India Journal (2001)

(These notes are my unedited thoughts from sixteen years ago. I decided not to change or delete anything, except last names, because I wish to share these fully. Any defects are mine, at a younger age, and please take them as innocent ramblings, not meant to offend anyone.)

"You should know that the entire heaven and earth are the roots, stem, and branches, and leaves of the long bamboo. Thus heaven and earth are timeless… a wooden walking staff is both old and not old.

A plantain has earth, water, fire, emptiness, also mind, consciousness, and wisdom as its roots, stems, branches, and leaves, or as its flowers, fruits, colors, and forms. Accordingly, the plantain wears the autumn wind, and is torn in the autumn wind. We know that it is pure and clear and that not a single particle is excluded."

                       Painted Cake - Eihei Dogen (Matthiessen, P. 1987. Nine Headed Dragon River: Zen Journals 1969-1982. p 235).

April 24th, 2001; Miami Florida:

Well, over six years have passed (Since my last entry). Life is good. I prayed in the Sweat Lodge for new relationship, career, home, beyond my Wildest dreams. 

It has come to pass.

My wife is one of the most spiritual beings I have ever met. My son is 18 and lives with us. He has grown into a fine young man.

I am now a teacher and a healer. I teach T’ai Chi and am a beginning mental health counselor and psychometrician. Tomorrow my wife Susana and I leave to travel to India to attend a workshop in Dharamsala, to address the questions, “What is real wealth and how can we create it?” Our group has an audience with the Dalai Lama on April 30th “At his house”.

It is my plan to continue this journal through these interesting times.

April 27, 2001; India:

We are on an overnight train from New Delhi to Pathankot, and then a three hour bus ride to Dharamsala. I will attempt to chronicle the last few days while they are still fresh in my mind.

The day before we left Susana opened our front door and a large, very alive snake was there on our doorstep. She quickly closed the door, and moments later, when I opened the door, it was gone, and nowhere to be seen. I carefully looked, and it had totally disappeared.

We flew Air France to Paris. Louis, my son, took us to the airport, and we hope to keep in touch by internet.

At Charles DeGaule airport outside Paris, our flight was delayed three hours while we sat on the plane waiting for the food to arrive, as the caterers were on strike. This, however, gave us three more hours with two Tibetan Lamas who were traveling on the same flight. 

I noticed them in the airport, and after we boarded the flight, Susana, emboldened by her recent adventure to Quebec City to cover the Summit of the Americas Conference with a brazen Argentine reporter, (from whom she emulated more aggressive behavior), approached them and  engaged one of them in conversation. They were traveling from Barcelona to Darjeeling, to perform Ceremony, and spoke fluent Spanish. A connection was made, and Lama Tenpo later found us in our seats and continued a delightful conversation, mostly in Spanish with Susana.

We landed in New Delhi at one am, got out of the airport at two, got to bed at about 4:30 am. Our driver, who met us with a sign “Barciela”, spoke no English. “Benot” was a delightful driver. Greetings from India!

The next afternoon his boss, “Sonny”, or Nashta Singh, a Seekh from Punjab who spoke good English, took us to several sites in New Delhi, including the largest tower, in a park of archeological remains which were being re-assembled, Qutab Minar. From there we went to an outdoor Jain shrine with a large Buddha atop a hill. This was a special place, and we went with no shoes or leather. We visited many shrines, a market, and an astrological park.

I learned of communication and culture from two interesting situations in which I was lagging an hour behind in my understanding. The first was in bargaining for a purchase, and was a simple not following the tour book’s instructions to offer half, then pay three quarters of the asking price.  

The second event involved an interesting man almost my exact age, born with the independence of India on August 15th, 1947. He was a guide who approached us and explained the operation of of the various instruments, types of giant sundials, in the park. He was an official guide who worked for the government, and the park. He was delightful, but strangely, he refused my offer of a ten rupee tip. I thought this extremely unusual, but it wasn’t until after we left that Sonny explained to me that he had refused it because it was too small! I had difficulty understanding his English, and we were hurried to pick up Sonny’s wife from work. An interesting lesson after the fact about culture, pride, and communication! He kept saying “I am not greedy!”, and I thought “How Special!”.

April 28th, 2001; Dharamsala:

In school a few years ago, I was asked what advice I would have for young people today, and it is “Think big and be kind”. Yesterday in New Delhi I added “And listen to your wife”.

