The Tai Chi Space: How to Move in Tai Chi and Qi Gong

If you study tai chi, the bottom line is this book makes it easier to embody the principles necessary to make your tai chi more effective, whether you practice for martial arts or health. Not only are principles clearly explained, they are accompanied by images which anchor the concepts not only in your conscious mind but also in your subconscious. The text is not about specific fighting applications, nor is it a step by step guide to forms - it is targeted at providing the student already studying tai chi with the keys to developing internal content, whether biomechanical or intent/will/energy based. Reading it multiple times can help you manifest the essentials that give tai chi its essence. Although there are diagrams of Yang style movements the principles are universal and carry through for other styles such as Wu. I am sure I will read this again and again for years to come.

Well worth purchasing and reading. The book is clear and easy to read. Paul's ability to clearly convey everything from the simple to complex in an easy to understand way shines throughout, not only through his precise explanations, but through the brilliant illustrations of Sophie Manham, which work together so well to explain what is being taught and how the mechanisms of the principles work, something I have not seen in other books before. As with anything to do with the Internal Arts, it would be easy to gloss over the basics and not fully appreciate how important they are. This book introduces the very basic principles and works its way up to the complex, making clear the importance of practising each step and how each one of the given principles should be worked into the body and fully integrated before moving onto the next. You can easily read the text in one day, but the content detailed is enough to keep anyone (both beginners and advanced practitioners) busy for many years, which makes this one of those essential books that you pick up time and time again. I'm glad I've bought The Tai Chi Space and it will definitely be a book I will suggest to my students to purchase too.

The clearest book on how to move in tai chi and how to maximise the benefits from tai chi practice that I have encountered

This is an excellent book which gives ideas for improving your experience (not just intellectual understanding) of Tai Chi. What is so good about this book is that these ideas are given in the form of images & mechanical models (sounds dry but makes the ideas more understandable / graspable). It then leads you through the process of bringing each idea / image / mechanism into your body and then into your form. I would recommend this book without hesitation. You can see this man is an experienced teacher.

A very well written book on the basics of Taiji and much needed. Just dealing with basic posture and movement which is the bedrock of any taiji practice.

Helps a lot with my qigong, taichi practice. It's easy to digest, with pictures to demonstrate the poses. Very easy to read and understand. There is a lot of depth in what looks like 'simplistic' moves. I read it twice and will go through over it again and again. Highly recommend it!

I am in two minds about this. I find it very useful to focus on the essential internal aspects - in this respect its brevity is a plus. However, there is effectively great repetition, and some aspects are really not helpful. I am reminded of a (Monty Python?) skit about Blue Peter, where they tell you how to play the flute "Well, you hold it in one hand, and then move the other up and down covering the holes" (or similar!) That is depth of treatment in some cases. Overall, I do keep referring to it to keep my mind focused on the essentials.

What a fantastic book explaining how to stand, move and be when practicing either Tai Chi or Qigong. I've got a lot of Qigong books but none of them is so thorough and precise and explains everything in such great details. The illustrations by Sophie Manham are beautiful and compliment Paul's descriptions very well. As Paul writes, without the five principles, Tai Chi and Qigong forms cannot really be considered internal. I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone practicing Tai Chi or Qigong. Get it now.

Paul Cavel has written a nice straight to the point list and explanation of subtle details one ought to focus on, one by one, to refine one's taichi (tajiji) qigong basic skills training [ 太极氣功基本功 训练 ]. 42 fundamental principles divided under 3 major topics: Part 1Fundamental principles, Part 2 internal principles, and Part 3 Deeper principles -- that should aid in making the movements more than just a good physical training, and aid in taking the training deeper into the basic fundamental heart of what makes taiji qigong different from other types of physical exercise. Details of 42 principles that are often not covered or only covered lightly in most online or DVD taiji or qigong videos. Paul has a talent for describing his points in a simple clear easy to understand manner. A big help especially if you do not live where you have easy access to a skilled teacher. Recommended.

There are many books that describe the mechanical movements of either Tai Chi or Chi Gong. This book provides the metaphors for connecting with internal energies. It is a great companion book for the works of Bruce Frantcis and others.

An ideal companion book for Bruce's 'Health for Life' (Tai Chi) Book! It begins where the other ends; resp. they complete each other! Dedicated and Very Detailed! Maybe in a further edition they can combine?!

Excellent book for both beginners and more experienced practitioners. Clear concise explanations of concepts and practices which guide a beginner and serve as an excellent checklist for guiding any level of practice on an ongoing basis.

Best of the beginner books. Excellent instruction with simple illustrations. For a first book, this is the one!