“Relax and concentrate”
-Mrs. Chow
Someone with internal
power is always relaxed
The longer I practice T’ai Chi, the more I realize its
meditative aspects. At first the student is busy memorizing the physical form.
After this is more or less attained, refinement grows out of the evolution of
one’s awareness, and this is the realm of meditation. As one relaxes into the
form more and more, It becomes possible to let go of the attachment to our
thoughts in which we often reside, and become more totally immersed in the
present moment.
It is possible within this practice to drop the subtle background
of our commentary, our thoughts, attitudes, expectations, and history, which we
carry with us much of our waking lives, and in such moments it is possible to
totally relax and to be really present. Out of this experience is generated a
relaxed state characterized by clarity and a freedom from striving, from the ”Trying
to get somewhere other than where we are”, which is the hallmark of “Living in
our heads”, of limiting ourselves to our thinking minds.
When I watch really excellent T’ai Chi, the player seems to
have entered a timeless state where they are never rushed or trying. :) Relaxation is
complete to a level beyond the physical and a connection to one’s world becomes
apparent, as the “Limitless energy available to one lacking the subtle contradictions
generated by the I / other duality of the thinking mind” is allowed to flow.
This can sometimes be glimpsed by less advanced practitioners in the relaxed,
totally unhurried movements generated out of such a state.
Creating Space
When we take this step outside of our duality, Space is
created between our thoughts. It is from this space that Peace, that “lack
of internal inconsistencies”, in which growth is possible, comes.
The Evolution of
Attention
When we start learning T’ai Chi, our consciousness becomes
focused upon different things as we progress. In the beginning: 1) our minds
are busy memorizing the physical movements. After these basics are learned: 2) our
attention becomes available and we start noticing how we balance and shift our
weight. Once we more comfortably reside in this state, 3) the attention can be
applied to noticing the stretching and relaxing aspects of the form. (The
relaxing aspects cannot become relevant until a practical physical
understanding of balance and weight shifting has been acquired). At this point,
4) increasing levels of detail seem to become apparent and obvious as a product
of continued practice.
As this evolves, 5) we relax and our consciousness expands
spacially in the moment. We allow ourselves to stop our stream of constant
verbal thinking, and as we become free of this, our attention becomes available
to really look at what is in our present moment. Our ability to focus on the
here and now is immensely enhanced as the “extra movements” of our random,
space filling thoughts drop away and an elegant simplicity, or clarity,
remains. Out of this experience, much is attainable.
At this point, without conscious experience of this state,
the mind tends to co-opt the words into more "verbal extra movements", and
descriptive analysis becomes counterproductive and dysfunctional. What is required
is to stop the endless thinking and just “Be in the moment.” One of Mrs. Chow’s
astute observations, often said but not understood when I was learning, was
that I was “Always Thinking”. (It was not a compliment).
Some Thoughts on Zen
In Zen in the Art of Archery (English translation
1953) master Awa Kenzo tells the author, Eugen Herrigel, not to aim at the
target, but to "Just practice the movement for its own sake". He becomes very
angry and refuses to teach him any more when he cannot "get" this concept or its
central importance.
From Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, (Compiled by Paul Reps & Nyogen Senzaki, 1957), a parable of two monks:
Two monks are walking through the woods and come to a stream. There is a pretty young girl there who cannot cross. One of the monks carries the girl across on his back, puts her down, and they continue. Later, the other monk says to the first, "You broke your vows." "You aren't supposed to interact with women." The first monk then says "After crossing the stream, I put her down. You are still carrying her."
In the Japanese Tea Ceremony, cleaning and putting away the cups is part of the ceremony.
Dom Arigato,
Daniel