Jorge and Maggie K. Joined us the evening of our first day, and we had dinner and went to the Red Fort in Old Delhi the next day together. Old Delhi is Moslem, much poorer, and much rougher. The crowds and mosquitos were much thicker, and the beggars were so common we were afraid to give to one lest we be overrun by the rest. The day before, I would give, first to a child, then to a mother with a child, just as we left a place, so as not to be overrun. We were joined that morning by more of our group that would go to Dharamsala. Michael, a Brit from Seattle, was acquainted with the work of the Roerichs, and said that the Gorbachevs were too.

We travelled to Old Delhi again Friday evening, the 27th, to the train station, which was an intense crowd scene, and very third world. On the train we shared a compartment with the K.s, who are avid travelers and birders, and I enjoyed getting to know them better. Maggie has been mediating an hour a day for the past four years! I had wondered how she was able to deal with the ongoing fight she has been waging for justice for the families of the Cuban fliers who were shot down by the Cuban government, among which had been her brother. Jorge and Maggie are architects, and we had also had a wonderful discussion about creativity and beauty at dinner the first night.

Other fellow travelers included Tom, from Boca Raton, who works for Motorola as a management trainer, Roosevelt from the Bahamas, and Rogelio from Mexico, both organizational trainers/consultants, and Fritz and Vivian, also from Seattle, who have an educational center for spiritual and ecological issues.

The drive from the train station in Punjab to Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh is very beautiful. Upper Dharamsala and the Dhauladar range of the Himalayas behind it are very magical, and Glenmoor Cottages where we are staying, is indescribable. Mr. Singh, who owns them (the cottages), is the ultimate host, very quiet, and with an aura of quiet spirituality. His dog, Maggie, remembered Susana, as did Mrs. Singh.

April 30th, 2001; Dharamsala, Glenmoor Cottages:

Today we have a one pm  audience with the Dalai Lama. Already the day feels special. We talked late into the night, and woke early and spoke of people who had shown us compassion, our family, and our new friends.

The workshop and its Open Space format are such a treat because of the gathering of people from all over who share spiritual concerns. Yesterday morning when they asked for prayers I prayed as in the Sweat Lodge, in Lakota and English, as the circle felt like Tiospe, (Lakota for community, or Sangha). We were assembled in the prayer hall of the Chinmaya Mission Temple in lower Dharmasala. Many people wanted to attend my T’ai Chi group and also Seema’s group on “How do I find my calling?”, so we put the two groups together, and after demonstrating and talking about and answering questions about T’ai Chi, we discussed finding one’s calling, and happiness and fulfillment. 

(About Open Space: There are four rules: 1) Whoever comes is the right people. 2) Whenever it starts is the right time. 3) Whatever happens, it couldn’t have been any other way, and 4) When it’s over, it’s over. The event is self organized, with everyone sitting in a circle. After the introductory evocation of names, and whatever prayers we have, participants post subjects of interest to them on a wall, including time and place, with tape and paper and markers, after which people “sign up” on each paper who are interested in joining a particular discussion.)

Later in the day, Tulku Ngawang Rinpoche, the English Liason for His Holiness the Karmapa, complimented my T’ai Chi, and I told her of my studies with Trungpa Rinpoche. I told her I was ashamed not to be a practical sitter (meditator) these days, and she said her Root Guru told her, “No Sorry! No Sorry!” Then she looked at me and said “No Sorry! No Sorry!” I told her that I left my Buddhist practice when I married my first wife, who wasn’t in to it, and she said “Life is hard.”

Anne S. Is a wonderful person and new friend. She is a storyteller with incredibly expressive hands, and a calm, yet energized gaze, and no fear to ask everyone to get up and dance.

Michael, who was the gardener at Findhorn, said his favorite vegetable was the potato, when Susana asked him. His countenance was that of Peter O’Toole in Laurence of Arabia, when I first met him in New Delhi, and Susana got a kick out of this observation when I told her last night. A soft spoken Brit with a wild glint in his eyes and a keen mind and wit connected to a compassionate heart. Many fine conversations, in the dining room and on the road.

During yesterday’s Open Space, “Think Big, be kind, and listen to your wife” evolved to:

Think big and act with courage;

Be kind, and by so doing, create real wealth;

And;

Listen more, because we all learn from each other, and the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

May 1st, 2001; Chinmaya Mission Temple; Dharmashala:

The Open Space workshop ended this morning here, and included a dance performance by one of our group, the famous Indian dance master Astad Deboo. This was one of the highest points of the trip, and brought tears to the eyes of many of us. 

Yesterday’s audience with the Dalai Lama…(to be continued)

May 4th, 2001; Jammu Airport:

We decided to stay at Glenmoor Cottages in upper Dharmashala unitl we had to go back to the USA. Our host, Ajai Singh, made arrangements for us to be driven to Jammu, four hours away, to fly to Delhi this afternoon. We are four, Jorge and Maggie K., and Susana and I.

