The Tai Chi Space: How to Move in Tai Chi and Qi Gong

A marvelous book that explains the 42 principles of Tai Chi and qigong. This book will convey these complex ideas to an new set of tai chi learners. They are explained with easy-to follow pictures, headings, and short explanations.I had my copy spiral bound. It is easier to leave open the chapter I am studying and have the book lay flat.

Paul Cavel has written a nice straight to the point list and explanation of subtle details one ought to focus on, one by one, to refine one's taichi (tajiji) qigong basic skills training [ 太极氣功基本功 训练 ].42 fundamental principles divided under 3 major topics: Part 1Fundamental principles, Part 2 internal principles, and Part 3 Deeper principles -- that should aid in making the movements more than just a good physical training, and aid in taking the training deeper into the basic fundamental heart of what makes taiji qigong different from other types of physical exercise.Details of 42 principles that are often not covered or only covered lightly in most online or DVD taiji or qigong videos. Paul has a talent for describing his points in a simple clear easy to understand manner. A big help especially if you do not live where you have easy access to a skilled teacher. Recommended.

This is a very clear and concise book on the internal energy art of T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Paul approaches the art giving beginner, intermediate and advanced practices to look for and improve upon. I find his way of describing the art unique and personable. He has a great deal of knowledge with internal work and brings a fresh perspective that I haven't heard from most other T'ai Chi Ch'uan books in some time. I enjoyed it very much.

This book arrived a few days later than expected because it is shipped from Britain by Royal Mail, at least from the vendor I chose here due to the lowest price. It was well worth the wait though. About six months ago I became aware of the practice of Nei Gong by chance and looking into it a little further found that it was associated with the Taoists from a very early period. Furthermore the internal exercises seemed to complement my return to Taoist meditations initiated when I found my long lost copy of Chuang Tsu: Inner Chapters. I'd obtained some basic books on Nei Gong internal forms by Damo Mitchell and Scott Meredith that were very lucid introductions. Nevertheless after six months I felt that I was not comprehending the simplest principles or at least not internalizing them in practice. Based upon comments of reviewers of this book here at Amazon, I decided to chance buying Paul Cavel's The Tai Chi Space: How to Move in Tai Chi and Qu Gong. The chance was one well taken because even in the opening chapters Cavel clarified several problems I was experiencing by means of clearly written text and minimal but effective illustrations and analogies. For absolute newbies to the internal forms of chi cultivation and accumulation such as myself, this is the book of instruction to read first. This is especially true for those of us who have no interest in becoming punch out artists or kung fu wizards, though there are collateral benefits to be gained by those who do. As several of these Taoist oriented writers have noted, the simplest things are often the most difficult and for me at least, this book aided enormously in getting past some of those difficulties.

I've had this book for only a few days but have picked up several points to improve the posture and flow of my movements. Paul is a student of master Bruce Frantzis and a highly skilled teacher in his own right. His teaching has been honed over decades of practice and add depth to any tai chi or qi gong practice. This book will sit alongside Frantzis' classic Opening the Energy Gates as a frequent reference as my practice grows.

My initial sense when I received this book was that it was a bad purchase since it seems to focus on tai chi and my passion is qigong. I didn't pick it up for several days, but once I did, I discovered I was wrong. I wish I had this book years ago. So much valuable information and I enjoy the writers style of including metaphors. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a student of the oriental arts.

Such a helpful collection of wisdom! Whether beginner or experienced, the distilled gems laid out in this book will aid your development. The information contained can be returned to again and again, setting up a solid foundation and deepening your existing practice. Thank you, Paul!

This makes a complicated subject doable. The book breaks the subject, like a puzzle, in to many pieces and shows you how to put it back together with instructions (principles) forty two of them to be exact.In the book he say is "the rakhi shah of a thousand miles begins with a single step". I'd like to add " learning and practicing taijiquan is a journey and not a destination "

Well worth purchasing and reading. The book is clear and easy to read. Paul's ability to clearly convey everything from the simple to complex in an easy to understand way shines throughout, not only through his precise explanations, but through the brilliant illustrations of Sophie Manham, which work together so well to explain what is being taught and how the mechanisms of the principles work, something I have not seen in other books before.As with anything to do with the Internal Arts, it would be easy to gloss over the basics and not fully appreciate how important they are. This book introduces the very basic principles and works its way up to the complex, making clear the importance of practising each step and how each one of the given principles should be worked into the body and fully integrated before moving onto the next.You can easily read the text in one day, but the content detailed is enough to keep anyone (both beginners and advanced practitioners) busy for many years, which makes this one of those essential books that you pick up time and time again.I'm glad I've bought The Tai Chi Space and it will definitely be a book I will suggest to my students to purchase too.

If you study tai chi, the bottom line is this book makes it easier to embody the principles necessary to make your tai chi more effective, whether you practice for martial arts or health. Not only are principles clearly explained, they are accompanied by images which anchor the concepts not only in your conscious mind but also in your subconscious. The text is not about specific fighting applications, nor is it a step by step guide to forms - it is targeted at providing the student already studying tai chi with the keys to developing internal content, whether biomechanical or intent/will/energy based. Reading it multiple times can help you manifest the essentials that give tai chi its essence. Although there are diagrams of Yang style movements the principles are universal and carry through for other styles such as Wu. I am sure I will read this again and again for years to come.

What a fantastic book explaining how to stand, move and be when practicing either Tai Chi or Qigong. I've got a lot of Qigong books but none of them is so thorough and precise and explains everything in such great details. The illustrations by Sophie Manham are beautiful and compliment Paul's descriptions very well. As Paul writes, without the five principles, Tai Chi and Qigong forms cannot really be considered internal. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone practicing Tai Chi or Qigong. Get it now.

Paul's teaching style is very in-depth with very clear explanations, which is reflected in the way this book is written. From beginners to experienced practitioners, everyone will find a wealth of useful advice in here that they can apply to their own practice, whatever style that may be. Very nicely illustrated too.

I am in two minds about this. I find it very useful to focus on the essential internal aspects - in this respect its brevity is a plus.However, there is effectively great repetition, and some aspects are really not helpful. I am reminded of a (Monty Python?) skit about Blue Peter, where they tell you how to play the flute "Well, you hold it in one hand, and then move the other up and down covering the holes" (or similar!) That is depth of treatment in some cases.Overall, I do keep referring to it to keep my mind focused on the essentials.