Taoist Health Arts

 
Harmony Palm is for you to enjoy, whatever your ability.
Ho-Hsieh Chang – Harmony Palm – Tai Chi Chuan
Old Style Ho-Hsieh Chang – Harmony Palm – Tai Chi Chuan
The Art of Tai Chi (also known as Tai Chi Chuan – Taijiquan) has been around in China for thousands of years, but it wasn’t called so originally. It had many names as well as taken many forms. Some came from the Taoist collaboration, others from the individual efforts; some came from the Martial side, others from the Health side, and some from both sides. In the case of Ho-Hsieh Li Family system, it came from very old Taoist roots by mixing Martial and Health Arts. At the outset, Li Family Taoist Art was called “Ho-Hsieh Chang – Harmony Palm” after one of the many arts that went into the Li Family system’s construction. It is one of the oldest systems that fortunately has come out of China. There are Seven Li Family Taoist Arts that go into making of our Harmony Palm which creates an Eighth Art.

Harmony Palm works on the body from the inside to out, and from the outside in at the same time; this is the art of Nei Gung and Li Gung. Working from the center out enables us to contact with all that resides within and outside of our body.

Starting with your consciousness then to your mind, to your independent energy meridians (Chi and Li energy), to all fluids of your body (blood, lymph, endocrine, etc.), to your ligaments, joints, bones muscles, tendons, and fascia, all your body’s organs to your 12 base energy meridians and your independent energy meridians to your skin and out to your body’s auras or your etheric body.

All you need to do is relax, concentrate and breath, and if you struggle to relax, concentrate and breathe, then Harmony Arts can help you to do so;
it’s that easy, well with patience, practice, and perseverance.
Li Family Harmony Palm (Tai Chi Chuan) Concepts & Principles
The Li Family system, being a Yin / Yang base system, it is very versatile and can also be done in Yang Base or Yin Base. Its exceptional depths and benefits are vast and one can uncover and experience them by learning Li Family Harmony Palm (Tai Chi Chuan) Form in line with Li Family’s concepts and principles. The original Harmony Palm (Tai Chi Chuan) Form consisted of eight movements only; around those eight movements were built the form as it is today, which comprises of 42 sets or 140 single movements. Everything within it is in a complete harmony and in a perfect balance with each other. Unfortunately, it seems to be the only Yin / Yang base system left in existence, as other modern forms of Tai Chi Chuan (Chen, Yang, Wu, Sun, etc.) tend to use the Yang base system of moving.

The Li Family Harmony Palm (Tai Chi Chuan) Form is also known as “Square Yard Tai Chi” as it can be performed in a small area. The form is a sequence of flowing movements, which are performed at a slow and rhythmic pace with deep coordinated breathing and full concentration.

These movements contain the essence of good health and longevity and help the practitioner develop strong Neichung Chi (internal energy)
and Ching Sheng Li (external energy).
Li Family Harmony Palm Good Health & Longevity
Harmony Palm for Health

When practicing Harmony Palm for health, we look at how your movements affect your body, and how your movements can help to tonify the muscles of your body, so that relaxation can become a natural part of your life rather than the exception.

Another way in which the Harmony Palm practice can help to relax is that it teaches you to allow you body weight to flow naturally through your joints (bone stacking), which then allows your muscles to move naturally.

With this relaxation comes better blood circulation, which helps your heart to become stronger. Another benefit of the relaxation is that the meridians of the body become unobstructed so helping with the strengthening of the internal organs of the body.

As the blood circulation and meridians of the body run next to the nervous system this helps to relax and strengthen the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system.

Harmony Palm is one of the very few exercises that can work 100% of the muscle groups and
99.9% of the muscles of the body at the same time.
Li Family Harmony Palm Natural Movement
 
I Fu Shou – The Taoist Art of Adhering Hand
Another name for I Fu Shou is ‘Enlightened Hand’ as the regular practice of this art can bring to the surface powers that all possess but very few people know that they have.

To begin with, this is a two-person exercise. The basic exercise is that each person try’s to upset the others balance but making sure that they maintaining their own balance, but this must be done with total relaxation.

Li Family Taoist Art of Adhering Hand
Harmony Palm Benefits
Tai Chi and Nei Kung were developed over generations and have been treasured for their health benefits. Some benefits of regular practice of the Harmony Palm Health Arts are:

  • It is good for your Body, calms your Mind and sets your Spirit free.
  • It improves your balance and coordination, physical strength, flexibility, and suppleness.
  • As the posture is strengthened this allows relaxation to remain constant.
  • As the nervous system becomes calmed, tranquility can also remain constant.
  • This will lead to greater mental control – as your mind is stimulated and starts to clear, your concentration and focus improves, and the mind then becomes free, active and spontaneous.
  • As spiritually you will feel more alive, you become more positive and purposeful then you may find life can take on a whole new meaning.
  • Your energies on a physical, mental and spiritual level will increase, and you will find that you’ll be able to work and play for longer.

Modern scientific research is increasingly turning to investigate the effects of Tai Chi in various conditions and to date, the research has confirmed that Tai Chi effects include:

  • Improved balance and reduced incidence of falls among the elderly
  • Reduced blood pressure
  • Improved sleep quality
  • Enhanced immune response
  • Slowed reduction of bone density, protecting against osteoporosis
  • Increased Heart Rate Variability, as effective as brisk walking
  • Improved mobility and decreased pain where there is osteoarthritis of the knee
  • Aided blood sugar regulation in type 2 diabetes
  • Reduced stress and improved psychological well-being

For more detailed information please visit the JCM research archive.