A delightful drive from the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, through a small part of Punjab, and then into Jammu and Kashmir, which because is near the Pakistan border, on which there have been some incidents, there was a strong military presence. There was a lot of security at the airport, for which we were thankful.

As soon as we left Himachal and got into Punjab, and all the way into Jammu, we saw pot plants growing like weeds in thick stands by the roadside wherever there was a village or town.

To continue the story from the visit to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, I go back to Monday April 30th , 2001.

In the morning the group met on the lawn in front of Ajai’s house. Rinpoche arrived and said “Come with me,” before she was taken away in conversation with others. A little while later I saw her sitting with Mark J., a wild Buddhist from Seattle, and with Michael, who is also a Buddhist. I sat on the lawn with them, she looked up and said “Good” and we discussed Buddhism and taking vows. (I had never taken them in the 70s when I was a student of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.) I decided to take Refuge vows and she said I could perhaps do so with the Karmapa! Wow! She gave me instructions and a Mantra.

We Americans were to go to the Dalai Lama’s Namgyal Monastery first, because the security would take longer, so we didn’t just walk over, but took a short ride, then walked the last bit to the Dalai Lama’s residence. After a wait, (We had showed up early), we were shown into a room with chairs in rows in front of a large, but simple wooden chair with a small table next to it, on a rug which extended to the third row of chairs, where Susana and I sat next to the center aisle. The Dalai Lama came in and sat, we meditated for about ten minutes, after which he said it could be very informal, and did we want to ask him any spontaneous questions. Dinesh, our group’s leader, said that we had five questions which we had decided as a group to ask, and the members who had suggested them asked their questions. We were scheduled for a half hour audience, and he sent a whole hour with us.

We asked him what we could do to create real wealth, and he said that religion helps the individual, but the community, “I don’t know.” He said compassionate acts were what made a lot of difference, and that we could each do a little. He said to be content with our material wealth, and discontent with our spiritual wealth, always striving for more.

Susana asked the fifth question, which was, “Do you ever get discouraged? If you do, what do you do about it? If you don’t, what’s your secret?” He answered in detail that we are only discouraged when we have expectations, and expect immediate results. As he answered, Susana said he looked right at her, and spoke as to her directly. She said it was quite an experience. After the questions he got up to leave, and people went up for individual blessings, for which there wasn’t time. He did speak with several people briefly. I had a gift for him, and there were three or four people between us and his back was to me. I didn’t know how to address him, but I wanted to say something and hadn’t, when he turned around! I said “This is for you” and he took it, then took my hands, looked into my eyes, and said “Thank you! Thank you!” And then he turned around and left the room. I cannot begin to describe the experience.

As we left, Rinpoche came up to me and said “Let’s go! Right now!” (To see about an appointment with the Karmapa to take refuge vows.) It was after two pm and that was when the public could see his personal secretary for appointments. Susana took my bag, and we ran down the hill, got into a taxi with three Indian members of our group, raced to lower Dharmashala and the Monastery/residence of the Karmapa. (The Karmapa is the head of the Kagyu Lineage, which is the school of my teacher, Choygam Trungpa, the eleventh Trungpa Tulku.)

It turned out that the government had just OKed foreign press interviews with the sixteen year old Karmapa, who had recently escaped from China. He was totally booked up until May eleventh! Then Rinpoche pointed up to a nearby balcony, and excitedly said “Look! There he is!” He had come out of his meetings for a break. We started backing up to see him better, and as he looked at us, Rinpoche almost tripped over her dog, which had joined us. This caused the Karmapa to give us a big grin! We stood outside a while, and he came out twice more while we were there. So I briefly saw the Karmapa!

As we were leaving, I asked the Rinpoche to join us for dinner at Glenmoor, and she accepted. We stopped at Chinmaya Mission, where she lives, (On the way there, I asked her to accept a gift, and she used it to pay her rent. The next day she said it was a double blessing, as her rent went into the student fund, which had been depleted. She had told them, showed them her rent receipt and some of Susana’s articles, and they all praised us, said Susana was beautiful, and wanted to meet us.) That evening at dinner we all had a great time. Rinpoche is originally from Texas, and has a great, down to Earth sense of humour, and an infectious giggle. Michael, Mark, and Anne were equally mirthful.

Michael: “What is this?” (Bouncing his bread on his breadplate) Answer- “A bun dance” and, unfortunately, many more from us all! Later, when retelling it, Mark said, “It’s lucky for you he didn’t start jumping in his chair!”

