For health: For myself, Tai Chi has saved my back. When I was in my thirties, I suffered from frequent severe back pain. I remember one time having a back spasm while getting into my truck that was so severe I couldn't straighten out to drive to the health clinic.
Tai Chi changed that. The rhythmic slow turning an stretching worked to strengthen and stretch muscles to produce a strong but flexible core. I literally have not had back problems since I started Tai Chi in 1989- 20 years ago. Now I feel so sorry when I see a student or friend or family member grimacing or walking in an awkward manner because of back problems.
I began teaching Tai Chi in my 10th year of practice while living at a community on the north coast of California. My mother was in her 70s and I was watching her becoming increasingly immobile. There were many seniors in this community, and I felt called to offer them skills that might allow them to more readily enjoy their years with more mobility, better balance, better leg strength, coping skills for worry.
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