The short answer is we learn how to pay attention to our bodies much more acutely by becoming aware of Tai Chi principles in the body.

Tai Chi has yin and yang, and yin and yang have distinct qualities. Yin has the quality of drawing, absorbing and condensing. Yang has the qualities of projection and expansion.

For the purposes of martial art, in the body we’re concerned with the ligaments, tendons and bones. The bones are neutral, and we have yin muscles and yang muscles. By learning to recognize which muscles are yin, and which yang, we can place our attention on them to balance out the body posture.

This practice improves your physical self awareness moment to moment, and this is Zen. Just be there, fully in this moment.