Rinpoche is a wonderful, delightful human being as well as a vessel of the teachings, and over that day and the third of May (yesterday) when she came back up to visit us and again stayed until late, we had many fine hours with our new friend. 

Back to the present (May 4th, Jammu Airport): They took everyone’s bags totally apart, and took  our batteries from the electronics. Though thorough, the inspector seemed much less formal after finding the Malas, which Rinpoche had blessed, in the bottom of my bag.

Back again to May 1st, after my last entry: The Open Space Workshop ended before one pm, and we were offerred an audience with the head of the Chinmaya Mission Worldwide, the successor to Guru Chinmaya, at 6 pm. Swami Tejomayananda had just arrived at the mission from his travels, and we were lucky to have this; yet another miraculous meeting with a very special holy person.  Susana went to interview the Doctor at the mission clinic, part of a microcredit program started by Mohamed Yunis, which she had been writing about. I spent some time in the mission meditating, writing, having tea, and chatting.

Susana rejoined me before 6 pm, and we were: a lady from Bombay, Paul from Seattle, a couple from New Mexico who were students of Ramana Maharshi, and us. We walked to Swami Gi’s cottage and were seated in a small, comfortable room with a view of the mountains. He joined us there, and later we were joined by a doctor who was on the mission board of trustees. Swami Gi’s assistant was also present.

After a few questions about his scheduled visit to Bombay, and each of us telling him where we were from, I said that I had a spiritual question. I said that I tried to do good, and to develop the habit of doing good so that when I was not awake I would act as if I were, but that I many times would put my foot in my mouth, innocently say or do the wrong thing. What would he recommend as the next step on my path?

He said that first, we do something that we regret, get angry, etc., and then we are sorry after. We should “Kiss the feet” of the one we have wronged, if possible (not necessarily literally), and try to catch it sooner. Next, we see ourselves while we are doing it, and finally, we see it coming before we do it and can choose a different path. 

We asked him, “The other day a question came up about discouragement”, and he had a practical answer to the question we had asked the Dalai Lama. He told the story of a woman who came to Guru Gi (Guru Chinmaya) because she couldn’t control her anger. Guru Gi told her to sleep on the floor for eight days with no bedding or pillow each time she got angry. She stopped getting angry. This reminded me of Milton Ericson. A wonderful Holy Man, who Susana said “Felt so normal.”

May 4, 2001; New Delhi International Airport: 6 pm:

We made it to the airport lounge, and the next plane we get on at midnight takes us back to the West and it’s comforts. The security at Jammu Airport took Jorge’s leatherman tool, and they promise it will arrive here tomorrow (when we will be in Miami). Jorge got upset, but chilled by looking at birds through the lounge window. I think we are all looking forward to being home. 

It amazes me that we can travel half way around the world in less than two days.

Some thoughts about the last few days. I am looking forward to keeping in touch with many new friends made on this trip. With the wonders of the internet creative dialogues at their own pace would have made even Jules Verne turn green with envy! I hope to reconnect with some ot my Buddhist practice. Our connection with Rinpoche is so delightful!!!

June 1, 2001; Miami:

Things have moved so rapidly since our return that I am only now getting back to continuing this journal.

On Wednesday, May 23rd, nine days ago, I had orthoscopic knee surgery for a torn meniscus in my left knee, which has been bothering me since February. That is also the day that Rinpoche arrived. At the workshop, some of the Seattle group invited her to visit. As the political situation worsened for the Karmapa (He wanted to go to Sikkim, and this angered the Chinese, who are India’s “Big Bully” neighbors), she decided to make her yearly pilgrimage to the US. She arrived in Seattle, but things weren’t what she expected, so we invited her to come to Miami, and she is staying with us until she goes back to India on June 7th! What a treat! (We had been keeping in touch through the internet since we left India.)

June 3, 2001; Miami: Saturday:

I have spoken with Jim twice since returning. The first time he suggested I write of my travels, something to send to my friends. We talked again yesterday and I told him I was typing up my journal notes to share, and he told me this story. He said:

When I walk on the beach I pick up interesting stones. I keep some of them, but some just look interesting. They aren’t necessarily for me. Maybe some of the things you have acquired in your travels may be the pieces others need to complete their puzzles.“

And so I offer these notes in that spirit. Blessings!

Coming Into Balance

Some Thoughts on the Generalization of the Balance Principle

As we learn about our physical balance, in our form we begin to relax more and more. We do this while balancing on one foot, while shifting our weight from one side to the other, and while feeling more relaxed and comfortable as we rotate from our hips while balanced on one foot (front or back foot, right or left foot). 

At this point, a feeling of confidence and competence may grow and begin to dissipate some of the many little insecurities that we seem to have carried with us from more youthful times.

