Having the time to look through past copies of the Tai Chi and Alternative Health magazine, (back in the days when it was a physical magazine), have yielded many insights. Lessons delivered many years ago, the details lost to memory. Revisiting those lessons, rereading and recalling articles yields a curious familiarity, but from a distance. As with all lessons in Tai Chi, the question isn’t a binary, ‘Do I understand? Y/N’, but a much more nuanced ‘What does this lesson mean to me today?’ Time invested in training, a little bit every day, week in week out, month after month, year upon year, results in a natural settling within our body and mind. This settling can lead to new understandings, or, new perspectives within which new understandings can begin to take root. Our practice must be simultaneously focused on improvement, rooting out weaknesses, and yet carefree, smooth, light and in the present moment. All too often our mind is busy with observing our practice and silently berating any perceived errors within. In fact, while errors can be difficult to correct, at least we can bring our focus to bear on them, often the most difficult thing to do is nothing. We’re not talking sitting on the couch eating crisps, were talking about doing what we’re doing, as well as we can, without getting in our own way. To be kind to ourselves, let it be as good as it can be without recrimination for errors, or celebration for success. Just be. Challenge Week 8: Get out of your own way. Let the body and mind move as one. Enjoy!
Ross Cousens
# Tai Chi # Unify body and mind