Abstract

T’ai Chi and Qigong Validated Health Benefits Sala Horowitz, PhD T’ai chi and qigong are traditional Chinese mind–body veloping and balancing the body’s energy through breathwork, disciplines that have gained popularity in the West for their meditation, and particular movements, which are often incorpo- health benefits. These interrelated practices have also received rated into t’ai chi exercises. For example, Shibashi (“18 Move- attention from researchers as complementary and alternative ments”) is such a combination of t’ai chi and qigong taught by (CAM) exercises for promoting overall well-being, as a fall- Diane Harris, a certified t’ai chi instructor in Portland, Oregon prevention strategy, and as adjunct therapies for addressing a (see: Examples of T’ai Chi and Qigong Movements). wide range of conditions. This article presents a review of re- T’ai chi differs from other types of exercise in that its move- search on these disciplines, and the perspective of a researcher/ ments are generally circular and not forced, the muscles are medical school educator—who is also a t’ai chi instructor—on relaxed rather than tensed, the joints are not fully extended, their practices and health benefits. and connective tissues are not stretched. In addition to the Chinese martial arts, t’ai chi