In an age dominated by digital distractions, rising adolescent anxiety, and the relentless pressure of academic performance, the solution to student well-being might not be found in a new app or a prescription bottle. Instead, it might be found in the ancient art of moving meditation.
Recently, I sat down with Cari Shurman, an educator with over 50 years of experience and the author of the charming new book, Tai Chi for Kids and the Adults Who Love Them Our conversation revealed a profound truth: by giving children just five to ten minutes a day to “recenter and refocus,” we can fundamentally alter their educational and emotional trajectory.
A Global Journey to the Courtyard of Shenzhen
Cari Shurman’s transition from a traditional classroom teacher to a Tai Chi pioneer didn’t happen overnight. Her journey spanned six countries, including teaching elementary school in Argentina, university in Peru, and art and ceramics in Brazil. However, the “lightbulb moment” occurred in 1991 while she was in Shenzhen, China.
“I saw that the school day started with all of the children doing these movements in the courtyard,” Shurman recalled. “They would follow for about a half an hour and then go to their classes. They paid attention. Then, after 45 minutes, they would get up and do five more minutes of different movements.”
Struck by the focus of 70 children in a single class, Shurman returned to the United States determined to bring that stillness to Western education. While she initially sought out Tai Chi, her teacher introduced her to Qigong. The results were immediate. “In the very first class, I felt a flow of energy—a flow of Qi—in my body that I had never felt in the 20 years I had been doing yoga,” she said.
From Autism to High-Stakes Testing: The Power of Qi
Shurman’s first forays into teaching “Tai Chi for Kids” (a name she chose because “Qigong” was largely unknown in the U.S. at the time) began with children facing significant challenges. She spent two years working one-on-one with two autistic children.
“I couldn’t believe how they improved doing these movements,” Shurman noted. “They both developed self-confidence, which is really the most important thing. If children have self-confidence, they are successful.”
The benefits weren’t limited to neurodivergent students. Shurman shared the story of a high-achieving student who suffered from such severe test anxiety that she was failing her exams. After practicing Qigong, the student began receiving straight A’s. The transformation was so profound that the girl started a Tai Chi club at her school to share the practice with her peers.
Changing the Culture of New York City Schools
The challenge for any wellness program in the American school system is time. Teachers are overworked, and curricula are packed. Understanding this, Shurman developed a model that required no furniture moving and only ten minutes of time.
She eventually brought her program to hundreds of schools within the New York City public school system, training over 1,500 teachers. The feedback was staggering. One fifth-grade teacher reported that after implementing just five minutes of Tai Chi daily, his entire class performed in the top 50% of the school—a first in his career.
“Why is that?” I asked during the interview.
“Because he gave those kids every day five minutes to re-center, refocus, and connect to the earth,” Shurman explained. “When there is confusion and noise in the classroom we Embrace The Tree. The kids love being trees. Trees don’t do a lot, but they root and feel powerful.”
Addressing the Modern Crisis: Anxiety, Depression and Insomnia
The timing of Shurman work is critical. The interview touched on the alarming rise of depression, obesity, and insomnia among children.
Based on CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) 2013-2023, 40% of high school students reported felling so sad and hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in a row that they stopped doing some unusual activities.
In the same CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 77% of high schoolers don’t get enough sleep; National Survey of Children’s Health reports that 34.7 5 of school-aged children aged 6 – 17 do not have sufficient sleep; American Academy of Sleep Medicine reports 9 -10 % of children actually have clinical-level insomnia problems.
Shurman added a chilling statistic: “The greatest increase in the use of prescription drugs for anxiety and depression is among elementary schoolers now.” According to CDC Data Brief: Mental Health Treatment Among Children Aged 5–17 Years (2021), 8.2% of children aged 5–17 had taken prescription medication for their mental health in the past 12 months. Total Therapy Access: 11.5% of children had received counseling or therapy from a mental health professional. Overall Treatment: Approximately 14.9% of children had received any type of mental health treatment (medication, therapy, or both) in the previous year.
Tai Chi offers a non-pharmacological alternative. By using visualization—imagining a “ball of Qi” or becoming a “sleeping lion”—children can quiet the “monkey mind” that keeps them awake. Shurman book even includes QR codes that link to audio guides, helping parents lead their children through bedtime routines that promote deep relaxation.
The Practice: Waking Up the Energy
To demonstrate the simplicity of the practice, Shurman led audience through a brief session during the interview, focusing on four primary movements:
- Waking Up the Energy: A series of rhythmic taps along the “meridians” or energy channels of the body. From the ankles to the chest, this vibration breaks up “stagnant Qi” caused by the stress of the day.
- The Elephant: A flowing movement where children drop their heads and swing their arms like trunks, pulling “water energy” from the earth to their hearts.
- The Bow and Arrow: A movement that involves sinking into a stance and focusing on a target. Shurman notes that for older students, she explains how this movement stimulates the large intestine meridian, potentially aiding digestion.
- Bird’s Beaks: A balancing exercise that encourages the energy to rise to the forehead, improving focus and equilibrium.
I felt relaxed after I followed Cari’s lead. “I’m a Tai Chi instructor myself, but following your voice… it was so good.”
A Legacy for the Future
Now retired from active school tours, Shurman goal is to put Tai Chi for Kids into the hands of every parent, grandparent, and therapist. The book, featuring her own stick-figure drawings that children love to copy, serves as a manual for a healthier generation.
Shurman book is user-friendly. In addition to the appealing drawings, it includes eight chapters, each teaching a different Tai Chi movement. Every movement is accompanied by a poem and an audio guide to support practice. Students or parents can scan the QR code in each chapter to follow Cari’s audio instructions.
Her impact is perhaps best summarized by a chance encounter she had in Brooklyn. A teenage boy approached her on the street, recognizing her from a single session a year prior. “I just wanted to tell you,” he said, “the day you came to my school was the best day of the year.”