Why Chen's
Peace
What it is: Relax
The first principle of Taiji, and therefore peace, is relaxation. Any teacher properly trained to teach starts here. Relaxation can take years, depending on the student's background, and if the teacher does not "loot a burning house,"—take advantage of a student's desire to make money.
The use of the word relaxation is not wrong, for indeed, that is the state to be reached. It is, however, slightly misleading. A better translation would render "a calm mind"—or a peaceful mind—or even better yet, peace of mind. In our society, peace of mind is one of the hardest states to achieve because we are told through media and social interaction to be discontent. Dissatisfaction drives consumerism, which in turn fuels our economy.
Nonetheless, the animal part of our nature, our body, is so receptive to peace of mind that the mere suggestion sustained over time loosens tension, aligns the body, and facilitates deep breathing. Static or standing yogic postures are exceedingly useful in generating peace of mind suggestions to the body since they can be done without thought.
