--- product_id: 1702441 title: "The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications)" price: "R1160" currency: ZAR in_stock: true reviews_count: 13 url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1702441-the-harvard-medical-school-guide-to-tai-chi-12-weeks store_origin: ZA region: South Africa --- # The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications) **Price:** R1160 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications) - **How much does it cost?** R1160 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1702441-the-harvard-medical-school-guide-to-tai-chi-12-weeks) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description A longtime teacher and Harvard researcher presents the latest science on the benefits of T’ai Chi as well as a practical daily program for practitioners of all ages Conventional medical science on the Chinese art of T’ai Chi now shows what T’ai Chi masters have known for centuries: regular practice leads to more vigor and flexibility, better balance and mobility, and a sense of well-being. Cutting-edge research from Harvard Medical School also supports the long-standing claims that T’ai Chi also has a beneficial impact on the health of the heart, bones, nerves and muscles, immune system, and the mind. This research provides fascinating insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms that explain how T’ai Chi actually works. Dr. Peter M. Wayne, a longtime T’ai Chi teacher and a researcher at Harvard Medical School, developed and tested protocols similar to the simplified program he includes in this book, which is suited to people of all ages, and can be done in just a few minutes a day. This book includes: • The basic program, illustrated by more than 50 photographs • Practical tips for integrating T’ai Chi into everyday activities • An introduction to the traditional principles of T’ai Chi • Up-to-date summaries of the research on the health benefits of T’ai Chi • How T’ai Chi can enhance work productivity, creativity, and sports performance • And much more Review: Excellent review on Tai Chi research - The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi This book may not be the right book for everyone, but it is exactly what I was looking for. I have been practicing traditional Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu) for the past 30 years. For the past several years, I had been practicing solely Tai Chi Chuan (Chen style), and made an enormous effort to find out why it was call the "Grand Ultimate" by practicing daily and studying many books on the subject written in Chinese. Recently, a few of my friends (mostly middle-aged professionals) asked me to teach them Tai Chi. First I was very skeptical that I would be able to teach such a complicated and esoteric art. Although many people practice and I think only rarely one understands the principles of the Tai Chi classics written by Wong Zungyue, Wu Yuxiang, Chen Xin, and etc. Also, not only difficult to understand, Tai Chi is also risky if one does not practice correctly. From experience, errors in training would lead to bad habits and injury in various parts of the body. At first, I politely refused them and told them I did not have enough knowledge to be a teacher. Around the same time, one of my colleagues, a rheumatologist, told me some of his patients asked him about Tai Chi as a means of rehabilitation. He also showed me an Arthritis Foundation Pamphlet that offers Tai Chi classes. This aroused my interest in finding out more about Tai Chi for health and wellness. Search into the internet first yielded information from the NIH, along with many studies published in Western medical journals; an Australian family doctor with a large enterprise on Tai Chi for health and various different disease conditions, who gives world wide work shops, certifications, and sells books and DVDs. At last, I found this book, "Harvard Medical Guide to Tai Chi" by Dr. Peter Wayne. This ancient fighting art has coming a long way and started to connect with the Western culture. This book may be just what I needed to connect my profession (Western medicine) and my life time passion (Chinese martial arts). I envision teaching a Tai Chi class at work and in the community where I live in. I ordered the book immediately. I was hopeful that this would be the book that would show me the rope. At the same time, I was also very skeptical. Once I received the book, I wrote down the following questions before I started reading: Does it: 1. live up to the big names (Harvard Medical School) and the big promise (12 weeks to a healthy body strong heart and sharp mind)? 2. correlate the ancient martial art to modern science? 3. interpret Tai Chi with the classic Tai Chi principles? 