There is a tradition within Taoism which equates the body and the landscape. So our bodies contain fields, rivers, mountains, and the lords and ladies who rule this internal landscape. It is a living ecosystem, with its demons and spirits who are nourished by our habits, either by our food or our emotions. So health in this classical way of seeing the body is often about starving the demons (by not eating grain, for example) and feeding the spirits (by proper breathing).
In this view, you are the benevolent ruler over an internal kingdom, a landscape with its own rules and needs. It is an accurate view of how we actually work, if not a correct anatomical rendering. This inner kingdom has various fiefs and dominions, each related to the other, connected by streams, ruled over by lesser nobility. In the same way our organs are connected, nourished by blood and acting according to their own logic. The question becomes: are you an absentee landlord? To you even know who resides within you? Do you know what organ does what, what each organ needs? Are your rivers flowing with pure waters, or filled with Red Bull and doughnuts?
But let’s bring this back down to a more practical level. The internal map shows the concern that Taoism brings to the inner world, both spiritual and physical. It is a way of engaging with the world, from the inside out.
Similarly, Tai Chi as a martial art moves slowly so that the internal signals sent by the body can be heard and processed. A core function of the practice is to reveal to the conscious mind the internal structures within the body, and how these structures can be optimized.
A simple exercise is to face a wall, place a hand on it and push. Pay attention to the pressure, to the joints being engaged, and where the power is coming from. Notice how the position of the body matters. If you are facing the wall squarely, the feet cannot help in the push. But standing at a diagonal, with one foot slightly back, you can use your rear leg to help with the push. But for that to work, the shoulders, back, hips and legs need to be in line and properly joined.
So stand in front of a wall, place the right hand on the wall (or tree, or pillar..) and the left leg back. Start to apply pressure, and pay attention to the bone structure of the body. Roll your shoulder. Where does the shoulder need to be in order to feel connected to the arm and the spine? Play with your hips. Is there a position where the spine and the legs become connected?
Can you relax the muscles that are NOT being used? Can you feel the connection between the hand pushing and the foot supporting you? Can you feel the power of the thigh muscles, and how they are providing the power far more than the arm muscles?
Now switch sides and do it again.