The art of Tai Chi Chuan can be called a "moving mediation" or a "joint yoga." The basic practice involves balance and body structure during continuous movement. All of the Chinese internal martial arts grew out of Taoist tradition. In this approach, practices also include standing and moving meditation, Qi Gung (Chi Kung), circle walking, breathing and other kung fu practices.

Meditation - even the moving mediation of the Chinese Internal martial arts derived from Taoist practice - has been reported to physically change the brain -- especially the parts of the brain associated with learning and memory. Other changes to the brain associated with anxiety and stress. The emotional and physical changes that seem to be associated with meditation are foundations for various other practices in the Chinese internal martial arts.In part, this is because the training allows a person to circumvent basic reactions, including flight or fight responses, Improved coordination, motor skills, concentration and a variety of other benefits.

These features should take the Chinese internal martial arts down a very different path than their external martial art counterparts, such as Shaolin kung Fu. However, many teachers present these internal martial arts in a way that compromises or changes this path. External martial arts require much less explanation and usually take a more saleable approach.

The practice of internal kung fu is closely tied to standing mediation. Standing meditation is a core Taoist practice. Standing mediation is also a core practice of Xingyi Quan, but it is practiced in Tai Chi Chuan and Baguazhang as well. The practice of standing has a component that cultivates stillness. Stillness of this sort may be most familiar as the preliminary stage in Japanese Kendo swordplay, but similar stillness practices are used in many martial arts to develop sensitivity and other important skills.

It is initially counter-intuitive that standing should be a key practice in a any physical activity, especially a martial art. Nonetheless, standing mediation is a key foundatioal practice of Xingyiquan and Taijiquan.

Xingyiquan has been employed on the battlefield since about 1100 AD (and even into the Twentieth Century as unarmed combat training for various Chinese armies). Baguazhang remains in use by badyguards and clearly an effective martial arts style. The popularity of Tai Chi Chuan as a health exercise complicates evaluating the generic practice as a martial art, but Taijiquan ideveloped its reputation as a formidible martial art before gaining reknown as a health exercise.