4. describe a safe, easy to learn, and effective program for beginners or patients? First, this must be the first time ever that someone (Dr. Wayne) exhaustively compiled and reviewed the scientific research on the subject of Tai Chi and related mind-body topics. There are over fifty pages of references at the end of the book. This feat alone deserves the big names. This is the most extensive review on the topic of Tai Chi health effects to date. Second, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art. Understanding of this original intention leads to correct practice. Dr. Wayne uses the Western reductionist approach to boil the art down to the modern day emphasis on health and exercise. Although this book did not discuss martial meaning of the movements, sinking of "Kwah' was mentioned many times in his book. To me, this "sinking of kwah" is the most import point in all movements. If this is not done correctly, all other effort would be pointless. Third, I would like to correlate the eight active ingredients with the classic Tai Chi writings. Since these classics were written in simplistic but archaic language (old style Chinese), they are difficult to understand. Fortunately, there are many books written by contemporary masters who had made commentaries. From my experience, a point in the classics is not easy to understand until one experience it physically. Then it confirms my understanding of that point. The following is the correlation of the eight ingredients with the classic Tai Chi terminologies (in Chinese): 1) Awareness, mindfulness, focused attention - 心靜 a calm, concentrated mind is needed to perform the complicated moves, paying attention to every part of the body, in movements and breathing. 2) Intention, belief, expectation - 意 this is the work of the mind (heart) that governs the action. Tai Chi is not like other exercises that simply move the limps without purpose. 3) Dynamic structural integration - 貫串 the strength is transferred from bone to bone, joint to joint smoothly without any wasted energy. Training in Tai Chi will teach one to move in the most energy efficient way. 4) Active relaxation of mind and body - 鬆 the purpose of relaxation is to deliver strength smoothly with out obstacle and stiffness. This requires coordination between agonist (contraction) and antagonist muscle (relaxation). 5) Aerobic exercise musculoskeletal strengthening and flexibility - 勁 True strength is not contraction of a single muscle or movement of a single joint. One moves and all moves synchronously. Core muscle strength will develop from Tai Chi postures. Flexibility will develop from the Tai Chi circular movements which stretch the joints. 6) Natural, freer breathing - 氣 the abdominal breathing is a key feature of meditation, and Tai chi. As we grow up, we pick up bad habits even in basic things such as walking, posture and breathing. Practicing the deep abdominal breathing will rejuvenate us back to infancy (that is, breathe like the infant). 7) Social interaction and community - 師友 this point can be found in the book by Chen Xin, which described to gain knowledge and understanding in Tai Chi, one may seek a teacher or practice with a friend. From my own experience, I learned the basics from my teacher (sifu), and then I practiced push hand with a friend. 8) Spirituality, philosophy and ritual - 神 usually, Chinese philosophy includes references of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. In Tai Chi Chuan is organized according to I Ching and Chinese Medicine. Jin (essence extracted from food and air) converts to Chi (life force that gives function and support of organs), and Chi creates Shen, the liveliness or spirit of the person. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are physical (external yang) and 1, 2, 7, and 8 are psychological (internal ying). Fourth, the program described in the book appears promising. It does not contain the traditional choreographed form but included five Tai Chi movements from the form. To do Tai Chi movement is to move in circles. It is more important for a student to know the circles than to be able to remember set and forms. Too often I've seen people learning forms after forms (24, 48, 64, 108, Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu, Sun, big frame, small frame, slow frame, fast frame and different weapons, etc), without knowing the circles inside. Therefore, I believe knowing the circles will be able one to experience the health effects of Tai Chi. However, reading the book does not replace going to a class and learn from a qualified teacher. A teacher will point out mistakes, where as one may misunderstand a message from a book. My thoughts after reading the book are that this book indeed answered all of my initial questions. Since I practice Chen Style, I have designed a slightly modified program based on this book. I hope to use it in a class for our doctors/hospital employees, a beginning class for the community, and rehabilitation program for patients. I will follow up with the results. Review: Great blend of Tai Chi science and spirituality - I'm an avid Tai Chi practitioner (nine years in, still have a lot to learn) who is loving this book. It was recommended by my Tai Chi teacher who, like Peter Wayne, teaches integrative medicine at the college level. Wayne is an excellent writer. He presents Tai Chi from all angles in his Eight Active Ingredients of Tai Chi model. Seems right on to me. I enjoy Tai Chi for many reasons, physical, mental, social, spiritual (using that term in a non-supernatural sense). I'm open to the farther-out Chinese medicine side of Tai Chi, filled with talk of qi, meridians, subtle energy flows, and such, but don't find that a belief in all this is necessary to enjoy my practice. So I really like how Wayne looks at Tai Chi from both a scientific, rational, research-based point of view, and also from an experiential, intuitive, practice-based point of view. Like Tai Chi and the Taoist philosophy to which it is strongly related, this book harmonizes seeming yin-yang opposites appealingly. I'm only several chapters into the book, but wanted to share a review ASAP because I'm enjoying it so much. I've read quite a few books about Tai Chi, most of which are much more traditional in style and substance. "The Harvard Medical School to Tai Chi" is unique. It will be enjoyed by Tai Chi beginners and old-timers alike, including those who aren't interested in taking a class but still want to explore what Tai Chi has to offer. Wayne presents old concepts and practices in fresh ways. I heartily agree that introducing people to Tai Chi by having them learn a lengthy form (standard sequence of movements) can be intimidating for many. When I started learning Tai Chi, I'd already had about a dozen years of intensive training in karate and another hard style martial art, where I learned many lengthy kata (forms). Yet initially I was baffled by the Tai Chi "24" form, one of the most basic. The moves and transitions are tricky, whether or not someone has done other sorts of movement training before. Thus Wayne's presentation of a Simplified Tai Chi Program, with a focus on simple stand-alone movements, is a great idea. Tai Chi needs to be part of a person's daily life, not just something to be practiced a few times a week in a class. Wayne says that Tai Chi will change the way we pick up heavy objects, walk along a sidewalk, engage in conversation (or an argument) with somebody, and so much else. Absolutely. I've taken up longboarding (on a elongated skateboard) at the age of 64. Reading Wayne's description of "pouring" from one side of the body to the other made me better realize how akin moving on a longboard/skateboard is to Tai Chi movements. Continuously carving in an "S" fashion down an asphalt trail with linked turns on my longboard bears a lot of resemblance to what Wayne calls "pouring." The more fluid we can be, the more like water, the better our Tai Chi becomes. Also, the better our life becomes. Read this book. You will benefit from it. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #58,926 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #43 in Tai Chi & Qi Gong #61 in Exercise Injuries & Rehabilitation #69 in Martial Arts (Books) | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 out of 5 stars 1,062 Reviews | ## Images ![The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71FPiec3ibL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent review on Tai Chi research *by A***N on September 13, 2013* The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi This book may not be the right book for everyone, but it is exactly what I was looking for. I have been practicing traditional Chinese martial arts (Kung Fu) for the past 30 years. For the past several years, I had been practicing solely Tai Chi Chuan (Chen style), and made an enormous effort to find out why it was call the "Grand Ultimate" by practicing daily and studying many books on the subject written in Chinese. Recently, a few of my friends (mostly middle-aged professionals) asked me to teach them Tai Chi. First I was very skeptical that I would be able to teach such a complicated and esoteric art. Although many people practice and I think only rarely one understands the principles of the Tai Chi classics written by Wong Zungyue, Wu Yuxiang, Chen Xin, and etc. Also, not only difficult to understand, Tai Chi is also risky if one does not practice correctly. From experience, errors in training would lead to bad habits and injury in various parts of the body. At first, I politely refused them and told them I did not have enough knowledge to be a teacher. Around the same time, one of my colleagues, a rheumatologist, told me some of his patients asked him about Tai Chi as a means of rehabilitation. He also showed me an Arthritis Foundation Pamphlet that offers Tai Chi classes. This aroused my interest in finding out more about Tai Chi for health and wellness. Search into the internet first yielded information from the NIH, along with many studies published in Western medical journals; an Australian family doctor with a large enterprise on Tai Chi for health and various different disease conditions, who gives world wide work shops, certifications, and sells books and DVDs. At last, I found this book, "Harvard Medical Guide to Tai Chi" by Dr. Peter Wayne. This ancient fighting art has coming a long way and started to connect with the Western culture. This book may be just what I needed to connect my profession (Western medicine) and my life time passion (Chinese martial arts). I envision teaching a Tai Chi class at work and in the community where I live in. I ordered the book immediately. I was hopeful that this would be the book that would show me the rope. At the same time, I was also very skeptical. Once I received the book, I wrote down the following questions before I started reading: Does it: 1. live up to the big names (Harvard Medical School) and the big promise (12 weeks to a healthy body strong heart and sharp mind)? 