Water Bending

Water bending is practiced by some people of the Water Tribe. A versatile element, it is unique in the sense that the original bender of the element was not an animal, but rather the Moon. Similar to their element, water benders are extremely adaptable and versatile. Water bending concentrates on the flow of energy, focusing less on strength and more on turning the opponent’s own energy against them. While a bender’s victory in battle depends on their skill or ingenuity, water benders gain a serious advantage or disadvantage depending on the amount of water around them, although highly skilled water benders can draw water from anywhere, such as draw humidity from the air and bend the water in living things, especially plants. As the element of change, water benders can fluidly and quickly alternate from defense to offense, from a wall of ice to a jet of water, turning their opponent’s strength against them. Due to its lunar sympathy, water bending is stronger at night and ineffective during a lunar eclipse or when the Moon Spirit dies. However, to counter water bending’s ineffectiveness during a lunar eclipse, water benders gain immense power during the peak of the full moon.

Healing is an off shoot of water bending. Katara learned how to be a skilled healer.

Blood bending is a taboo form of water bending. It is bending the water found in blood and used to control bodily movement against the victims will. Katara was tricked into learning it and using it.

The Water Tribe

Primarily inhabit the northern and southernmost regions of the globe, near both poles. It is also a collective term for the nation of people who practice the art of water bending. Many people of Water Tribe ethnicity also live in the United Republic and there is a small community of water benders that populate the Foggy Swamp in the Earth Kingdom, although they were isolated from their sister tribes for generations and others were largely unaware of their existence until they were stumbled upon by Avatar Aang, Katara, and Sokka. The people of the Water Tribes are referred to as “Water Tribesmen”.

The people of the Water Tribe are generally peaceful, and strive to live in harmony with nature and the other nations of the world. There are two primary divisions of the Water Tribe, the Northern Tribe and the Southern Tribe, though both were at least de jure governed by the Northern chief until 171 AG. Despite their peaceful nature, all three groups contributed toward important battles near the end of the Hundred Year War.

Tai Chi

Tai chi is often characterized by slow movements in Taolu practice, and one of the reasons is to develop body awareness. Accurate, repeated practice of the solo routine is said to retrain posture, encourage circulation throughout students’ bodies, maintain flexibility, and familiarize students with the martial sequences implied by the forms. The traditional styles of tai chi have forms that differ in aesthetics, but share many similarities that reflect their common origin.

Solo forms (empty-hand and weapon) are catalogues of movements that are practiced individually in pushing hands and martial application scenarios to prepare students for self-defense training. In most traditional schools, variations of the solo forms can be practiced: fast / slow, small-circle / large-circle, square / round (different expressions of leverage through the joints), low-sitting/high-sitting (the degree to which weight-bearing knees stay bent throughout the form).