Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb introduction to T'ai Chi and QiGong, February 4, 2000
QiGong (chee kung) means "breath work." Chinese references include nearly 7,000 QiGong exercises, some of which may be done while sitting or lying down. T'ai Chi (tie chee) is a form of QiGong. All T'ai Chi exercises are done while standing or moving. Bill Douglas has studied and taught QiGong and T'ai Chi for twenty years. His latest book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and QiGong, presents his accumulated knowledge in an easy-to-understand guide. Douglas says that "whether you are stressed out, continually exhausted, treating a health problem, or just wanting to get in shape and feel young again, T'ai Chi is just what you need." Qi is also known as the "energy of life." Stress, tension, and ill health stop the flow of Qi throughout the body. T'ai Chi exercises are easy to do, incorporating breathing and relaxation techniques in slow and relaxed movements. Douglas describes each exercise thoroughly, including information not just on the physical movement, but on the mental awareness it brings as well. Photographs accompany each exercise. He includes a section of advanced movements for those who have mastered the basics. He also includes special sections for children, seniors, sports, and healing therapy. The appendix lists organizations and energy work centers for those desiring to practice with others. Douglas also includes a complete glossary. More than 2,000 years old, T'ai Chi is the most popular exercise today. People like it not only for its simplicity, but because it "simultaneously heals the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body." Readers wanting to learn how to obtain these benefits for themselves will find that The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi and QiGong provides the answers to their questions as well as the "how-to" they need. -- Sandra I. Smith, Reviewer
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Major Disappointment, January 8, 2002
The author tries to present the theory and the practice of tai chi and ends up doing neither effectively. In the first 13 chapters, he goes through endless psychobabble, new age stuff. Finally, he begins presenting the form in Chapter 15 (after a chapter of the history of the form which is largely redundant of what came before). In chapter 15 he presents 12 movements. Each movement concists of 4 to 6 instructions, but only one photograph. In Chapter 16, he writes, "This chpater will give you an overview of movements 13 through 25 of the Kuang Ping form. Rather than detailing the movements, this chapter will focus on some of the benefits of each moment." What follows is one photo for each movement and a paragraph telling the reading the benefits of this previous movement. This is tedious and redundant and not at all helpful for someone who wishes to learn the form. If the reader wants to know the theory of tai chi, an excellent book is "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Tai Chi" by Angus Clark. He presents Chinese philosophy within a Chinese setting not in New AGe babble. If the reader wants to learn the form of tai chi, an excellent book is "Tai Chi, For Inner Harmony and Balance" by Paul Tucker. In this book, he presents a short form with amble photographs and illustrations and breaks the book into 31 very management lessons. The Tucker book is an excellent book. Do not waste your time and money on the Douglas book.
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17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book!....And don't let the title fool you!, August 24, 1999
As both a student and teacher of the Martial Arts, I understand how difficult and baffling some of these concepts can be. I understand how intimidating it can be for the beginner to seek out safe and credible instruction, especially women. And, to be honest, I know how difficult it is to find a "sense of humor" in such a traditionally austere atmosphere. As a Registered Nurse in an urban emergency department, I also know how timely and practical these practices are for our health and well being in today's heath care crisis. For these reasons and quite a few more The Idiot's Guide to Tai Chi and QI Gong is an incredible book and an important one. Mr. Douglas has achieved what I believe to be the desire of every good teacher: to simplify and convey extremely difficult information accurately. He gives the reader an excellent sense of what Tai Chi/Qi Gong is and how it works. He gives solid advice on evaluating a teacher and how to get started in a class. Many of the questions commonly asked by students are very clearly addressed and answered. And because of his methodical approach (and tons of pictures) this book is also perfect for people who have limited time or opportunity but might want to explore these practices on their own. The fact that he accomplished this with a good sense of humor is only icing on the cake. After years of reading the "traditional" texts, this book was a delightful breath of fresh air. He has achieved for Qi Gong what Apple did for the computer. He's brought it to the people. Anyone interested can now "get it" and have a good laugh too. Mr. Douglas' book is a great place to start for the beginner as well as an excellent place for "seasoned vets" to check in on simplicity. In fact, teachers may find this an excellent manual "on how to explain these concepts to the general public", and may also find that by referring students to the book as a primer, the students may be more likely to stick with their T'ai Chi classes, and be more relaxed and easier to teach. It is perfect for people who might have health problems and believe Martial Arts are only for the strong or the fit. Most importantly, it is an excellent way to help anyone develop a "Tai Chi" relationship with themselves and their world. R Poccia,Beyond Anonymous
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