Washington, DC, November 10, 2008 - Nowadays almost everyone in this country is feeling the pain from the current economic downturn. You surely have heard a lot of advice from financial experts. Tai Chi, a thousand-year old Chinese mind-body exercise, can help you understand the Yin and Yang of this unprecedented economic crisis and hence develop a unique mental and spiritual perspective to weather this crisis.

Originated from Taoism, Yin Yang is the core philosophical concept behind Tai Chi. Yin and Yang are two opposing yet complementary forces in any phenomenon in the universe. Yin is passive, dark, negative and feminine. Yang is active, light, positive and masculine.

So what is the Yin Yang of the current economic crisis? Gary Jiang, the President of American Tai Chi Association, who has studied Tai Chi and Yin Yang for over two decades, gives an example: "when too many bad sub-prime mortgage loans failed, which is one of the Yin factors in the economic system, it triggered the negative chain reaction in our economic system, and over-powered all the healthy economic practices, which is the Yang, as the capability to originate new mortgages from the banking system diminished."

However, "the delicacy of Yin Yang lies underneath their conflicting surface. They are mutually rooted and transformable, and constantly in dynamic equilibrium", says Jiang.

That is exactly what is happening in the economic circle. Within this extraordinary crisis, many efforts have been taken to counter this crisis - the $700B Rescue Plan, business seizing the opportunity to buy troubled rivals, people starting to live within their means... These are the Yang forces growing inside of the current economic Yin.

Despite the magnitude of this global economic crisis, it is important not to set your eyes just on Yin, which is on the surface. You need to see the Yang under the surface. Bearing such a balanced Yin Yang mindset can mentally help you weather out this economic crisis, and Tai Chi can help you adopt and stay in such mindset.

When you practice Tai Chi, three main components are working together: gentle movements, meditation and deep breathing. Practicing Tai Chi movements can help you experience the transformation between Yin and Yang and hence to frame the Yin Yang mindset. In addition, as numerous scientific studies have shown, Tai Chi is beneficial for the central nervous system, making it especially good for reducing anxiety and depression, as what many people are experiencing in this economic downturn.

With the Yin Yang mindset, you will have the perspective that opportunities for recovery and advancement are growing inside of the crisis itself. And Tai Chi can help you build up that confidence and reduce stress associated with this crisis.

About American Tai Chi Association

American Tai Chi Association (http://www.americantaichi.org) is a national non-profit trade organization based in Washington, DC metro area. For interview request or further questions, please contact Matt Bell, Director of Public Relations, at mbell@AmericanTaiChi.org.