Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate [Paperback]

Lawrence Galante (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Lawrence Galante's Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate is a comprehensive text that includes a study of the origins and history of Tai Chi, a detailed analysis of its philosophy and relationship to Western philosophy, the I Ching and the Tao te Ching, and to Yoga and Zen. Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate also includes information about breathing, health and Chinese medicine, as well as several hundred detailed photographs showing the application of the positions. An excellent bibliography is provided for further reading suggestions. Galante's credentials are impressive as he holds an M. A. in Oriental Philosophy and has been a student and practitioner of the the martial arts for 30 years. Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate is an excellent and useful addition to any martial arts reference shelf. -- Midwest Book Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Red Wheel Weiser (May 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877284970
• ISBN-13: 978-0877284970
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #364,393 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A comprehensive study!, November 4, 2000

By 

"nafisp" (here) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate (Paperback)

For many years now I have run across second hand copies of this book and never really thought much of the content until recently. On closer inspection I found that Mr Galante has attempted (quite successfully) to cover a great deal of important elements in a comparative study, which covers Philosophy, Mysticism, Science, Spirituality, Occult including a comparative look at Zen and Yoga in relation to Taijiquan.

Mr Galante to my delight even bothers to draw the readers attention to the subject of Ceremonial Magick! for which I must wholeheartedly congratulate him as this is very much an angle at which I myself approach Taijiquan, both in the Martial sense and health and healing. There are virtually no works on Taijiquan which contain such a pleasing Renaissance approach to the subject. We look at various studies on Qi and healing within this work and are briefly introduced to its research and implications regarding health.

As if this were not enough we then get into the form itself which for my money (and this is the reason I bought this book) contains the clearest pictorial guidelines for learning the Martial applications of any Taijiquan book I have ever seen. I own other books which have pictorials showing Martial Apps of TJQ but none have been so easy on the eye as those within this book. He has done a brilliant job with this work and he leaves a weighty bibliography for those wishing to read more about this great art. Well worth the money and a solid companion to other works in my M.A library, this book see's allot of referencing from me and I recommend it to all.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful and Complete, April 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate (Paperback)

This is the only book I have ever seen that teaches the whole form, all the applications, all the proper breathing in one form Section with hundreds of photos. In other sections it's the only book that explains the spiritual aspects of this wonderful art. Galante is truely a master who really understands how to bridge the Western mind with the Eastern mentality. This book is a must for any library on Tai Chi Chuan.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars effective/easy to read/ great step by step instructions, February 23, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tai Chi: The Supreme Ultimate (Paperback)

This is book is by far the best Tai Chi reference I have ever read. The easy to follow pictures, applications, and detailed background of Tai Chi and its history make this book a must for any Tai Chi player as a commonly used reference! DLK