Tai Chi

Taichi is a traditional Chinese art that invites you to rediscover harmony between body, breath and mind.

Through slow, fluid and continuous movements, the practice teaches us to fully inhabit the present moment. The body relaxes, the breathing settles and the mind becomes calmer and more attentive.

Much more than a series of movements, Taichi is an invitation to slow down, listen to your sensations and develop a more conscious presence within yourself.

As the practice goes on, balance, flexibility, coordination and grounding are cultivated. We learn to release tension, find our centre and let movement unfold gently, within our own limits.

When the fine weather arrives, the practice continues in the water with Acqua Taichi, at the swimming pool.

Supported by the water, the body discovers new sensations. Movements become fluid, gentle and enveloping. The water invites you to let go, listen to your body and perceive balance in a new way.

On land as in water, the intention remains the same: to refocus, breathe and find inner harmony.

Tai Chi, or Taijiquan (太极拳), is a traditional Chinese art whose roots are deeply linked to Taoist philosophy and the Chinese view of balance between the complementary forces of Yin and Yang.

Yin and Yang symbolise the two complementary aspects of all things: rest and action, softness and strength, calm and movement. They do not oppose each other, but complement each other and constantly transform into one another.

This search for balance is at the heart of Tai Chi practice: learning to combine flexibility and stability, intention and release, movement and stillness.

Tai Chi developed in China over the centuries. Its history is traditionally associated with the village of Chenjiagou, in Henan province, where the Chen family helped to pass on and structure the discipline.

In the 19th century, Yang Luchan played a major role in spreading Tai Chi, particularly in Beijing. New forms and schools then developed, including the Yang, Wu and Sun styles, each with its own characteristics.

Originally, Tai Chi is an internal martial art, based on body control, sensing the other person, balance and the use of softness rather than brute force.

Over time, it has also become widely practised as a discipline for health, well-being and inner cultivation.