Tai Chi – Lesson: 9 Closing of the Form

About This Class

Lesson 9 in a progressive Tai Chi series, this class guides practitioners through the complete Tai Chi form for the first time by adding the official "Closing of the Form" to all previously learned sequences. The session opens with a mindful warm-up—neck rolls, shoulder circles, waist circles, ankle rotations, and the "wheel arms" shoulder-and-twist exercise—designed as much to settle the mind as to prepare the body. The instructor revisits core principles such as the Six Harmonies (coordinating shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, wrist, and ankle), weight distribution (rarely 50/50), and the wall-squat alignment cue for the closing squat. The form run-through includes named movements such as Part the Wild Horse's Mane, Parting the Clouds, Rooster Stands on One Leg, Ward Off, Roll Back, Press and Push, and the full closing sequence with arm crosses and a scooping squat. A second silent run-through invites free, meditative flow. The class finishes with the "Golden Rooster workout"—single-leg squats performed facing forward and then sideways—targeting leg strength, glute engagement, and balance. Throughout, the instructor weaves in mindfulness philosophy, encouraging practitioners to silence the inner critic, stay present, and treat the practice as a moving meditation.