As an instructor of t’ai chi in Greeley, Colorado, and someone who has benefited from martial arts and t’ai chi for decades, I’ve seen how beneficial incorporating a ruler into your practice is. The T’ai Chi Ruler is a versatile tool that can be used in many ways. While it certainly can be used as a martial arts weapon, another vital reason to incorporate it into your daily exercise routine is to cultivate your qi.

What is Qi?

In the earliest books of Chinese medicine, ancient physicians wrote about the “Qi Mechanism” —the quality and movement of vital energy within the body.  These early scholars said that when qi moved in the right direction, in the right amount, unimpeded, good health would surely ensue. 

In addition to such healing modalities as acupuncture and herbs, they developed physical exercises that would foster the gathering and flow of qi.  These exercises, categorized as qigong (literally “effort spent on the qi”), enabled the individuals who practiced them to strengthen their bodies and minds, as well as heal their ailments and injuries.

T’ai Chi Ruler and Cultivating Qi

Ruler Tai Chi™, which encompasses both the Ruler Qigong and Ruler Boxing exercise sets, is a form of qigong that, in addition to its martial attributes, cultivates the body’s qi.  As you perform these exercises, you move slowly with focus while gently turning your body.  This relaxed, deliberate movement massages your internal organs, nourishes them with blood and other vital fluids, and breaks up areas of stagnation, where your qi has become stuck, which can cause pain and loss of function. 

Ruler Qigong, which comprises the six basic exercises that form the foundation of the more extensive Ruler Boxing form, was created many centuries ago to encourage this cultivation of qi.

In the opening movement, called “Beginning,” you move the ruler in a vertical arc in front of your body.  This large, looping movement pumps the qi from the center of your abdomen up and down two major acupuncture meridians (the Conception and Governing Vessels) creating health and a feeling of well-being.  

The next exercise in the set, called Mixing, moves the ruler from side to side across your abdomen while you turn your waist.  This movement engages the Girdle Vessel, the acupuncture channel which encircles your body just above your hips.  This side-to-side turning motion massages all of your internal organs, especially the ones in your lower abdomen.  The exercise brings blood to this region and eases any stiffness and pain that may be present there or in your low back.  

In addition to performing these circular ruler motions, you simultaneously rock back and forth on the balls and heels of your feet.  This rocking motion engages critical acupoints on the Kidney meridian.  Applying alternating pressure to these foot acupoints aids in the movement of qi along this important acupuncture meridian, which passes through most of  the major organs in your body.

The Ruler Boxing form builds upon the foundation of Ruler Qigong. In addition to the circling and rocking movements, you add stepping to the picture.  An example of this is the Fleeing The Storm posture, in which you perform the Mixing exercise described above while walking backward.  

From a martial arts viewpoint, one could use this lateral ruler movement to brush away an attacker’s fist while at the same time retreating from danger.  However, if we examine this posture purely from a health perspective, the multidimensional movement of the hands, waist, and feet benefits your qi, while improving your balance and flexibility.  

Cultivate Your Qi with Ruler Tai Chi™ Classes in Greeley

If you are looking for a way to improve your overall health by cultivating your qi, exercising with the T’ai Chi Ruler is certainly worth trying. Alongside t’ai chi workshops, I regularly teach Ruler Tai Chi™ classes in Greeley and around Northern Colorado. I’d love to have you join me if you’re local. You can also join the online Chen Tuan Society for exclusive online content and to be the first to know about upcoming events.

Continue reading my website for even more knowledge, instruction, and ruler purchase information.