Beyond Form: Learning Tai Chi From the Inside Out
by Susan Thompson, Handy Learning (April 2025)
Beyond Form: Learning Tai Chi from the Inside Out invites you to explore a fresh, life-changing approach to Tai Chi. Instead of focusing solely on memorizing external forms and styles, this book helps you discover the internal qualities of Tai Chi that apply to all forms—and, most importantly, to everyday life. By uncovering the deeper, often unseen principles of Tai Chi, you’ll enhance not only your practice but also every aspect of your daily experience.
Tai Chi will no longer feel like a separate exercise confined to brief practice sessions. Instead, it becomes a way of being—a calm, balanced, and insightful approach to navigating life. As you delve into the nuanced, subtle aspects of inner Tai Chi, you’ll see its transformative impact not only on yourself but also on those around you.
Whether you’re new to Tai Chi or have years of experience, Beyond Form: Learning Tai Chi from the Inside Out introduces eight essential internal qualities that will reshape your understanding and enrich your practice:
- Establish a connected, balanced postural structure
- Release tension without collapsing (song)
- Harness your body’s natural tensegrity
- Connect to another person’s fascia through light touch
- Manage and redirect incoming forces effectively
- Find equilibrium through Yin/Yang balance
- Sense and cultivate your Qi energy
- Create tangible external results through awareness and intent
Through relatable stories, clear explanations, and practical exercises, the author demystifies these transformative principles, showing how they can be applied both in Tai Chi practice and everyday life. Free companion videos embedded throughout the book illustrate key concepts, while optional Master Classes provide an interactive, in-depth exploration for those ready to unlock Tai Chi’s full potential.
Written in an approachable, conversational style, Beyond Form invites you to move beyond surface-level mechanics and embody the essence of Tai Chi. Whether you’re just beginning your journey or looking to deepen your understanding, this book offers a meaningful guide to Tai Chi’s inner dimensions and its profound impact on your life.
About the author:
Susan Thompson, OTR is an Occupational Therapist and dedicated Tai Chi instructor. She founded Flowing Mobility Tai Chi to share the health benefits of Tai Chi. She continues to be humbled and blessed to reach hundreds of local students as well as thousands of international students. Susan also offers Tai Chi workshops for physical therapists and individuals interested in deepening their Tai Chi knowledge and skills.
She is a superb teacher who makes Tai Chi accessible to all.
