Page 516 - Total War on PTSD

CHAPTER 35 - TAI CHI, QIGONG, SPIRAL ANATOMY AND PTSD Susan A. Matthews, MS, ND
Source (all photos/images): Chapter Author Susan A. Matthews, MS, ND
Tai Chi is a Movement Art for the Brain. Practicing Tai Chi and Qigong benefits Veterans with PTSD through several mechanisms and this chapter will identify important components of a robust practice. Tai Chi is a great therapeutic exercise for PTSD for several reasons. To me, the most profound reason is how it acts on the brain and nervous system. For example, the popular technique referred to as ‘mindfulness,’ has been well- documented as effectively helping the body respond to stress.
But that concept is not so new. Long before the term mindfulness was ever coined, Tai Chi practitioners had advanced meditative movement far beyond mindfulness as a practice to cultivate awareness of energy in movement. This may sound abstract, but how one focuses one’s attention on movement can create a powerful response in the brain and nervous system that can help to heal such ailments as PTSD.
So, what is Tai Chi and what is Qigong?
First of all, Tai Chi (and its historical name, taijiquan), is evolved from Chinese martial arts and is more popularly practiced as an exercise to promote overall health and
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