T’ai Chi has its own lingo, like any other practice. The terms in the following list represent the basic concepts you need to know to enhance your practice of T’ai Chi:
Chi: Otherwise known as "life energy," chi is the life force that pulses through your body and keeps you vital. Blocked chi can cause sickness or unhappiness.
Meridians: Also known as "energy pathways," these are the streets, roads, and byways in your body through which energy flows. These pathways can get "kinked" from poor health and stress and, therefore, can block energy from flowing through your body.
Dan Tien: Literally meaning "elixir field," this area is located approximately between your navel and pubic bone and is a storehouse of body energy.
Yin and yang: The terms for opposites that are opposing, yet complementary. A concept used throughout all of T’ai Chi and Qigong.