This generalization of the principle of balance from the physical to the emotional realms of our experience performs a powerful healing function, which may then facilitate growth in the intellectual and spiritual realms as well. 

This growth may then enable us to become more active and productive on an interpersonal and social playing field. This confidence allows more authentic friendships to be cultivated and freed of fears such as “What will people think”, or worries about others questioning one’s motives. 

We may find ourselves wearing louder clothes, or being more outspoken and outgoing, and, when working for the common good, may remove some of the fetters of our personal insecurities.

As we begin to function more in the larger, interpersonal sphere of activity, this may connect us with the greater energies available to the larger group organism. This connection may then help to bring the larger organism more into balance.

Like anything new, this can be a little scary, and may require some courage and some patience with oneself. But as growth proceeds, both personal and communal healing may often transpire. 

As we begin to bring balance to the larger and larger community, roll modeling this concept for others, the possibilities for growth may be infinite.

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito”                                           -The Dalai Lama

Heel and Toe

When I turn my back foot by lifting and moving the heel, my weight shifts as my center is moved in the direction that the heel moves toward. When I turn the foot by lifting and turning the toe, there is no shifting of my center. the weight is rotated but no movement in any forward or backward or lateral direction occurs, and no adjustments are necessary to maintain the balance and relaxation. 

This may be clearly seen in performing round hands, or cloud hands. When the weight is shifted intentionally by lifting and moving the heel as the feet separate, and by raising and moving the toe as one turns and brings the feet together. 

This is very obvious when performing the step by step square form, and perhaps not quite so obvious when performing the continuous round form. (In the continuous form, as the leg is extended when stepping apart, the opposite arm is extended to counterbalance the leg’s weight and preserve balance). One’s weight is shifted back and forth between the right and left leg and at the same time one turns 45 degrees to the right or left as to always be facing the weighted, front leg.

Internalization

At higher levels the concept of ‘Dividing for Two Parts’ comes into play in these movements, as the right and left sides of the body begin to move independently and the muscles connecting the two sides are exercised (and tensions released) with each step. At beginning levels, the whole body is turned with each step, but as the movements become more internalized, this becomes more relevant. As the form evolves this internalization of movement allows for generalization of the T’ai Chi principles into our everyday movements in our daily life. 

Mr. Chow used to say, Every movement is T’ai Chi, and every brush stroke is Art.”

Some insight into this concept of Dividing for two parts may be gained by the study of such movements as Parting the Horse’s Mane, and Fair Lady at the Shuttle, located in the form before the second Round hand. Again, these offerings may seem somewhat obtuse without actual demonstration of this in the form, for those not already familiar with the concept. However, no effort is wasted, and the practice of the form itself may lead one toward these insights.

Balance, Relaxation and Extra Movement

When we are out of balance, muscle tension is required to keep us from falling. This tension then prevents the various parts of the body from being connected to each other. It inhibits their working together. This is the mechanism by which the Chi flow is disabled. 

The relaxed and stretched tissues between the various joints that allow the various body parts to work together as a unified whole system may be disturbed by the displacement of relatively small amounts of weight. Simply put, imbalance necessitates tension, and tension inhibits unity and coordination. When my shoulder is tense, the connection between the arm and the spine and hips is broken. Similarly, when my hips are tight, the legs are disconnected from the spine and lower back. 

Any extra movement changes balance, so the elimination of such un-necessary movements may be extremely productive. This entails attention to eliminating some deeply rooted dysfunctional habits of movement. Some of these habits were learned very early, and it may require some time and practice to change them. 

Common examples of some of these automatic connections might be, “Every time I raise my arms, I raise my shoulders and allow them to become tight and tense.”, or when performing Cloud Hands, “When I lift and raise one leg, my other knee straightens.” (When this occurs the upper body and head “bounce”, and once again, this weight shift disturbs the balance.)

All of these tips may become more relevant to our practice at the point that our attention is freed from the basics of memorizing the positions and movements. This usually happens only after practicing the form until these basic skills are acquired. No effort is wasted, and practice is rewarded with progress. 

Best Wishes to All,

Daniel

Being Human

The recent natural disaster that is Hurricane Harvey reminds us that, putting aside our differences, we are in many ways not only the same, but also a community, with compassion. The news media reports numerous instances of all that represents the best of what humanity is capable of. This includes selfless acts by people locally near the devastation, and also people all over the world. This includes individuals with many totally contrasting views of what is right for the country and the world, all working together on the same side.

