Tai Chi isn’t a commonly known form of martial arts that is practiced to build confidence, stamina, and physical strength. Instead, it is one of the oldest Chinese discipline that is believed to have originated way earlier than the principles of yoga. This form of martial arts is practiced for defense training and various health benefits and it comprises of slow, mindful, meditative patterns and full-body energy that comes from standing postures and movements. Despite all that, it’s never been very popular. However, that didn’t stop Nima Syangdo Lama from taking it up. He has been learning Tai Chi for years now and currently even teaches this martial art form to those seriously interested in learning it.
Lama was initially interested in Wushu, a martial art and full-contact sport that his uncle used to practice every single day when Lama was growing up. He really wanted to be like his uncle, to be able to move like him. Then, at the age of 14, he started formal training at the Nepal Wushu Association. After regularly training for the next two years, he had to give up Wushu to be able to give more time to his studies. “Giving up the sport was hard but I had to because studies were important too,” he shares.
Later, after completing his schooling, Lama again took up some martial arts classes. It was after this that he received multiple opportunities to participate in various tournaments including the Asian games and the SAARC selections. He also went on to receive a diploma in Wushu from the Nepal Wushu Association.
82 per cent work under Lumbini Master Plan completed
It was when he was training for the tournaments that Lama fell severely ill and had to take a break from all the practice sessions. According to Lama, none of the treatments he underwent made him better. It was then that he heard about Tai Chi and its healing benefits from his seniors and started practicing it. Since he was a certified Wushu practitioner and had also trained in various forms of martial arts, it was not that difficult for him to understand the moves and techniques of Tai Chi. “Gradually, I noticed improvement in my health,” he says adding that he hasn’t stopped practicing it ever since.
However, learning Tai Chi in Nepal proved to be difficult. There were no certified trainers and he eventually had to travel to China to learn more. Once there, he enrolled in Tai Chi classes where, along with physical healing, he was also taught to deal with stress, anxiety, and other types of emotional sufferings. After the completion of the course, he came back to Nepal because he wanted to teach Tai Chi to those in need of it, just like he had been mere months earlier. He plans to embark on a year-long intensive training at a professional Tai Chi temple in China later this year.
For now, Lama teaches Tai Chi at various schools and hospitals in Kathmandu. He also started a movement to control drug addiction through Tai Chi. Many youth-oriented clubs have appreciated his concept because of which he often gets invited to different seminars where he has to talk to those looking to come out of addiction. He has also started a research program to delve into the effectiveness of Tai Chi in the reduction of mental and emotional stress. Under the research, he also taught people some stress-reducing techniques of Tai Chi. While many claimed that it was very useful at times of distress, some actually had a hard time believing in and implementing the concept.
“Tai Chi requires dedication, patience, and regular practice for quite a long length of time. Also, one needs to be passionate about it and believe in what they are doing. Only then will you be able to see positive changes in your body,” he says adding that otherwise it can feel boring and mundane.
It’s Lama’s love for Tai Chi that has been able to bring about transformations in him. From the intensive practice sessions to hours of meditation, Lama loves and enjoys everything related to Tai Chi. He says it has now become an integral part of his life so much so that he believes life will lose its meaning if he’s not able to practice it for some reason. He fondly recalls a time when he helped a cancer patient regain his strength after going through almost all levels of chemotherapy.
“When we first began, he could not even lift two water bottles at once. But one day he called me and told me that he was able to carry a jar of water with ease,” shares Lama adding that while it was an overwhelming moment for him, he also feels the pressure to be able to convince people to take up Tai Chi for their own benefit.
But Lama is determined to give it all he’s got. He feels people will believe in the power of Tai Chi when they are open to experiencing it themselves by first taking it up and he will try his best to make that happen. For now, he is just glad that he gets to pursue it with single-minded dedication and determination because his family finally accepts the fact that Tai Chi is an inseparable part of who he is.