2. correlate the ancient martial art to modern science? 3. interpret Tai Chi with the classic Tai Chi principles? 4. describe a safe, easy to learn, and effective program for beginners or patients? First, this must be the first time ever that someone (Dr. Wayne) exhaustively compiled and reviewed the scientific research on the subject of Tai Chi and related mind-body topics. There are over fifty pages of references at the end of the book. This feat alone deserves the big names. This is the most extensive review on the topic of Tai Chi health effects to date. Second, Tai Chi Chuan is a martial art. Understanding of this original intention leads to correct practice. Dr. Wayne uses the Western reductionist approach to boil the art down to the modern day emphasis on health and exercise. Although this book did not discuss martial meaning of the movements, sinking of "Kwah' was mentioned many times in his book. To me, this "sinking of kwah" is the most import point in all movements. If this is not done correctly, all other effort would be pointless. Third, I would like to correlate the eight active ingredients with the classic Tai Chi writings. Since these classics were written in simplistic but archaic language (old style Chinese), they are difficult to understand. Fortunately, there are many books written by contemporary masters who had made commentaries. From my experience, a point in the classics is not easy to understand until one experience it physically. Then it confirms my understanding of that point. The following is the correlation of the eight ingredients with the classic Tai Chi terminologies (in Chinese): 1) Awareness, mindfulness, focused attention - 心靜 a calm, concentrated mind is needed to perform the complicated moves, paying attention to every part of the body, in movements and breathing. 2) Intention, belief, expectation - 意 this is the work of the mind (heart) that governs the action. Tai Chi is not like other exercises that simply move the limps without purpose. 3) Dynamic structural integration - 貫串 the strength is transferred from bone to bone, joint to joint smoothly without any wasted energy. Training in Tai Chi will teach one to move in the most energy efficient way. 4) Active relaxation of mind and body - 鬆 the purpose of relaxation is to deliver strength smoothly with out obstacle and stiffness. This requires coordination between agonist (contraction) and antagonist muscle (relaxation). 5) Aerobic exercise musculoskeletal strengthening and flexibility - 勁 True strength is not contraction of a single muscle or movement of a single joint. One moves and all moves synchronously. Core muscle strength will develop from Tai Chi postures. Flexibility will develop from the Tai Chi circular movements which stretch the joints. 6) Natural, freer breathing - 氣 the abdominal breathing is a key feature of meditation, and Tai chi. As we grow up, we pick up bad habits even in basic things such as walking, posture and breathing. Practicing the deep abdominal breathing will rejuvenate us back to infancy (that is, breathe like the infant). 7) Social interaction and community - 師友 this point can be found in the book by Chen Xin, which described to gain knowledge and understanding in Tai Chi, one may seek a teacher or practice with a friend. From my own experience, I learned the basics from my teacher (sifu), and then I practiced push hand with a friend. 8) Spirituality, philosophy and ritual - 神 usually, Chinese philosophy includes references of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. In Tai Chi Chuan is organized according to I Ching and Chinese Medicine. Jin (essence extracted from food and air) converts to Chi (life force that gives function and support of organs), and Chi creates Shen, the liveliness or spirit of the person. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are physical (external yang) and 1, 2, 7, and 8 are psychological (internal ying). Fourth, the program described in the book appears promising. It does not contain the traditional choreographed form but included five Tai Chi movements from the form. To do Tai Chi movement is to move in circles. It is more important for a student to know the circles than to be able to remember set and forms. Too often I've seen people learning forms after forms (24, 48, 64, 108, Chen, Yang, Wu, Wu, Sun, big frame, small frame, slow frame, fast frame and different weapons, etc), without knowing the circles inside. Therefore, I believe knowing the circles will be able one to experience the health effects of Tai Chi. However, reading the book does not replace going to a class and learn from a qualified teacher. A teacher will point out mistakes, where as one may misunderstand a message from a book. My thoughts after reading the book are that this book indeed answered all of my initial questions. Since I practice Chen Style, I have designed a slightly modified program based on this book. I hope to use it in a class for our doctors/hospital employees, a beginning class for the community, and rehabilitation program for patients. I will follow up with the results. