REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE

REFLECTIONS ON PRACTICE

One of the most challenging aspects of Tai Chi Chuan is daily practice. A beginner soon learns that attending class is but a small part of what Tai Chi Chuan is really about. Class teaches the movements, daily practice teaches their essence. But for the beginner and the seasoned player alike, the discipline of regular practice can present difficulties.

Have you ever vowed one day to rise earlier and practice longer, only to wake up the next morning a person of a different mind? Setting a schedule and keeping it can require a real emotional commitment. Without a living emotional connection with the practice, discipline can degenerate into a monotonous drill.

It is the road, not what lies at the end of it, that matters. Tai Chi is not a means to an end, but a way of life. Incorporate Tai Chi into your daily living, and a missed practice session is of no consequence. Be willing to learn something new about yourself each day, and your practice will remain fresh.

Consulting the I CHING about daily practice evoked these responses:

INNOCENCE

"The greatest success comes when we keep with where we are. Do not count the harvest while plowing.

Do each task for its own sake, making it fulfilling.

All other fulfillment follows."

DEVELOPMENT

"Strong determination keeps a sense of purpose alive and so prevents slow development from dwindling to nothing.

Gradual progress insures stability.

That which is hastily made is quickly destroyed."

FELLOWSHIP

"One must learn to interlock the gears of individual desires so that they productively supplement the movement of each other.

Fellowship means discovering those to share with."