Tai Chi and Qi Gong for Balance and Stability: Benefits, Exercises, and How to Get Started
Issue No. 3: Words from the Wise
Words + Illustration - Singha Hon
What is Tai Chi and Qi Gong?
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are ancient practices that focus on cultivating the Qi, sometimes described as life energy. Both practices focus their movements on regeneration, relaxation, and stability. Tai Chi warms your body and has a martial art element to it, while Qi Gong is solely for regeneration and wellness.
Tai Chi and Qi Gong are recommended for older adults to prevent falls and improve stability. They’re accessible for people with health conditions or limited mobility because they’re low impact and can be done anywhere.
Popular Tai Chi and Qi Gong and Exercises
Jade Maiden Asana
Jade Maiden Asana is the most ‘advanced’ of the poses, though they’re all approachable at any level. It’s a 1,200-year-old pose that comes from the Qi Gong lineage of the Feminine Sacred Dance. It’s good for the nervous system and for calming the heart.
The Playing Pei-Pa
The Playing Pei-Pa is a pose used in both Qi Gong and Tai Chi that is good for circulation. The Pei-pa is a Chinese string instrument, so the pose draws on how one might hold the instrument while playing.
Hugging a Tree
Hugging a Tree is one of the oldest Qi Gong poses - possibly 3,000 years old. The movement is to hold your arms out and gently sink into the pose with your knees bent. If needed for support, you can even hold onto a tree! This pose is aimed at restoring energy. For this pose, imagine absorbing energy through your pores and breathing through your whole body like a tree.
About the Artist and Author
Singha Hon is an artist, educator, and illustrator from New York City. Her work is inspired by nature, dreams, mythology, and community.
She was the 2019-2020 Storefront Artist in Residence at The W.O.W. Project in 2019 and continued to work with them through the Creatives Rebuild Artist Employment Program through 2022 to 2024 as a teaching artist. She was the 2024-2025 Public Artist in Residence at the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Racial Justice in partnership with the Department of Cultural Affairs, and a 2025 Creative Catalyst Fellow through the AAPI Fund.
She has created public art installations and murals across New York through collaborations with The Waterfront Alliance, Abrons Art Center, and more.
