Ta’i Chi may sometimes require different responses to maintain balance in different situations. Some situations may suggest a passive response, where-as other external environments might require a more active correction to restore balance.
For one’s own inner balance, it might sometimes be useful to differentiate between anger or frustration, on the one hand, and righteous indignation, on the other.
Righteous indignation, while appearing to be an expression of such out-of-balance states as anger/frustration, does not necessarily have to throw one off balance. Recognition of this might sometimes help to restore one’s equanimity and balance when viewed from a larger, more encompassing perspective.
The following example, in retrospect, seems somewhat petty compared to what I have seen lately transpiring around the world, of a much more serious nature. I offer my sincere apologies to those suffering much more serious problems than that presented below. However, I report this example as something that might help those under extreme stress to find or maintain their balance under such adverse conditions.
Last month I picked up a paycheck for my occasional neuropsych testing work, and went to the bank to cash it. There were about four or five people in front of me in the line, but each customer seemed to take about fifteen minutes, even those who, like myself, only had simple transactions. When I arrived there were two tellers, but after completing only one transaction, one of the tellers closed her window, leaving only one.
After waiting in line for almost an hour, including some time I occupied doing some standing stretches, and later joking with the customers next to me in line that maybe they had run out of money, and couldn’t go on to the next customer until more came in.
By the time I was close to the head of the line, I felt so irate that I expressed my displeasure and frustration aloud, and told a teller at the disabled window between customers that the manager didn’t seem to be doing a very good job of taking care of their customers.
Usually I try to be a model of civilized politeness, and after I returned home and cooled off, I felt a little bit ashamed of my behavior. I felt that I had lost my cool. I felt that I had not behaved well, and this disturbed me.
That evening, after some sleep, I awoke and found that I had reclaimed my balance. I realized that I had been concerned of what people must have thought of me. Upon consideration it occurred to me that perhaps, in retrospect, what I had said needed to be said. The bank was not treating its customers as they would want to be treated themselves, and nobody there except me had spoken up.
I had, by reframing the transaction, let go of my bad feelings that were keeping me from being in balance and was able to feel good about what had transpired.
Sometimes we just need to forgive ourselves for not being perfect, and be able to move forward in balance in order to present our best selves for the sake of the future that we create.
Namaste,
Daniel