A recent news program reported that when critics complained that Melania Trump went to Houston after Harvey, she was wearing high heels, and that this was inappropriate. (She changed to sneakers on the plane.) A comic known for being hard on the Trumps took her side, and said that it shouldn’t matter what she was wearing, he thought it was great that she was going in order to help!

If only we could try to see the good in others more of the time, the world might be a much better place. As Jerry Garcia used to say, “People should be nice to each other.”

Sometimes it seems difficult to find the good in some people, but when that quality is recognized, it is encouraged and perhaps helped to grow, even in the hardest cases.

Each of us has the power to encourage change for the better. As the Dalai Lama has said, “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.”

“Do not look at my outer form, but take what is in my hand”  -Rumi

Body Language

Us and Them: Transcending Polarization

T’ai Chi is the perfect self defense because one never has to fight. (Almost never, as there are those who would attack trees, telephone poles, etc.). As we come into balance emotionally as a part of the generalization of the practice of cultivating physical balance, we may find ourselves not taking things personally. 

Instead of feeling that “They are attacking me”, or that “They are the enemy”, we may begin to think “Oh, they have a problem today”, and we don’t allow this to cause us to lose our center, our own balance and stability.

Body Language

When we move in balance, our body language is very different. Our usually unconscious body language then sends a message that we are not a victim or a threat.

 Just as a driver on the expressway going 70 or 80 miles per hour doesn’t usually notice someone that is going 55, someone looking for trouble is much more likely to interact with another who is more on their wavelength. 

A car moving at 55 mph is seen as something to go around, like a tree or a telephone pole, and someone looking for a fight will usually pick someone whose body language radiates cues suggesting victim or threat signals. 

These signals are absent in the slow, relaxed movements originating from the center that are characteristic of T’ai Chi practitioners, more and more, the longer one has been practicing.

Generalization of Learning Skills

As we approach new skills, we bring with us much that we have learned from other pursuits in which we have achieved some level of expertise. These already present skills that we have acquired in the past may present us with many useful shortcuts on our path. 

This ability to transfer knowledge and skills attained through previous effort need not be wasted. It is extremely useful for the teacher to utilize these prior accomplishments of students when imparting new skills to them. 

Stress and Learning

Students in stressful careers or lifestyles may sometimes learn more slowly than students that have moved into the retirement phase of their careers, or those that have entered a slower and more relaxed lifestyle. 

Creative Solutions

Often we carry the solutions to many possible problems, and this list of solutions may become longer and longer as we grow older. By cultivating our attention and the ability to create solutions as they are needed, we may greatly lessen this baggage. 

Sometimes the baggage that we carry may become so great that this baggage prevents us from fitting through new doorways.

“We see Wisdom as a flower to be plucked, but it may more often be like a mountain that must be climbed.” (Adapted from the teachings of Master Po, Kung Fu TV series from the 1970s).

Dreams

Dreams may sometimes serve as ways in which our greater, often unconscious, minds are able to attempt to communicate with our conscious minds. The purpose of such manifestations is varied. 

Sometimes this may be as mundane as a way to deal with the residue created by unresolved events of the previous day. Such “Day residue” dreams often may sidestep an inability to put unresolved emotional issues into verbal form, allowing the presentation of emotional content uncorrupted by translation into verbal discourse. This is a healthy way in which opportunity is given to resolve the subtle left-overs of our daily activities. 

Recurring patterns which may be observed within these presentations may sometimes offer insight into larger, often more pervasive issues pertinent to factors of greater import for our growth. These are the repeating themes, nonverbal expressions of emotional reactions, that may not be verbally or analytically presentable for  conscious working out. They may, however, be dealt with within the framework of our dreams in a much healthier way than, for instance, by their being acted out in our actual life activities. They may provide much opportunity for a gentler path of growth than the “Trial and error” path of learning from our mistakes.

Last night such a dream suggested a way in which I might benefit from insight into some of that which might be cluttering the background of my own processing functions. Although somewhat personal and perhaps trivial, my dream might exemplify how this might work.

Dream

I dreamed that I woke up and had to unload a lot of stuff from a warehouse to the dump, to clean out the warehouse for my ex-father in law. My ex college room-mate was there. The stuff I was interested in was my parent’s (Dad’s) old stuff, collected when I was small, and before I was born, and I wanted/needed to go through it and pick what I wanted to keep.

There were boxes of drill bits, screw driver bits, tools, and so on, that my dad had collected in the 1950’s. There were knick knacks from before my time, like small porcelain figures, some old broken watches, lots of different stuff. I needed boxes to put the things in, and asked the young man who worked in the warehouse, who went off. 

