At many parks across the US and around the world one can find groups or individuals moving slowly, striking poses and waving their hands about. Some may be dancing, others contemplating life, but a vast majority are practicing the art of Taiji (sometimes spelled Taiji or T’ai Chi). In a June 2023 article, The New York Times wrote “With around 250 million practitioners around the globe, Taiji is often cited as one of the world's most popular physical activities.”
Although Taiji is such a popular activity, very few understand how deep the practice can become or how integrated into one's life it can be. And when a book professes to give inner secrets to this mysterious art, it sets expectations high. In Inner Secrets - Discovering T’ai Chi’s Hidden Lessons for Preservation, Protection, and Peace of Mind, author William Donnelly exceeds those expectations. He shares wisdom that connects t’ai chi practice to everyday life. From those only curious about Taiji to advanced practitioners, all will find useful insights inside this book.
As he writes in the introduction, “The book is about T’ai Chi but more than that, it’s about everything I’ve learned about life through the practice of this art.” What a life he has led. Donnelly has been practicing Taiji for over twenty-five years. He teaches the philosophical, health, and martial elements of the art. He has been invited to present at workshops and speaking events around the New York area and is a frequent demonstrator at World Taiji day events. He continues to teach traditional Taiji and apply its lessons to conflict resolution, life, and business strategies. Outside of Taiji, Donnelly plays in a band and has been a managing consultant for leading private banks, wealth management and fiduciary executives serving their wealthiest clients for over 20 years.
Inner Secrets doesn’t reveal secret details of the forms or the physical nuances of practicing Taiji. Donnelly admits there are many authors with more skill who have books on that topic. “What I offer here is not how we should practice an art like T’ai Chi, but rather why. Why should someone consider this path - a longer and more demanding path than most - over other forms of exercise or self-defense”
Donnelly delivers on his offer. He not only gives pointed insights to common questions about art and its significance, he writes in a conversational tone that feels more like listening to a good friend than reading academic answers from a textbook. He shares his knowledge on a wide variety of topics with researched information and relates it to his own personal experiences and everyday activities. Each chapter is nicely summed up by an “inspiration for practice” call out box. The inspirations give the reader concrete actions they can take to experience the benefits of Taiji in their lives.
The book starts by showing how Taiji is more than a dance-like exercise seen in the park and connects it to Daoism, a philosophy and religion that has shaped China for over two thousand years. It also connects Taiji to the I Ching or Book of Changes which is a divination text from 1122 BCE that explains how the forces of nature interact. These connections build the foundation for meaningful Taiji practice. A foundation that gives a method to be one with nature and resolve conflicts.
Inner Secrets maps out a path for practicing Taiji in a progressive manner. The form is practiced slowly and methodically. Your progress should be the same. Take the time to enjoy every step of the way. This is great advice for beginners and longtime practitioners alike. Donnelly dives into different ways to slow down, gain patience and enrich every day. Through his own experiences, he provides interesting anecdotes of how he has applied lessons from his training to achieve calm and understanding when confronted with crises. With each story, he shares methods, both from Taiji, general Daoist philosophy, and natural occurrences that the reader can use to help them confront a large variety of stressful situations.
Of course, a book on Taiji secrets would not be complete without touching on martial applications. While Donnelly doesn’t deal with the mechanics of fight science, he shows how the movements and philosophies of Taiji dictate the flow of a hostile confrontation and how the meditative practice of Taiji can calm nerves and allow the mind and body to function freely without stress. He vividly illustrates these results with anecdotes and examples. He embraces combat applications as a way to pressure test your training and writes, “When your inner world is in order, you can better respond to external conflict as the world spins around you.”
For anyone who has seen Taiji and wonders what it is or why so many people do it, they should read Inner Secrets. They will gain an insight few people have on why Taiji is important and how it can enrich their lives. Donnelly’s writing style will keep them reading to the end and may inspire them to seek out a teacher and begin practicing.
For those who are currently practicing, Inner Secrets will either deepen their practice and connect it to their life outside of practice or, for others, it will confirm what they already know and serve as a reminder to keep vigilant in their practice. Donnelly covers a large variety of Taiji connections in such a practical way that even the most advanced practitioner should find value in reading this book.
In the last inspiration for practice box, he writes: “Use your practice time to explore a different way of moving, or a different rhythm, or a different emphasis. You don’t need to adopt these explorations as a permanent way of doing things, but in exploring, you discover what does or doesn’t work. You’ll naturally discover your own subtle form of expression. That is the art in martial arts.”
Learn why Taiji can be important to living. Discover an art that can unleash an elevated level of expression. Inner Secrets can reveal the way.
Available now: Inner Secrets - Discovering T’ai Chi’s Hidden Lessons for Preservation, Protection, and Peace of Mind by William Donnelly
