Regardless of the style of Tai Chi one practices the principles and philosophy are the same. These basic principles are but a few of the principles that one should incorporate into the Tai Chi movements. It is putting the principles in the movements where one achieves Tai Chi's legendary benefits.
1) Always stretch and warmup before practice
2) Check your posture
3) Check feet, all 10 toes and both heels should be touching the ground unless otherwise specified
4) Sink weight through the bubbling well point on the bottom of the feet
5) Relax and sink waist
6) Don't lean in any direction
7) Drop and relax elbows
8) Sink shoulders, rolled slightly forward
9) Keep wrists and hands relaxed yet firm (not limp)
10) Keep the head suspended as if by a string from above
11) Use eyes to look and gaze at the yang hand
12) Always walk and move slowly and gently as if on thin ice
13) Breathe deeply, smoothly and evenly, never forcing or holding the breath
14) Breathe in and out of the nose
15) Keep mouth lightly closed, teeth slightly touching and touch the tip of the tongue to the roof of the mouth
16) Casually read and apply Tai Chi Classics to the Tai Chi form and movements regardless of the style
17) relax, relax, relax
18) Take your time and do Tai Chi very slow, the slower the better
19) Practice stretching, standing meditation, Tai Chi 24 or 108 form and Push Hands as often as possible with as many people as possible
20) Coordinate the movement to the breath, not the breath to the movement, just relax and never force or hold the breath
21) Always keep arms, legs and torso, curved and circular, never rigid or fully extending any of the joints of the body
22) If you have any questions ask a qualified instructor
23) Step heel to toe when moving forward
24) Step toe to heel when walking backwards
25) Research Tai Chi (Taiji) as often as possible, learn from whatever sources help your progress, whether it be books, videos, seminars or teachers. Always discriminate correctly and see if the source is teaching according to the Tai Chi Classics, if they do not teach according to the classics, it is not Tai Chi
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This list is just a few of the beginning principles, there are many more, take your time and learn at your own pace implementing the principles into your movements, and you are assured to become quite proficient in the beautiful art of Tai Chi Chuan.
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Tai Chi Chuan (Taijiquan) 13 Postures
5 Elements
1) Advance
2) Retreat
3) Look to Right
4) Beware of Left
5) Central Equilibrium
8 Trigrams
6) Wardoff
7) Rollback
8) Press (Squeeze)
9) Push
10) Elbow
11) Bump
12) Pluck
13) Split
