Graham Horwood was a practising Jungian analyst with over 30 years of training in martial arts and Chinese healing systems. He was the founder and Chief Instructor of the Taoist Group and for many years taught Tai Chi, Chi Kung and the Health Arts.
Introduction. Jung, Wilhelm, and the I Ching. The I Ching and Life in Harmony. Feng Shui and the Balance of Nature. Science, DNA, and Tai Chi. The Role of Change in the University Life Force. The Dark and Light Sides of Tai Chi Chuan. Chapter One: The Philosophy of Taoism from a Western Perspective. Chinese Thought and History. Alchemy and Opposition. The Number and Name of Creation. Tending the Waters of the Unconscious. Chapter Two: The History of Tai Chi Chuan. The Four Styles of Tai Chi Chuan. An Ancient Way of War. The Tai Chi Hermit. The Spiral Dance of Chen Wang Ting. Tai Chi Goes Underground. Yang the Shadow Boxer. The Yang Family Style. What the History of Tai Chi Tells Us. Chapter Three: The Eight Pa Qua Trigrams. Chinese Archetype: ChienHeaven. Chinese Archetype: KunThe Receptive. Chinese Archetype: KanThe Abysmal. Chinese Archetype: LiThe Clinging. Chinese Archetype: TuiThe Joyous. Chinese Archetype: ChenThe Arousing. Chinese Archetype: KenKeeping Still. Chinese Archetype: SunThe Gentle. Conclusion of the Pa Qua and Their Relationship. Chapter Four: The Five ElementsWu Hsing. The Relationship with the Tai Chi Form, Movement, and Internal Organ Balance. The Psychology of the Wu Hsing. The Four Elements in Greek Thought. From Paracelsus to Quantum Physics. Applications in Tai Chi. Fire Element. Earth Element. Metal Element. Water Element. Wood Element. Conclusion. Chapter Five: The Science of the Inner BreathChi Kung. Sexuality, Reproduction, and the Maintenance of Healthy Chi. Forms of Chi Kung. Chi Kung 1Reverse Breathing. Chi Kung 2Microcosmic Orbit. Chi Kung 3Macrocosmic Breathing. Chi Kung 4Ball Breathing. Chi Kung 5Condensing Breath. Chi Kung 6Heaven and Earth Breathing. Chi Kung 7Meridian Breathing. Chi Kung 8Five Element Internal Organ Breathing. Chi Kung 9Eight Trigram Breathing. Chi Kung 10Variations for Healing. Conclusion. Bibliography. Index.
Horwood has produced a thoroughly interesting and comprehensive account on the various styles of Tai Chi expertly mixing theory, history and developments of the discipline with exercises that include the building, circulation and storage of chi. For beginners, this offers an excellent introduction of the theory and key practices of Tai Chin Chuan, while for a more advanced practitioners the multi-level insights will enhance their understanding and practice. An invaluable resource for those interested in the discipline.
