Meditation in Motion by Larry Costner
Tai Chi is often called “meditation in motion”. It has a well deserved reputation of inducing a pleasant serenity. But the meditative, stress- reducing, and calming effects of Tai Chi aren't some magic outcomes of simply going through the motions of the routine. It's a little bit like the old saw about “What comes first, the chicken or the egg?”
For Tai Chi to have its desired effect, the player must calm himself or herself in two important ways:
#1 Center your thoughts to the present moment, rejecting distractions.
#2 Concentrate your awareness on mechanics of alignment, balance, flexibility, and breathing.
If you have ever studied meditation before, or even read a little bit about it, you know that the above two points are essentially a definition of meditation.
You need concentration and awareness to practice Tai Chi; the practice of Tai Chi enhances one's concentration and awareness. Chicken; egg. Egg; chicken. 
It's not that the motions of the routine induce serenity by magic. Good Tai Tai happens to require the basic ingredients for meditation. Tai Chi's practice fine tunes and exercises these same qualities. The result can be a very pleasant tranquility.
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