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great blend of Tai Chi science and spirituality *by B***S on April 12, 2013* I'm an avid Tai Chi practitioner (nine years in, still have a lot to learn) who is loving this book. It was recommended by my Tai Chi teacher who, like Peter Wayne, teaches integrative medicine at the college level. Wayne is an excellent writer. He presents Tai Chi from all angles in his Eight Active Ingredients of Tai Chi model. Seems right on to me. I enjoy Tai Chi for many reasons, physical, mental, social, spiritual (using that term in a non-supernatural sense). I'm open to the farther-out Chinese medicine side of Tai Chi, filled with talk of qi, meridians, subtle energy flows, and such, but don't find that a belief in all this is necessary to enjoy my practice. So I really like how Wayne looks at Tai Chi from both a scientific, rational, research-based point of view, and also from an experiential, intuitive, practice-based point of view. Like Tai Chi and the Taoist philosophy to which it is strongly related, this book harmonizes seeming yin-yang opposites appealingly. I'm only several chapters into the book, but wanted to share a review ASAP because I'm enjoying it so much. I've read quite a few books about Tai Chi, most of which are much more traditional in style and substance. "The Harvard Medical School to Tai Chi" is unique. It will be enjoyed by Tai Chi beginners and old-timers alike, including those who aren't interested in taking a class but still want to explore what Tai Chi has to offer. Wayne presents old concepts and practices in fresh ways. I heartily agree that introducing people to Tai Chi by having them learn a lengthy form (standard sequence of movements) can be intimidating for many. When I started learning Tai Chi, I'd already had about a dozen years of intensive training in karate and another hard style martial art, where I learned many lengthy kata (forms). Yet initially I was baffled by the Tai Chi "24" form, one of the most basic. The moves and transitions are tricky, whether or not someone has done other sorts of movement training before. Thus Wayne's presentation of a Simplified Tai Chi Program, with a focus on simple stand-alone movements, is a great idea. Tai Chi needs to be part of a person's daily life, not just something to be practiced a few times a week in a class. Wayne says that Tai Chi will change the way we pick up heavy objects, walk along a sidewalk, engage in conversation (or an argument) with somebody, and so much else. Absolutely. I've taken up longboarding (on a elongated skateboard) at the age of 64. Reading Wayne's description of "pouring" from one side of the body to the other made me better realize how akin moving on a longboard/skateboard is to Tai Chi movements. Continuously carving in an "S" fashion down an asphalt trail with linked turns on my longboard bears a lot of resemblance to what Wayne calls "pouring." The more fluid we can be, the more like water, the better our Tai Chi becomes. Also, the better our life becomes. Read this book. You will benefit from it. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent Detailed Reference to Medical Benefits of Tai chi *by C***L on April 14, 2024* This book has it all - history, medical studies, application of tai chi principles, etc. If you ever needed scientific references to convince yourself why tai chi is good for you, this book will fulfill that need. Although movements are shown in the book, it's not the best way to LEARN tai chi movements. You can't really learn how to practice tai chi in three months without an instructor and even then, that is pushing it. Online classes are good if you find the right program. Solid, in-person training can never be replaced by a book and that is why I give the book 4 stars instead of 5. Otherwise, it is worth reading from start to finish. The movements in the book are a good supplement to classroom training. Tai chi is the hardest-easy exercise you will ever do. The benefits are amazing and the author provides solid research to make his point. Buy this book and read it in order. I learned a lot. ## Frequently Bought Together - The Harvard Medical School Guide to Tai Chi: 12 Weeks to a Healthy Body, Strong Heart, and Sharp Mind (Harvard Health Publications) - Pocket Tai Chi for Beginners: Simple Steps to a Healthy Body & Mind - The Complete Book of Tai Chi Chuan: A Comprehensive Guide to the Principles and Practice (Tuttle Martial Arts) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1702441-the-harvard-medical-school-guide-to-tai-chi-12-weeks](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/1702441-the-harvard-medical-school-guide-to-tai-chi-12-weeks) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Africa* *Store origin: ZA* *Last updated: 2026-09-15*