Practicing the 16-Posture Before Heaven Taijiquan Form with the Taiji Ruler

 In this video, I’m demonstrating a way of training that combines two of our main practices: the 16-Posture Before Heaven Taiji Form and the Taiji Ruler.

On the left side of the screen, I perform the Before Heaven 16-Posture Taijiquan Form in its standard empty-hand version. On the right side, I perform the same stepping pattern, weight shifts, timing, and posture stances, but with the Taiji Ruler incorporated into the movements. Both sides are synchronized to the same Bung-Da rhythm, counting, and music so that the similarities and differences between the two approaches can be seen clearly.

Practicing in this way allows the two systems to support and further train one another.

For students who already know the 16-Posture Before Heaven Form, have completed the Taiji Ruler training, or have been taking my weekly Qigong and meditation classes, this combined practice can be learned through private lessons for anyone who is interested.

Why Practice the Form with the Taiji Ruler?

One of the things that becomes clear when studying the Taiji Ruler tradition is that the ruler is not a prop. It is a training tool designed to encourage specific qualities of movement, awareness, and relaxation.

The ruler creates a constant point of contact between the hands and the center of the palms, helping maintain awareness throughout the practice. Traditional teachings place particular importance on the ruler's rounded ends resting against the center of the palms, providing gentle stimulation of the Dragon and Tiger Qi Centers in the palms of the hands. It is also an excellent means of developing the intrinsic energy of Sticky Hands.

This simple ( light) contact changes the experience of movement. Rather than allowing the hands to drift independently, the ruler encourages continuity, symmetry, and connection between the left and right sides of the body. It helps you recognize unnecessary tension and makes it easier to maintain an integrated structure.

The ruler also provides immediate feedback. If the shoulders become tense, the wrists collapse, the movement becomes uneven, or excessive force is introduced, the practitioner can often feel the change instantly through the ruler itself. In this way, the ruler becomes a tool for self-observation and refinement.

Continuous Circular Movement

A major theme found throughout traditional Taiji Ruler training is the importance of continuous movement.

Rather than emphasizing isolated motions, the practice encourages circularity, flow, and uninterrupted transitions. The swaying and revolving patterns of the ruler naturally promote smooth, connected movement throughout the body.

This emphasis on circular motion aligns closely with broader Taijiquan and Qigong principles. The goal is not muscular exertion or resistance training, but rather the cultivation of relaxation, coordination, and continuity.

Traditional teachings repeatedly emphasize natural movement over forceful effort. Rather than trying to manipulate breath, force energy, or impose rigid structure, practitioners are encouraged to allow movement to create its own natural circulation and internal connection.

A Bridge Between Taijiquan and Qigong

What makes this combined practice particularly interesting is that it creates a bridge between Taijiquan and Qigong.

The lower-body mechanics remain essentially unchanged. The stepping patterns, weight shifts, balance transitions, and timing continue to follow the structure of the 16-Posture Before Heaven Form.

At the same time, the upper body takes on many of the qualities emphasized in Taiji Ruler training:

• Continuous circular movement

• Relaxation and softness

• Awareness of the center of the palms

• Coordinated movement of the arms and torso

• A strong emphasis on the Four Phases of Breathing and Master Liang’s teachings of Bung-Da beats for letting go of tension.

Instead of treating Taijiquan and Qigong as separate disciplines, the practitioner begins to experience them as different expressions of the Before Heaven Form.

The form continues to develop balance, structure, rooting, and coordinated movement. The ruler adds another layer of sensitivity, relaxation, and continuous circular action.

Practicing the empty-hand form first and then repeating the same sequence with the ruler creates an opportunity to explore the same movement patterns from a different perspective, so each practice reinforces the other.

One of the greatest benefits of this approach is that it allows students to revisit familiar material while emphasizing different training objectives.

Because the same sequence is being performed, students can directly compare the effects of each approach and begin to discover how the qualities cultivated through ruler practice can enrich their Taijiquan Form, while the structure developed through the solo form can improve their ruler work.

Over time, the two practices begin to feel less like separate systems and more like complementary aspects of a single training method.

Learning This Practice

This combined training method is not part of any formal course and is not currently taught in our regular classes. It is a comprehensive way of integrating principles from the 16-Posture Before Heaven Form and the Taiji Ruler tradition.

Students who already have a foundation in one or both systems can learn this practice through a private online lesson or two. I need the ability to work with you directly to straighten out any issues and guide you through the method.

If you are interested in learning this combined Taijiquan and Taiji Ruler method, private instruction is available through Sanctuary of Tao. Together we can explore how these two traditional practices support and deepen one another while maintaining the natural, relaxed approach that lies at the heart of both systems.

—Patrick