Tai Chi Journey – a Woman’s Perspective

My Tai Chi journey took an interesting turn after an incident in India. I was with my partner, Kris. I had started learning the Taoist Arts from him, including Tai Chi, a few months before.

Two men attacked us! One went to him and another went to me.

He tried to grab me by the arm to pull me off the mountain path we were walking. I can’t say if it took seconds or minutes. Yet, my immediate response to this man, twice my size in height and weight, was to apply a “Tai Chi application.” I paralysed his arm in such a manner that he lost his strength! If he didn’t run away, the arm would break. My blindness lifted, and I became a warrior ready to fight. Despite being a pacifist, I have never engaged in a fight in my adult life and am against violence.

Now my concern was: ‘Is Kris okay?’

And there he was, standing like nothing had happened. His attacker “flew away” without returning. The two men thought an “old man” and a “young girl” would be easy targets. But got a surprise from a Martial Arts master and his student.

I got quite nervous as I was still trying to figure out “How did I manage to do this?” As I cooled down, I said to Kris, ‘I’m happy you didn’t start anything.’ I mean an ugly fight, that action of a man protecting a woman. He answered, with a serene look, ‘I won’t start it, but I will finish it.’ A martial artist is aware of his power; it can injure or kill a person.

What I learned from this experience was cellular memory. Even if you think you are not learning something, it’s going in!

I had learned informally for a few months. The most intense training was on a beach in Thailand. I did it every day for about two months, which was fun but never took it seriously. That happened after this attack; oh yes, after that, the real training began!

I discovered that my inner warrior gives me the power to handle any situation and to act instead of react.

Looking back seventeen years ago when I started learning Tai Chi, I was not good at it!

You learn Qigong along with Tai Chi, which for me was easy. I mastered Qigong in a short time. I found some similarities with yoga, which I had done before. Qigong is also known as ‘Tao Yoga.’ But Tai Chi took me a few good years to grasp…

To start with, I pursued it as it was a pre-requisite for my first Taoist qualification. Thinking, ‘Ok, let’s strengthen the character by doing something difficult for me.’

After all, what appealed to me in the Taoist training was working in the body. The other thing was the ongoing health cultivation. Many spiritual systems miss these, including the one from my lineage. Coming from a spiritual family, I was looking for something to give me grounding. Which brought me to deepen my connection with the Divine. Nowadays I say:

Rooted you are, the higher you fly.

When I heard about Tai Chi for the first time, my immediate thought was:

“Ha, the gentle movements you see elderly people doing in the park in China?”

But as I experienced it:

The body’s movements revealed a hidden power. Inner and outer strength merged, transforming my perspective on physical prowess. The calmness and sharpness they bring to the mind. And the boost of confidence, the deep connection with the Universe around you, a raising of the spirit.

Qigong and Tai Chi’s precise exercises address specific parts of the body. They contribute to flexibility, suppleness, and a deep sense of well-being. They activate the meridians, the energy channels in our body, which feed the organs that sustain our lives. They also enable our Qi (or Chi) to come to full charge.

But what is the difference between Qigong and Tai Chi?

Qigong is an internal martial art. It focuses on health and grounding. It cultivates the qi/chi/energy and develops inner strength. Some hospitals in China use it as medical Qigong to help heal various conditions. The West is also interested. It has conducted studies that prove the health benefits of Qigong and Tai Chi for the body and mind.  

Tai Chi originated as a fighting art known as Tai Chi Chuan. We focus on self-defence that can be used in a fight, or in slow motion.

Imagine a ballerina whose stage performance is Tai Chi. And Qigong is the bar work, all the drills and body preparation for it.

So you can do Qigong without Tai Chi, but you don’t do Tai Chi without Qigong (I call this Tofu!). This is the warm-up and rooting. This gives power to the Tai Chi movements, in which you blend the grounding and flexibility.

Why Goddesses Do Martial Arts?

Tai Chi is the essence of Feminine Empowerment. It connects with higher and lower forces on the spiritual path for self-defence or to harmonise with the environment and ease stress. 

Tai Chi means Ultimate Force, and for me, it is the greatest Meditation in Motion. It unites us in perfect harmony with Earth below and Heaven above, Yin and Yang. With benefits for body, mind, and spirit.

In Ancient China, traditionally a Taoist practitioner does it all. The meditations, the martial arts and the sacred sexual practices (“Art of Bedchamber”). Besides self-healing, they can heal others through Shamanic Healing from the pre-Taoist practices. The ancient and rich Taoist Arts have 5000 years of refinement.

Sometimes I’m asked with surprise: Are you a Tai Chi Teacher? 

Tai Chi was part of my Taoist training; I was initiated in a traditional way. I devoted myself to it, and it became a way of life.

Some martial artists seem surprised by the sacred sexual practices. ‘Sexual’ here means more than sex. It is our creative force; it shows in various aspects of our lives. So not all Taoist schools cover this aspect.

The Tai Chi form’s graceful spirals have a spiritual aspect. They heightened my awareness of nature, the unseen Universe, and the mundane. This brought me harmony and ease. Then the answers I sought outward took me to delve inward. This comes along with my Jade Egg Holistic Practice.  

The Way of the Hidden Masters gives a sense of reality to this ancient art. We emulate the heroes of then: the warriors, the fighting nuns (and monks), and priestesses (and priests).

“The sun rose on a grace, a flow, on faces as serene as at prayer as they stepped and spun, spiralled and thrust: Shamanic theatre enacted under the trees, celestial combat, rooted in Earth and played in the human dimension. Yang advances, Yin withdraws, Harmony prevails.” by Kris Deva North.

Another episode to reinforce that Goddesses Do Martial Arts

Once I was teaching a workshop for women, and another workshop for men was happening next door. After my lunch break, I was asked if I could do a “push hands” demonstration with an experienced and strong martial artist. Fine, there I was in my mini skirt, half his size and much lighter. In a few seconds, we stood, and then I pushed him across the room. Then off I went back to my workshop. Why did I share this? Here is the answer:

“Size is never a true indication of muscular power and efficiency… The smaller usually makes up for the balance of power with his great agility, flexibility, and speed.” Adapted from Bruce Lee in his book The Tao of Gong Fu.

Bruce Lee had a daring and controversial approach, but the embodiment of his art proved him right. I found in him an inspiration, studying his teachings and applying them to my practice and sharing it. He emphasises the importance of the yin as well as the yang in a fight:

“…the principle of gentleness – the art of neutralising an opponent’s effort and minimising the expenditure of one’s energy.”

When you develop your center and rooting. When you open your perception to multiple realities with higher meditations. Then you can be fully present in the moment and nothing can move you.

But when I started, I was the ‘Miss Butterfly’; you could move me with one finger.

When I felt and then embodied the grounding and flexibility, my feet became roots.

The interesting part was that it became about more than holding a physical push. It reflected in all areas of my life! Holding an emotional, financial, or spiritual push, like bamboo in a strong wind. The bamboo bends but doesn’t break. When the wind stops, the bamboo springs back stronger than before.

© Anamarta

An interview with Valentina the hostess of the Tai Chi Qigong Teacher Training Retreat in Cyprus from the 20th to the 27th of November 2024. She will also teach Kuan Yin Qigong, and myself Anamarta Tai Chi and Self-Defence for Women. Get to know us:

If you would like to start or continue with the Internal Martial Arts here the course for you: KUAN YIN QIGONG 7-Week Course with Live Zoom Call AM & PM Classes + Class REPLAY.

ALL WOMEN WELCOME! Suitable for all levels of fitness.