Tai Chi for in between: “With the help of my new audio CD, you can completely ‘renew’ yourself in short breaks!”

"Confucius once said: 'If you intend to renew yourself, then do it every day.' If we integrate Tai Chi exercises into our hectic everyday lives, we will find our center and can master all challenges with new composure and energy. The audio instructions on the CD serve as an ideal 'cheat sheet' until we have completely internalized the exercise sequences, and offer helpful imaginations." The well-known Tai Chi teacher Barbara Reik , author of the compact guide and the new audio CD "Tai Chi for in between" , sees Tai Chi, Qi Gong and meditation as a wonderful way to do something good for yourself in short breaks and to face all stress with a pleasant balance.

Following the compact guide "Tai Chi for in-between times", the audio CD of the same name with exercises and relaxation meditation is now being released as a supplement. Can the audio exercises also be used independently, or is reading the book required?

Barbara Reik: It is certainly possible to use the CD on your own. However, you will find relaxed practice and positive results more quickly and more reliably if you have previously attended a seminar or course with a trained teacher. The best way to supplement this is with my pocket guide "Tai Chi for in-between times". You can simply read up on any questions that arise, find tips and illustrations that make practice easier and help to eliminate sources of error.

The holistic relaxation program is designed to bring peace, serenity and well-being back into everyday life. How can the demanding exercises of Tai Chi and Qi Gong be integrated into the often completely planned daily routine?

Barbara Reik: By using the time between activities, the breaks, even if they are very short. Not for a cigarette or a little nap, but rather for exercises for well-being and relaxation. On the CD and in the book there are series of exercises for which ten minutes are completely sufficient. However, it is important to learn the exercises beforehand. And you can also do the dream journey to relax on a long train journey, for example. But definitely not while driving! My tip for combating tiredness when your schedule is full: sit down comfortably, take a look at the picture of the monad (the yin and yang symbol) in the booklet, and then close your eyes. Let the images of the fantasy journey appear before your "inner eye", or think of your own beautiful moments by the water. After a few minutes, open your eyes, breathe deeply, are wide awake and notice a new, good feeling. Over time, you will no longer need the picture of the monad as an aid.

What are the benefits of ancient Far Eastern therapeutic gymnastics, and which health problems can be effectively treated with it?

Barbara Reik: Since the movements are easy to perform and easy to learn even for those who are not physically fit, Tai Chi and Qi Gong are ideal for people who are stressed out in everyday life. The health benefits are extremely varied. If done correctly, posture, mobility, breathing and the ability to concentrate are all improved. The exercises also relieve cardiovascular problems and nervousness, so they are ideal for the "ailments" of everyday stress.

You also enrich your numerous courses and seminars with imaginations and elements from the theater. Which techniques and influences have you had particularly good experiences with?

Barbara Reik: In the theater, you "act", and it is precisely this playfulness that makes you free and relaxed, relieves tension and opens the door to new experiences. In the case of Tai Chi, these are "physical experiences". Perceiving these makes practicing easier. Understanding and the "aha effect" also come more quickly. We know this from children: they don't ask for long questions, but simply sense new feelings and changes. Acting also offers us original ways of getting to know our own breathing and using it sensibly. Then, when we practice Tai Chi and Qi Gong, it flows all by itself, without us "doing anything". We can also use our imagination for visualizations and thus make it easier for us to retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Positive images convey positive feelings, and these make it easier to relax. It also causes the release of happiness hormones.

Why is it so important to master the movement sequences of the individual exercises, and what advantages does the audio book offer?

Barbara Reik: Confucius once said: "In all things, success depends on preparation." To prepare well, you need time and peace and quiet. I don't have either of these in a packed day at work. That's why it's a good idea to learn the exercises at a quiet time, such as at the weekend. Only when you have mastered the processes will you get to the essence. Because if you first have to think about what to do, it stops you from "sensing and feeling" and disrupts the flow of the exercise. The audio book helps like a "cheat sheet" until the exercises have been internalized, your own imaginations have emerged and you have found your own individual exercise pace. With the audio book, you can let go and enjoy!

The audio CD, which is also available for download, contains Tai Chi exercises that recreate the form of the Five Elements. What does this mean?

Barbara Reik: In traditional Chinese medicine, all aspects of life are based on the teaching of the five elements, also known as phases of change. These are related to the organs, the whole body, the emotions, but also to nature, the seasons, the cardinal directions, in other words to life as a whole. The elements water, wood, fire, earth and metal are connected to one another in different ways. In the exercise example, they are in the "supporting cycle", also known as the Sheng cycle. Therefore, the exercise parts must be carried out in the order described.

You took on the task of recording the lyrics of the CD yourself. Is there a particular reason for this?

Barbara Reik: Yes, there is. The decisive factor was the fantasy journey: In my courses and seminars, I often offer "passive relaxation", i.e. meditation, alongside Tai Chi and Qi Gong. These are very popular, and I have repeatedly received feedback that the participants were able to relax very well thanks to the tone of my voice. There was a request as to whether they could "take me and my texts home with them and put them by their bed" to help them sleep better. I think that this wish can easily be fulfilled with my CD!

You like to use the old term “Middle Kingdom”. What does this expression mean in your program, and what role does “your own center” play in it?

Barbara Reik: Qi Gong and Tai Chi exercises were developed in ancient China, which at that time saw itself as the "Middle Kingdom" due to its historical worldview. For me, the term means "my center" in a figurative sense. The center that we orient ourselves towards and that we seek when we are out of balance and are beside ourselves, headless or "unbalanced". If I have a "calm center" in my center, then I can retreat there at any time, reorient myself and calmly carry on with my day. The images associated with today's China have little in common with it. Rather, the wisdom of the old Chinese masters Lao Tzu and Confucius. I would like to quote the latter: "If you have the intention to renew yourself, do it every day." I hope that my CD can contribute to this! Enjoy practicing and relaxing!

Audiobook tip :
Barbara Reik: Tai Chi for in between. Audio CD. Audio exercises and relaxation mediation. Mankau Verlag 2018, total running time approx. 51 minutes, 8-page booklet, 12.95 euros (RRP), ISBN 978-3-86374-477-9.

Book tip:
Barbara Reik: Tai Chi for in between. Compact guide. New energy through simple exercises. Mankau Verlag 2017, paperback, full color, 11.5 x 16.5 cm, 127 pages, 8.99 euros (D) / 9.20 euros (A), ISBN 978-3-86374-377-2.

Link recommendations:
More information about the audio CD "Tai Chi for in between"
More information about the guidebook "Tai Chi for in between"
To the reading sample in PDF format
More about Barbara Reik
To the Internet forum with Barbara Reik