Benefits of Tai Chi

                                                                                                                By Frank D’Cruz CPA

I suffered from dizziness during the month of May and June. Whenever I stood up, I needed my cane. Where ever I walked, I depended on my cane.

Still hanging dearly to my cane I ventured into the Tai Chi class hosted by Bonnie Birdsall at New Tampa Regional library. The class began with breathing exercises to quiet the mind while sitting in the chair.  Deeply inhale while counting 3, then hold your breath and count 7, later exhale while counting 3.

After the breathing exercises, we rose from our chairs to perform stretching exercises which meant we moved our muscles or ligaments attached to our ankles, feet, shoulders neck, wrist, knees, hips and back. While working on these exercises, we were encouraged to breathe. Not being able to multi task, I found it hard to move and breathe deeply. So I quit the breathing part and focused on just the exercises. Besides, I know how to breathe as I am still around.

Interestingly enough, I felt relaxed and my dizziness started to recede slightly with these exercises. Having soft chanting music playing in the background and half the lights of the room were shut off definitely set the mood for relaxation.

Half way through the class, we began Tai Chi moves. My doctor had recommended I take Tai Chi because it improves balance. Since I felt the remnants of dizziness, I used my cane as I tried the Tai Chi moves. There was no attempt – not even a feeble attempt – on my part to lift my feet while performing the Tai Chi moves.  Many Tai Chi moves requires you to move your balance from right foot to the left foot and vice versa. Some of the moves requires you to kick and punch. I just hung on to my cane and skipped these moves.  But I remembered a couple of these moves.

The class ended with a meditation. We sat upright in the chair with our feet rooted in the ground, hands in our laps, eyes closed and focused on our breath. As the class ended, I felt a warm wash of peace envelop me.

Starting the next morning, I began practicing the couple of Tai Chi moves I had seen in class for about 15 minutes. After a couple of weeks, I upped my practice time to 30 minutes. Gradually, I noticed my balance improve. The more I practiced, the more my cane went from an accessory to an insurance, I carried my cane around in case I experienced a dizzy spell.

After attending the remaining sessions of Tai Chi taught by Bonnie Birdsall at the New Tampa Regional Library, I continued to practice for 30 minutes every day the exercises I learned in class.  My balance improved sharply. The dizziness receded as the balance improved.  Go figure.

The cane is not happy; it is standing dejectedly in the closet.