Serenity Tai Chi and Fitness

Wuji (also known as Wu Chi) is a foundational stance used at the beginning and end of movements. It can also serve as a standalone practice for standing meditation. Proper body alignment ensures a smooth flow of energy.

Body Alignment

In Wuji stance, your weight is evenly distributed between both feet. Your knees should be slightly bent, not locked. Tilt your pelvis backward slightly to bring your tailbone forward. Maintain an open space under your armpits and keep your back straight. Align your ears with your shoulders, hips, and ankles. Rest your tongue gently on the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.

Purpose of Wuji

This stance helps clear the mind and focus attention on the lower dantian. It facilitates deep, steady breathing, releases tension from the body and mind, and fosters a sense of grounding and connection to the earth.

Practicing Wuji

Initially, Wu Chi may feel unfamiliar or awkward. With practice, it becomes more natural and comfortable. Don’t rush to perfect it—relax into the process.

A useful approach is to practice the upright position while seated. Sit on the edge of a chair, balance on your seat bones, and gently roll your hips forward and back to find equilibrium. Focus on your lower back muscles and allow yourself to sink into your pelvis. This creates a sensation of widening and softening in the lower back. Relax your glutes, sit upright, and gently elongate your neck without forcing it. Imagine a fine thread lifting the top of your head, which subtly lowers your chin and raises the crown of your head.

Take a few deep breaths in this seated posture. If it feels comfortable, fold your hands over your dantian and breathe into it. Notice how you feel physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Transitioning to Standing Wuji

Once you are comfortable seated, begin practicing in a standing position. While Wuji is traditionally a standing stance, sitting offers a valuable way to develop alignment, particularly for those with physical discomfort.

Both seated and standing Wuji integrate body position, breath, mental focus, and visualization. These elements include:

• Posture: Feet shoulder-width apart, either parallel or with toes slightly pointed outward. In a seated position, keep hips and knees at roughly 90-degree angles.
• Head Position: The crown gently lifts toward the sky, with the chin slightly lowered.
• Gaze: Soft and slightly downward, or eyes closed if preferred and safe.
• Tongue Placement: Resting gently against the roof of the mouth behind the teeth.
• Neck & Shoulders: Relaxed, with shoulders naturally sinking.
• Arms & Hands: Arms relaxed and slightly away from the body, as if holding a small ball under each armpit. Hands remain relaxed, with fingers slightly apart. In a seated position, hands rest on the thighs while maintaining space under the armpits.
• Breathing: Deep, steady abdominal (dantian) breathing.
• Hips & Knees: Relaxed pelvis, with sacrum sinking downward. Knees should not be locked. In a seated stance, the weight remains on the seat bones.
• Feet & Weight Distribution: Standing, the weight is evenly distributed, with slight pressure on the outer edges of the feet due to the natural arch. When seated in balance, the legs and thighs may feel light or weightless.

Relaxation & Mindfulness

Relaxation is key—you cannot force this stance. Release both physical and mental tension. Let go of daily worries, even briefly. If standing in a long line at a store, instead of feeling frustrated, take the opportunity to practice or visualize Wuji.

Although Wuji may appear simple from the outside, it involves a deep internal process. Whilst a teacher can guide you through the posture, the experience is personal and unique to each practitioner. As you explore the stance, you may experience moments of lightness and balance—what I call a ‘bliss moment.’ It may be fleeting, leaving you wondering, Was that it? Don’t chase the feeling; simply acknowledge it with a smile. Chances are, that was indeed your moment of bliss.

Over time, finding and maintaining this state becomes more natural.

Here is a video that may help you in your Wuji practice

Enjoy Your Practice