What Does Shen Mean as it Relates to Tai Chi?

Have you ever heard a musician play a piece of music and, while it was technically correct, it lacked something? That something was probably Shen or spirit. Spirit takes you beyond the mechanics. This is true for musicians, artists, athletes and even Tai Chi practitioners.

According to Traditional Chinese Medical theory, three things are essential to sustaining human life: Jing, Qi, and Shen, or as they are collectively known, the three treasures. Shen, is responsible for consciousness, emotion, and focused awareness, and is considered Yang. Interestingly, Chinese medicine sees Shen as an essential part of the human body, and medical practitioners credit disorders of the spirit and mind for causing illness inside the body, and vice versa. Therefore, they address all aspects of a disease: physical, mental and spiritual.

So how does this apply to Tai Chi?

In Tai Chi, Shen can be felt and manipulated. But unlike Qi, which is something beginners can feel and use, Shen takes longer to understand, feel, and manipulate. Cultivating Shen requires a mastery of both emotions and the intellect. When you are stressed or agitated, your Shen will be disturbed. When you are practicing Tai Chi and your mind is responding to your senses, your Shen will naturally follow. While the external aspect is important, in order to become a skilled Tai Chi practitioner, all the movements must be played with Shen. Without Shen, there is no harmony, only separateness. In Tai Chi, when you move, the Qi and Shen must move in unison.

So how do you concentrate your Shen?

First of all, you need to be calm and relaxed! Bring your attention and focus inward. Easy to say, right? The best way to do this is to take a slow, deep breath. Relax. Let the air enter the body and expand. As you slowly exhale, release any tension or stress. Repeat this several times. Your other option is to do slow warm-up exercises, again, paying attention to your breathing in order to release tension and stress.

Experiment and see what works best for you.

How does Shen relate to the martial aspect of Tai Chi?

The ultimate goal for a highly skilled martial artist is to avoid fighting. Basically, the most skilled martial artist is a master at controlling a situation, so the opponent yields and fighting becomes unnecessary.  At this level, they are considered Shen Wu, meaning “the perfect martial artist.” It is only with an appropriate level of wisdom and compassion that a high level martial artist cultivates a reverence for life. This results in harmony of the body, mind, and spirit.

How can you coordinate the external movements with the internal aspects without practice?

The answer is: you can’t.

Just as a dedicated musician or athlete devotes time to practice, so does a dedicated Tai Chi practitioner. Shen is cultivated and concentrated through consistent practice. When Shen and Qi move in unison, movements are harmonious and flow like a river. That’s really when Tai Chi becomes Tai Chi!