108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan, Revised: A String of Pearls (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan--A String of Pearls, focuses on important elements of Tai Chi: health, breathing, posture, body mechanics, visualization, Chi flow, Pushing Hands, and more. 108 Insights into Tai Chi Chuan is written by Michael Gilman, who has been teaching Tai Chi for more than twenty years. He is also a national Grand Champion competitor in Pushing Hands (Taste of China tournament, 1994).

You'll discover how to get the fullest health benefits from Tai Chi, improve your Pushing Hands with simple exercises and visualizations, and learn tips to keep your body (especially the knees) in tune for a lifetime's worth of Tai Chi.

* Have more fun with your practice!
* Improve your skills!
* Discover helpful insights on teaching others!
* Enjoy the good health that Tai Chi brings!

About the Author

Michael Gilman, a long time teacher in the human potential movement, was born in San Francisco, California in 1943. After graduating from the University of Arizona with a degree in Theatre Arts, he worked as a television director, actor, and dancer. Mr. Gilman began his studies of Tai Chi Chuan in 1968 with Master Choy Kam-Man in San Francisco. Master Choy's father, Choy Hok Peng, a long time student of Yang Chen Fu, is credited with introducing Tai Chi to America in the 1940's.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: YMAA Publication Center; 2 edition (May 25, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1886969582
• ISBN-13: 978-1886969582
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 3.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #830,101 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Elements of Style, November 30, 1999

By	Harvey W. Liebergott (Newton, Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

When I was teaching college English, I had my copy of Strunk and White at arm's length, at all times. I feel the same way about Gilman's book. It is simple, straightforward, and profound. I have practiced Uechi-ryu karate for 25 years, and written a book about trying to learn an eastern art with a western mind. Two years ago, I hit one of the plateaus, familiar to every student of martial arts, in which progress seems to stop. My teacher said that tai chi was related to our circular style and might offer me some insights. It took about six months of daily practice for my body to approximate the 108 positions- the level Gilman calls "advanced beginner's mind. . . . a place, where we don't have to think about what movement comes next or how to do it." After that, both my karate and tai chi took off! I found Gilman's book about a year ago. It is just what the title claims. I have probably read a few hundred books and articles on martial arts, and I am content if I find one or two insights that can improve my practice. Gilman's book is full of insights:

"If you have a thought in your head: you cannot see, you cannot hear, you cannot taste, you cannot feel, you cannot think. In order to do any of these things completely, the mind needs to be quiet and still, open and receptive. Thoughts block reality because they are of the past. . . . We can, of course, do many things at one time, yet we are not fully present if thoughts are also present. Practice Tai Chi until the thinking mind disappears into the movement."

Sure, I know that. But I forget it everytime I practice karate or tai chi. Instead of living in each movement, I drift to the movement that is about to occur, or, worse, to thoughts and feelings that float through any meditative experience. And every bit of drift robs movements of their martial arts integrity. Gilman reminds me to keep my balance, to move, to breath, to stay centered. He gives me images to help:

"Imagine you are enclosed in a large bubble that extends about one-and-a-half feet beyond your body. When you do your form or do Push Hands, work at the edge of this bubble. Don't let your opponent inside. Think of it as your castle. Once outside your castle you are quite vulnerable. When playing Push Hands, make sure you have good reason to move your troops outside the castle. Also, be very careful when letting your opponent inside. . . ."ÿ

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Having Your Tai Chi Teacher in your Back Pocket, July 28, 2000

By	Gregory T. Candy (Newington, CT USA) - See all my reviews

This book is great supplement for someone who is currently studying tai chi, and for the accomplished tai chi player as a both a review and an aid if they in-turn teach. For me, it is like having my teacher in my back pocket. The book collects all the kinds of observations my teacher makes in class about form, performance, or chi while we're doing it. Gillman takes these little gems of advice and compiles them into wonderful and articulate collection. The subtitle "A string of pearls" is in that spirit and an appropriate subtitle.

6 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Don't Waste Your Time Or Money, November 1, 2000

By A Customer

Don't waste your time or money on this book. Go with (Tai Chi Touchstones), or (Tai Chi Classics). When I first heard about this book I was mislead about the content. I didn't think it was anything more than the author taking the basic principles and writing small stories about them. You can find the basic principles like sinking the weight or relaxing in a hundred books about Tai Chi Go with the books I listed above if you really want to learn something about Tai Chi.