Customer Reviews

Tai Chi: Health for Life

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The book provides a clear introduction to tai chi, its benefits, and different styles. Also, it gives some practical advice on finding a good teacher and maintaining realistic expectations. However, I think the book would be more valuable if it analyzed one of the forms in detail, with photographs--as is quite common in other tai chi books. Also, the benefits of studying tai chi could probably be summed up more succinctly. Overall, this book best serves the neophyte.

Great book. Gives a good framework for understanding the complete art of Tai Chi. Definitely not a step by step "how to" book, but an excellent "why do" book. The benefits of Tai Chi practice are elucidated clearly, while giving an intimate look into the inside elements that make Tai Chi tick (an often overlooked quality in many Tai Chi books that seem to favor bunches of pictures and captions as filler instead of real content). I'm a big fan of Frantzis' other books, and this one did not disappoint. Highly recommended.

A treasure chest of knowledge examining the various health aspects and history of tai-chi chaun. A valuable book for beginners outlining many of the basic principles which are often left out of modern day teaching. Therefore this will help prospective students identify a qualified instructor. Equally, advance students will benefit from this "encyclopedia" of Tai-Chi energys. Already a classic and should not be overlooked.

For anyone becoming interested in Taiji practice, or wishing to explore the meaning behind internal energy work (Qigong), this book is a great place to start. Even though I have been involved with Taiji for over 15 years, I still found Bruce Frantzis' book fascinating and full of practicable information. Its' unbiased, non-form specific approach to understanding what makes Taiji tick is invaluable when there are so many schools and styles to choose from.

A great bedtime read if nothing else!

Pratical and supportive. It helps motivate a new student while providing insight into this fascinating art. The text was recommended by my instructor and I was not disappointed.

It's wonderful to know what the water in the pool is like before you jump in. Bruce Frantzis is a great guide to help you test the waters of Tai Chi practice. If you're thinking of doing Tai Chi, or you started and then stopped for awhile, this book will help you begin or reenter a practice. Tai Chi, Health for Life invites you to sit down in a comfortable chair and read in a relaxed way, cover to cover, over several days. It will give you a clear picture of what exactly Tai Chi is in its different forms, what it offers you as exercise and mental discipline and specific details on how it can improve your health and your life.

Don't skip the introduction! Diane Rapaport describes starting Tai Chi with Bruce Frantzis in her 50's. Her description of the humor and precision in his classes is accurate. Frantzis brings the same precise and careful focus to the writing in this book.

Studying Tai Chi takes time and, if you like it, may become a big commitment, so it's worth taking a week to get a master's overview of the field. Unlike many other Tai Chi writers, Bruce Frantzis is not advocating for one particular style or teacher. He is writing to orient you and show you the options. If you're interested in more of a How To book, you can try his books on instruction. The Big book of Tai Chi contains specific moves and illustrations. If you're interested in the meditation aspect of Tai Chi, you may find useful practices in Relaxing Into Your Being, Vol 1, a book on Tao meditation. But the most important thing is to find a good teacher. In Tai Chi, Health for Life, Frantzis discusses in detail what to look for in a teacher and different teaching styles you may find out there. As a practitioner beginning at age 48 to do Wu style Tai Chi, and experiencing over time a healing of back pain and an inner liveliness and joy in moving with Tai Chi, I'd say, Come on In, the Water's Fine!

I thought this was a fabulous book. After reading through some of the reviews, I noticed that they complained that this book best serves beginners. However, I disagree. I am a beginner in tai chi, but studied Hapkido for seven years and have been studying yin style ba gua the last four years. My current ba gua teacher is a tai chi master, so have been taking his yang style tai chi classes for the last couple of years. Bruce has many observations and nuggets of value that my seem simplistic on the surface, or through intellectual understanding, but are in reality profound drops of wisdom from past masters of the art. Like ba gua, statements about tai chi can only be unpacked through personal experience. It is not an intellectual pursuit, but rather something learned from time invested in the art. Bruce shares these insights willingly. So, this is a book that many intermediate and advanced practitioners can use to further their own understanding.

It is also a book meant to popularize the art and efficacy of tai chi. It does a great job explaining why tai chi is a healing art, how it helps reduce stress, how it serves as a longevity practice, how tai chi releases emotional and physical blockages, its spiritual side, how to chose a style, how to find a teacher who suits the student's goals, how to chose among the various styles, and advice on common reasons why students quit or fail to persevere.

I really appreciated the spiritual side of Bruce's book. Many westerners make fun of "Chi Huggers" and try to pin a materialistic outlook onto the internal arts of China. Bruce isn't afraid to explain the spiritual side of the art, and in fact, argues that higher levels are only achieved by bringing the spirit and heart into the practice.

All and all, this is a valuable book for those interested in tai chi, and if tai chi is ever to gain a footing equal to yoga in the West, I think this book will be a contributing factor.

D. Chris Castagna, author

"Shine in Kashmir"

What can I say about Bruce Frantzis that he hasn't already said himself. He is a warrior, a healer and a teacher. He is very articulate. He has journeyed to another world and brought back riches which he shares with us. Marco Polo was no Bruce Frantzis. Bruce brought back the hidden secrets of the east.

If you are an aging baby boomer like me. He will beguile, entrance and enlighten you. You will rise off your sofa and move, very gently, to health, true spiritual wealth and a quality of life which would be the envy of sultans, should any remain existent.

The writer certainly wrote with clarity covering some essential topics, like the various benefits of tai-chi, the learning objectives at different levels, different schools, and, oh, how to choose a teacher too. It would be a great study or research of the practice had it been written by a journalist who is new to the subject matter, and certainly would have meant having done a great job in presenting an enlightened perspective "from someone new to the subject matter", having shown a good grasp of the overall-structure of the subject, albeit at an elementary level of understanding.

In short, good promotional material for tai-chi as a practice, but disappointing to be from someone who claimed to be a proficient master of the art.