Practitioners of tai chi have, for a long time, claimed that tai chi brings about health benefits. Indeed, in the last few years preliminary medical studies involving immunity to the herpes zoster virus in the elderly seemed to indicate that. Now a recent follow-up study funded by the National Institute of Health has demonstrated that “behavioral intervention” can help protect older adults from the virus, which causes both chickenpox and shingles.

In the clinical trial, that behavioral intervention was the practice of tai chi.

You can read the news story at the bottom of this post.

Some Key Points from the Study

There were a couple of significant conclusions that came out of the study:

• The practice of tai chi increased immunities against the virus just as much as a vaccine would.
• The practice of tai chi enhanced the effects of vaccinations against the virus.

Shingle attacks occur in one out of five people who have ever had chicken pox, primarily among older adults. Since tai chi’s slow, graceful movements make it an easy practice for elderly people to adopt, this is an excellent natural way to reduce those odds. This is encouraging news for anyone who has had chicken pox and experiences some severe stress on their system.

The focus of this study natually arose because of how easy tai chi is for the elderly, combined with how common shingles attacks are for the same group. But there are more far-reaching conclusions. If immunities were increased for this particular virus, why not others? Why question the claims that tai chi boosts overall health and well-being? The researchers themselves are considering that tai chi can improve the effectiveness of other vaccines, such as the flu shot.

The Power in Our Minds

The effects with the herpes zoster virus were measurable, and demonstrate yet another example of ancient wisdom that is ahead of modern science and medicine; another example of the power of the human mind to affect the physical body; and another example of how much modern science really doesn’t understand how the body-mind link works.

Tai chi classes are not hard to find. I’m personally considering this as a practice to help round out my life a bit.

Reference:
Augmenting Immune Responses to Varicella Zoster Virus in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of Tai Chi
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

A recent news article has reported yet another example of ancient wisdom that is ahead of modern science and medicine. And it shows how spiritual views of physiology and “the way things work” can have a basis in reality, even by scientific standards.

Various forms of eastern spirituality teach of a life force that flows through our bodies along definite paths. Depending on the culture, this force is known as “chi”, “ki”, or “prana”. Modern science has not incorporated this concept into its own theories. Whether or not you believe in the existence of this life force, ancient practices have utilized the idea and as a result have achieved what modern science and medicine have yet to understand.

Tai Chi is one such practice, and western studies have uncovered some amazing things about it.

Recent Research on Tai Chi

According to the news article Stanford researchers record ‘optimal force’ of tai chi master, researchers at Stanford University recently documented the movements of a martial arts master and discovered that he was able to generate 400 pounds of force.

The force was so intense and his movements so quick that the measuring devices kept flying off his body. This was well beyond anything these researchers had seen before. What enabled him to generate so much force? This master’s particular skill was in the art of Tai Chi. A quote from the article states:

“Tai chi is a martial art that begins with cultivation of the mind, learning to discard everything except the thought of moving energy within the body, to nourish it and bring it to full health and, if necessary, to defend it. Various schools of tai chi have developed their own ways of training the body, but the aim is always to keep the joints relaxed to allow a free flow of chi.”

So this ancient practice is all about harnessing chi energy and training the body to facilitate its flow. I find it fascinating that this concept of chi energy – a concept that is not recognized by western scientific thought – is the basis for a practice that has produced measureable results, even by western standards.

Perhaps science will find a way to explain the phenomenon. But for now, I found the following quote from the article interesting:

“The result of Chen’s years of training indicates something special – mysterious, even – about how his particular skills were acquired.”

The Power is a Natural Part of Each One of Us

When you think about it, there isn’t anything mysterious about it at all. The mind is capable of so much more than science is able to understand or predict. Just in the area of the body alone, there is so much power demonstrated in the mind. We see it in some of the physical accomplishments of the “gifted” – anytime you watch a concert pianist’s fingers float across the piano keys, anytime you see amazing juggling acts or gymnastic feats, and anytime you see people who have overcome physical handicaps to carry on a normal life. We also see it everyday in abilities that we take for granted – driving a car, using a computer, or playing a sports game.

Just as we can use technology without having to understand the science behind it, so too can we discover ways of controlling our bodies without requiring degrees in physics, biology, or chemistry. Sometimes it is a matter of trial and error, and then we learn either through our own efforts or through the discoveries of others – even discoveries made by ancient cultures. But with just a little guidance, success comes through the intuitive connection that we make with our bodies.

Ancient Wisdom Can Teach us Much

I’m not dismissing the validity of western science or its contribution to knowledge and understanding of our world. But we shouldn’t be so hasty to dismiss the knowledge obtained from ancient practices and study, either. Yes, western science will eventually “validate” many eastern teachings, but until then there are good reasons to embrace a practice and reap tangible benefits now.

And in the process, we can also learn a little but more about who we are.