My college room-mate wanted some of the stuff, tools and drill bits, and I was reluctant to part with some of it. Earlier in the dream, I saw a large practice telegraph key that wasn’t mine, that I wanted to buy from the warehouse guy, and also a man was walking by with an antenna which I asked him if he wanted to sell. This part seemed to be at a flea market. (Day residue from one of my projects?). 

The trash bin for the stuff that I didn’t want was overflowing, and I went to the trash can next to the concession stand outside, but it was overflowing as well. The gal at the concession stand told me that the landlord didn’t want us to throw our stuff in there. I woke up feeling a little constipated.

The Last Temptation

When Christ was on the cross, as the story goes, his final temptation was not material wealth or power, but rather it was the offer of an ordinary life, with a family and kids and the opportunity to not take up the great task of the betterment of all beings.

Moving the Attention

At a certain point in the evolution of learning the form, a qualitative change takes place. One typically begins by memorizing a list of positions; “My arm goes here, then my foot moves over here,“ and so on. At this point practicing the form consists of referring in our minds to this list and going through this list in our heads to perform the form. This list might be likened to the training wheels that are sometimes temporarily installed on the sides of a child’s first bicycle, until the child learns the skill of balancing the bike without them.

Once these positions are memorized and referring to the list is no longer necessary, the mind is freed to attend to the balance. It is at this point that the real T’ai Chi begins. This is because the balance is always here and now.

 Attending to one’s balance brings us into the present moment. When this process begins, the form is transformed into a most powerful form of meditation, a state of consciousness in which we are directly attending to that which is right before us and our attention is no longer occupied by thoughts in our head. 

Meditation

Meditation may be described as the process of attending to what is here and now. Just as a driver cannot really attend to the road while he/she is texting, if we are thinking about what we said yesterday, or what we want to do tomorrow, or even looking at a list in our minds, we are not able to be fully present. 

Attending to our balance, by bringing us fully into the present moment, allows for a crystal clear focus of the attention to evolve. This ability to  focus may then replace the endless list of solutions that our insecurities require us to carry. Instead of this list, a zen like ability to create solutions as needed is cultivated by nurturing the ability to really attend to problems as they arise, in the present. 

We get better at the things we practice, and by practicing the honing of our attention in our form, our T’ai Chi may strengthen our attention immensely.

The Emperor and the Artist

Once upon a time, in ancient China, there was an Emperor who heard about a famous artist that could capture the essence of what he painted in a most wondrous way. He sent for the artist and commissioned him to create a portrait of himself, the Emperor. The artist of course agreed to the Emperor’s desire, and took the commission. 

After a period of several months had gone by, the Emperor said, “Where is my portrait?” The artist said that it wasn’t ready yet. More time passed, then more, and the painting still wasn’t ready. The Emperor’s patience reached it’s limit, and he called for his administrators. They assembled a large retinue and proceeded with the Emperor to go to the Artist’s home to demand the completion of his painting. 

When he arrived, the artist greeted the Emperor and said he was ready to paint the portrait. He set out his paints, easel, and canvas, and in just a few moments, painted the most amazing portrait of the Emperor. The painting seemed to glow, and it expressed all of the most wondrous attributes of the Emperor. 

The Emperor was delighted. He asked the artist, “Why did you make me wait?” “This only took you a few seemingly effortless moments!” The artist led the Emperor to a door that opened to a back room. In it were hundreds of the artist’s many month’s of practice and earlier attempts. 

I once watched a demonstration of Mr Chow painting a bird. He would dip his brush into several colors, and then, when his brush touched the paper, with a few strokes he created an exquisite bird. All of the colors were in exactly the right places!

A Cure for the Common Cold

As we begin to move more and more from our hips by using our upper leg and lower back muscles, we start to lower our center of gravity. Also, as we cultivate the stretching of our lower back muscles in the spinal twist inherent in the movements of “Parting the horse’s mane” and “Fair lady at the shuttle”, between the midpoint of the form and the second round hand, a cleansing, or purification may be observed. The common cold may also serve this function, and the cold process may be made redundant and unnecessary if this cleansing or purification is accomplished during the performance of the form. 

The above movements, when executed to the full extent possible as stretches in the area of the body’s mid section, may be likened to the wringing out of a wet rag or sponge. 

As they are performed with slow conscious movements in balance, the muscles and the organs which they surround seem to seize this opportunity to cleanse themselves of toxins, lactic acid build up (from exercise), and other residues. These other residues may sometimes include emotional or psychological features, disturbing our balance in those areas. Often these may contribute to the need for a purification, or 'reset' when we feel overloaded.

This purification process, again, may replicate the function of a cold, and make the completion of the cold process redundant and unnecessary.

