experiencing qi: Methodology,mad scientists and the anthropology of bodily experience. Text Pract. Perform. 2000, 2, 13–31. [Google Scholar]
- Campbell, C. The Easternization of the West; Paradigm Publishers: London, UK, 2007. [Google Scholar]
- Giddens, A.; Beck, U.; Giddens, A.; Lash, S. Reflexive Modernization: Politics, Traditions and Aesthetics of Modern Social Order; Polity Press: Cambridge, UK, 1994. [Google Scholar]
- Hahn, T.N. The Miracle of Mindfulness; Random House: London, UK, 1991. [Google Scholar]
- Hoff, B. The Tao of Pooh; Egmont Books: London, UK, 2003. [Google Scholar]
- Tolle, E. The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment; New World Library: Novato, CA, USA, 1999. [Google Scholar]
- Brown, D.H.K. Seeking spirituality through physicality in schools: Learning from “Eastern movement forms”. Int. J. Child. Spirit. 2013, 18, 30–45. [Google Scholar]
- Atkinson, M. Parkour, anarcho-environmentalism, and poiesis. J. Sport Soc. Issues 2009, 33, 169–194. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Brown, D.H.K.; Leledaki, A. Eastern movement forms as body-self transforming cultural practices in the West: Towards a sociological perspective. Cult. Sociol. 2010, 4, 123–154. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Heelas, P.; Woodhead, L. The Spiritual Revolution: Why Religion is Giving Way to Spirituality; WileyBlackwell: Oxford, UK, 2005. [Google Scholar]
- Cynarski, W.J.; Litwiniuk, A.; Blach, W. Ecological era in the non-governmental organizations in Poland. IDO Mov. Cult. J. Martial Arts Anthropol. 2006, 6, 261–267. [Google Scholar]
- Sieber, L.; Litwiniuk, A.; Wojciech, J.; Cynarski, W.J. Ecological education through the ways of martial arts. IDO Mov. Cult. J. Martial Arts Anthropol. 2010, 10, 553–557. [Google Scholar]
- Shove, E.; Pantzar, M. Consumers, producers and practices: Understanding the invention and reinvention of Nordic walking. J. Consum. Cult. 2005, 5, 43–64. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kasper, D.V.S. Ecological habitus: Toward a better understanding of socioecological relations. Organ. Environ. 2009, 22, 311–326. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- 1The member check was not used as a post-positivistic form of validity check, but rather for generating further dialogue on the themes emerging during the interviews.
© 2014 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
Share and Cite
Brown, D.H.K.; Jennings, G.; Sparkes, A.C. Taijiquan the “Taiji World” Way: Towards a Cosmopolitan Vision of Ecology. Societies 2014, 4, 380-398. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4030380
Brown DHK, Jennings G, Sparkes AC. Taijiquan the “Taiji World” Way: Towards a Cosmopolitan Vision of Ecology. Societies. 2014; 4(3):380-398. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4030380
Chicago/Turabian StyleBrown, David H. K., George Jennings, and Andrew C. Sparkes. 2014. "Taijiquan the “Taiji World” Way: Towards a Cosmopolitan Vision of Ecology" Societies 4, no. 3: 380-398. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc4030380