Rooted: The Foundation Beneath Everything We Do
根深叶茂 (Gēn shēn yè mào), when the roots run deep, the leaves flourish.
By Master Yang Yang, PhD
Every step begins the same way, with the feet, ankles, knees, and hips finding the ground. This is where balance lives, where falls and injuries are most often prevented, and where the body, over the years, either grows steadier or grows more uncertain.
For those living with back pain, this foundation carries extra weight, literally. An uneven stance, a tight ankle, a locked knee: these often surface later as strain higher up in the back, sometimes even disturbing sleep. Working at the root can ease what shows up higher in the chain.
There is a deeper layer here too. Stress does not only live in the mind. It can tighten muscles, block the flow of qi, and heighten how intensely pain is felt, feeding a cycle where stress and pain reinforce each other.
This is a pattern our students have pointed out again and again, in the feet, ankles, and knees especially. Tai Chi and classical Chinese philosophy have long treated the root as the place practice must begin, before anything else is built.
In August, our Saturday online Spine class is going to explore ways to work at the root. The practice can help those living with back pain, and it can help those simply seeking better balance, sleep, and less stress. For the mind, we will contemplate ancient wisdom and work on building steadiness. We will also close with a short clip of push hands practice, a glimpse of what rooting, alignment, control, and efficiency look like in motion.
An invitation
This month, our live Saturday Spine Class turns its focus to the root: awareness, release, alignment, and strength in the feet, ankles, knees, and hips. Whether you live with back pain, feel less certain on your feet than you once did, or simply want to move through your day with more ease, you are welcome to join us. This is the same foundation we studied in our published randomized controlled trial of virtually delivered Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation for chronic low back pain, where participants saw meaningful improvements in pain-related disability and quality of life, along with better sleep.
And if someone you love is struggling with their back, or has begun to move through the world a little more carefully than they used to, consider forwarding this to them. Roots deepen slowly, season by season, but they only begin where someone decides to start.
With warmth,
Master Yang Yang, PhD
Read the full August newsletter here
Browse our newsletter archive here
If you would like to explore these principles in a guided setting, you are welcome to join our weekly classes or in-person training programs.
Explore our Live Online Saturday Spine Class (Fundamentals) → https://waqi.health/chronic-pain-relief
© Master Yang Yang, PhD, June 27, 2026
