I am somewhat surprised by the amount of correspondence I receive from people who are questioning how the spine should be aligned in Tai Chi Chuan. Often this questioning seems to arise as a result of information provided by  people involved in the fields of medicine, or increasingly those who have undertaken training in personal fitness, and perhaps most pervasively the internet with its plethora of lifestyle and how to blurb.
The matter is perhaps not helped by many early attempts to translate the traditional guidance on posture given in the Tai Chi Classic’s. Therein you may find many wondrous descriptions of ‘Straightening the spine’ and it’s many benefits.

There are two problems with these forms of advice.

1 The spine needs to be allowed to maintain its natural structure in order to perform its many and varied tasks. It needs to change alignment according to the position and activity of the body, but should never be un-natural.

2 Most people who begin Tai Chi training are not aware of what their spine is doing, have little control over it, and almost certainly do not use it correctly in their daily life activities let alone Tai Chi.

Therefore in Tai Chi Chuan practice we have the following tasks to achieve

Building awareness of the alignment, movement, and control of the whole body, including the spine.

Achieving a level of strength, flexibility and fitness which allows the body to maintain correct alignment

Educating the body to move through the various postures with correct alignment, and adjust it according to the movement/posture. 
Natural alignment of the spine that facilitates the posture/movement is a key concept. If you understand it you can understand why the different styles of Tai Chi Chuan use the body differently, yet correctly.

Furthermore, if you take on board the scale of the problem of correct use, against the issues of unfit or inappropriately conditioned practitioners with underdeveloped awareness, you will see why much of the practice is slow.

This is what you should remember and teach

In the Golden Rooster School, Tai Chi Chuan practice involves the correct alignment of the spine to facilitate the optimum bio- mechanical use of the body commensurate with the movement or action undertaken.



Therefore in Single Whip we move the hips to a mid position to lengthen the lower spine, facilitate opening the hips, and align the spine to support the rotation of the waist and issue and consequent absorption of forces through the use of Fa Jin.

One of the marvellous benefits of Chinese Internal Arts is the development of conscious awareness, Indeed it is impossible to practise these arts effectively without developing awareness. The whole point of the Internal Arts is developing your self and your skills consciously. By becoming aware of our body and how we use it,  we increase our ability to tune in to the subtle messages that are always there, reflecting our physical discomfort, stemming from unsympathetic body mechanics, or more simply poor posture. Whether you realise it or not your posture reflects your current psychological state:- 

• We slump when we are tired or depressed, 
  
• Stiffen when threatened
  
• Shrink when frightened
• Expand and Open when feeling good

The Last of these posturers is the one, which at least in Traditional Chinese Medicine, is the most beneficial state for us. When we are open our energy can flow more clearly, Our breathing improves, and we live more fully. It is in the state of 'openess' that we are more receptive to ourselves, our surroundings, and to those we are interacting with, we literally become more conscious of life.

Our internal arts practice teaches us to become aware of ourselves,  observing our posture is one of the keys to a richer life.

Happy practising.
Keith