Both tai chi and qigong are opportunities to practise and change how we relate to anything outside ourselves, i.e. the rest of the world. This is possible when doing solo exercises, but becomes much more apparent when working in contact with someone else.

If you've ever been to an osteopath or an Alexander Technique teacher, you will probably have had the experience of having your legs 'pulled out'. It's a great feeling. You lie on your back on the couch, the practitioner takes hold of your ankles, and very gently leans away from you, as though trying to pull your legs away from your body. For those of you who haven't experienced it, it might sound slightly bizarre, but, if you are able to release your hips, knees, and ankles, ...

In Tai Chi and in Qigong, it is not uncommon to have to turn and step at 90º to the left or right. This is where balance, good posture, and leg strength become very important. Falling into a step. What tends to happen when stepping to the left or right is that people tend to 'fall' into the new step, they do not step under control. This means that, for the briefest of moments, just before the stepping foot arrives on the ground, they are falling and therefore unable to stop the step until ...