We are viewing the common cold here as a purification process by which the body cleanses itself of pollutant build up. When our practice achieves this function, the cold is no longer necessary. 

Sometimes the only thing that works to serve the purification process is a full blown cold, or even flu - like symptomatology, but many times, as our practice evolves, when those around us are getting colds, I have observed that a tickle in my throat, and perhaps a slight cough, do not then proceed to become a cold. (At this point, taking some echinacea, or vitamin C, along with the practice of the form, may facilitate the termination of the body’s purification process that we call a cold.

This doesn’t always work, and sometimes nothing less than a cold suffices to produce the cleansing. But many times it does work, when we don’t need a cold to let go of our crap, our extra movement, etc. …

Kindness

Generosity, one of the six paramitas or transcendent virtues, may also be seen as kindness. This is a means of actively transcending the personal through one’s actions. 

By acts of kindness, one’s T’ai Chi expands far beyond the reach of our physical extremities. As we operate within this larger sphere of interpersonal activity, we effectively become part of a larger organism, encompassing a multi being sphere of participation. 

When we act as a part of this larger entity, utilizing the principles of balance, relaxation, and movement originating from within this larger sphere’s center, our T’ai Chi practice becomes transcendent, transcending the personal. At this point, the energy generated by the parts working together may become accessible for the larger purpose. This seems to foster the personal growth that is associated with being a part of something larger than one’s self. 

All this is possible merely from practicing a little kindness.

Thinking Big can also be seen as seeing beyond one’s own personal sphere. As such, it allows a more objective, transcendent view. 

Listening may also be considered as the receptive, or passive mode of fostering the transcendent awareness that, by taking us outside our own stuff, similarly allows growth to transpire.

Three Blessings

                      (For my son Louis and Mia, at their wedding.)

Susana and I feel so lucky to arrive at this point in our lives. This has got to be one of the happiest days in our lives. Three things come to mind. They originate with our ancestors, our teachers, and our loves.

Back before Louis was born, his grandfather Hal told me that the problem with most people was that they didn’t think big enough. 

After a while, I added to this advice two more thoughts which I’d like to pass on, to perhaps aid this couple to move forward, toward the Best Wishes that we all share for them. 

My long time friend Sally Russell once told me that her mother had once told her, “If you have the opportunity to do something nice for someone, do it.” For me, this meant, Be Kind.

When Susana and I went to India together in the spring of 2001, (Just before 911 when the world changed), I added a third bit of wisdom, which is: “And listen to your wife.” This later became, “Listen to your spouse”, and later, just “Listen”.

   And so I offer these three thoughts to aid this couple to have a great future together. 

                      Be Kind, Think Big, and Listen, especially to each other.

                                                            Thank You All.

Not Traditional T'ai Chi

I have noticed a disturbing trend of late, for the exercise industry to market a form of aerobic exercise not at all like Traditional T’ai Chi as an adjunct to their exercise offerings. 

The other morning, while I was exercise walking in the local mall with my wife, I witnessed a program offered by a large hospital chain, calling one of their weekly exercise sessions “Tai Chi”. The exercises consisted of a cross between calisthenics and zumba dance movements, with a leader at the front calling “Kick, kick, kick, punch, punch, punch, jump, jump, jump” and so on, to a large group of people. The movements were not relaxed, did not originate from the center, and did not manifest balance. Yet these people were being told that they were doing T’ai Chi.

I have been told that this has become a common marketing practice. Admittedly, this might benefit many people who would not otherwise exercise. These exercises might not, however deliver the desired results claimed for T’ai Chi by the numerous scientific studies undertaken by such organizations as the NIH (National Institute of Health), and other serious researchers. 

To oppose this new, corporate usage of the name, “T’ai Chi” might be difficult or impractical. Rather than try to swim upstream, I am choosing to call the practice of Traditional T’ai Chi, as practiced by myself (Wu style), Yang style, Chen style, the excellent Taoist T’ai Chi Society, and many others, as Traditional, Authentic, or Classical T’ai Chi. This is defined by the above mentioned internal qualities of relaxation, balance, and movements originating from the center.

It is my hope that the popularization of the term T’ai Chi by those not concerned that their misuse of the term to describe exercises which might not produce the benefits accrued to Authentic T’ai Chi exercise, which may in some ways seem deplorable, may bring many people eventually to a more authentic teaching who would not otherwise have become aware of the benefits of a more rigorous and accurate form of T’ai Chi. The practice of a form possibly devoid of internal energy might yet be a step in the right direction, if it leads one to delve more deeply into the subject of better care of their health. 

There is room for all here, and I wish not to discourage anyone who encourages good health in any form. 

Namaste,

Daniel