I periodically try to go through the various spaces that I use, and clear out much of left over and no longer used residue and clutter that seems to accumulate over time.
This includes many items that might detract from the efficient use of living, teaching and work spaces, as well as kitchen, yard, and the many storage areas that might be put to better use. This includes much that has become storage, although not originally planned as storage areas.
As I clean I believe that I am creating habits that might hopefully generalize into other, non-material areas of endeavor, and foster my “Cleaning up my act”, of no longer functional or useful thoughts, behaviors, and beliefs.
This, in T’ai Chi terms can be seen as a process of eliminating the extra movements that disturb our balance and relaxation in so many subtle ways.
When I clean, whether it is going through the mail or clearing out a room or closet, the process is similar.
The first division is to keep or to throw away, including taking out the trash. Next, the ‘keep’ pile might either be dealt with or condensed to deal with later.
These easy first steps immediately shrink the size of the problem.
On the surface these steps might seem obvious and not worth listing, but their application to our junk habits, thoughts and behaviors might not be so obvious.
It is of utmost importance to not just think or philosophize about this, but to practice and through this practice to change our habitual thoughts and behaviors, that may have led us to hold limiting beliefs as well.
This is the real T’ai Chi.
Practicing the form influences our everyday life and our everyday life influences our form.
It’s a two way street!
Free Will
Meditation is traditionally used here to create a space between a thought and an automatic habitual re-action, and allows us the space to consciously decide what we might want to do.
This is so important because this is where we have the option to exercise free will, instead of behaving in a predetermined, habitual manner.
A meditation here is defined as anything that helps us to pay attention to what we are doing, and doesn’t necessarily require a particular posture or chant.
T’ai Chi can be a meditation, or making music or exercising.
A meditation can be anything that brings us more fully into the present moment.
Without our being present, how can we have choice, or Free Will?
Happy New Year to All,
Daniel
