“The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on.”
Old Sufi saying
The Dalai Lama once told us that we should always be satisfied with our material growth, and never be satisfied with our spiritual growth, always striving for more. (Visit to Dharamsala, April 2001).
Applying this to our T’ai Chi practice, We might consider that we can accept our limitations and imperfections, yet still continue striving always to do better.
This will generalize and positively influence the strengthening of our character, thus facilitating the growth of our spiritual side.
When we neglect what we can do, and focus on our imperfections, we waste precious energy that might be used more productively to foster positive growth.
Even small efforts have a cumulative effect, strengthening our effort habits and muscles, and thus building that which we call character.
It is within this process that spiritual growth occurs.
Be of good cheer!
This might not always be obvious, but no effort is wasted, and the additive process, little by little, will always move us forward.
We are like the talking dog.
The fact that we can talk far outweighs any imperfections evident in the dog’s speech and grammar.
“There’s nothing like making people laugh.”
Eddie Murphy (TV interview, CBS December, 2019)
Wishing All a Great New Year,
Daniel
