As the form is perfected, this sends the message of all
parts working together, relaxing, moving together, etc., to our larger mind,
and we become more at peace (one) with all around us.
As our insecurities drop away, we begin to be able to access
help from all around us. This is free energy that is walled off by our fears. As
these fears drop away, this energy – of all the parts of the larger organism of
which we are a part (our community, etc.) becomes available to us.
Static and Moving
Balance
As our practice evolves, the principle of balance in motion
can assume a more prominent place in our practical understanding of T’ai Chi.
This also generalizes beyond the physical form, and may be applied to the emotional,
intellectual, and spiritual realms of activity. Very practical aspects of this
may be witnessed in the evolution of our reactions to the stressors brought to
us in the events of our modern lives.
By sharing this balance, one may extend
it’s benefits to others, and thus extend compassion, even in situations when
there are no easy answers or advice to be given. Sometimes sharing a calm,
centered silence may engender powerful healing energy much needed in our world
today.
Steering the Ship
We have a choice which way we
steer our ship, the ship which is us. If we are out at sea, and see a hurricane
in one direction, and a tropical island with beautiful beaches in the sun in
another direction, we have the ability to choose. If I choose to watch the
constant drama of tragedies presented by the media for ratings, I can make
myself depressed by things that are not here and now.
Information is good, but getting
lost in emotional tear-jerkers is not. As the computer people say, “Garbage in,
garbage out”. Doing something to alleviate suffering is good, wallowing in “Oh,
poor …..” is neither healthy nor productive. What we choose to take in sets our
course, and we choose our direction when we choose what we attend to.
There is a Sufi story about a
wise Sufi teacher who had many followers. A selfish competitor who lived across
town wished to steal his students to take advantage of them. His plot was to
leave poisoned fruit in the Sufi’s house. He went there and left a poisoned
apple on the table. A week later, he went back and left a poisoned peach. After
a few weeks, when nothing happened, he went to the Sufi’s house and asked, “What
happened?” “How come you are still here?” The Sufi replied “I don’t just eat
anything that I find laying around my house” (Thanks to Indries Shah for his
wisdom and his many compilations of wonderful and humorous traditional teaching
stories.)
Namaste
