What is Agile Tai Chi?
Agile Tai Chi is a work-life framework that unites Agile with Tai Chi, taking its principles from both, and applying the principles of each to the other. Agile Tai Chi is a true melding or unification of Agile and Tai Chi, not a simple combination. A commonly seen image in Chinese art is two fish forming the yin and yang symbol. In Agile Tai Chi, the red fish represents Agile and the black fish represents Tai Chi.
Who Created Agile Tai Chi?
Agile Tai Chi was created by, and continues to be developed by the Agile Tai Chi Council, a not-for-profit body composed of expert practitioners.
What is the purpose of Agile Tai Chi?
The purpose of Agile Tai Chi is, firstly, to help practitioners to learn Agile and Tai Chi principles and ways of learning and working, and, secondly, to help students learn Tai Chi much faster than is possible by following traditional methods.
What is the difference between Tai Chi and Tai Chi Chuan?
Tai Chi is a Chinese philosophical concept relating to the oneness that gave rise to Yin and Yang and the continual change that underlies the nature of existence. Tai Chi Chuan is a famous Chinese martial art that is based on the idea of Tai Chi. Thus, Tai Chi Chuan is a very small subset of Tai Chi.
Why Agile Tai Chi rather than Agile Tai Chi Chuan?
Tai Chi is a much bigger thing than Tai Chi Chuan. The Agile Tai Chi framework can be applied to all aspects of life, including work and personal life, in addition to calisthenics, somatics and self defence. It is therefore called Agile Tai Chi, not Agile Tai Chi Chuan. Agile Tai Chi is focused on productivity, personal growth, the learning organisation and the work-life balance. Agile Tai Chi contains Tai Chi Chuan because it is an adaptive framework, but it contains other adaptive frameworks as well.
Why were other adaptive frameworks included in Agile Tai Chi?
Tai Chi Chuan is an art with an adaptive strategy, commonly known as the “Five Word Secret”. However, it is not particularly adaptive in terms of its strategic model. Thus, Agile Tai Chi incorporates other adaptive approaches as well so that teams and individuals have a wide range of options in tackling any given challenge.
What other adaptive approaches were incorporated into Agile Tai Chi?
In its early development Agile Tai Chi incorporated the approaches known as TPS, One-Piece-Flow, Kanban, Scrum, XP, Tai Chi Chuan, Xing Yi, Baguazhang and Baji. It is important to note that Agile Tai Chi does not switch from one framework to the other – rather it is a true blend of the flavours of all frameworks, or to put it another way, Agile Tai Chi is an adaptive smoothie, not a fruit salad. This adaptivity applies to both strategy and method.
Why combine multiple frameworks into Agile Tai Chi?
The blending of the source frameworks acts like a skeleton key – they serve to unlock a broad scope of application by making sure that multiple perspectives are brought to bear. In more practical terms, all frameworks have weaknesses as well as strengths, and the combined strengths go a long way to compensating for their individual weaknesses. Following Agile principles, we want Agile Tai Chi practitioners to become T shaped and later M shaped, developing depth of skill in multiple areas.
Is there an Agile Tai Chi Manual?
Yes, but it is an advanced manual requiring a solid practical understanding of the underlying principles of Agile Tai Chi. For beginning students we prefer a hands-on mentoring approach rather than book-based learning. You will be presented with a copy of the Agile Tai Chi Manual by your Product Owner when you pass your First Degree Black Sash grading.