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What I've Learned from Tai Chi
Author: Sharon Davis
So often, it is those apparently insignificant things that can be important - like a smile from a stranger or a compliment from a friend - that little ingredient that can brighten a day... In the same vein, it is often the seemingly little lessons that can be gained from the study of T'ai Chi that makes all the difference to how one views the world, and more importantly to how one responds to it. With this in mind, I'd like to share some of the little, but fundamentally important, lessons that I have learned from my journey along the T'ai Chi path.
Don't be taken in by appearances - look beneath the surface: Probably the first lesson we learn from T'ai Chi is: not to take things at face value; we learn to look beneath the surface...
This lesson is learned through a simple examination of the yin and yang nature of T'ai Chi. By embracing and understanding its fundamental underlying concept of duality - that T'ai Chi is both for health and relaxation, and for self-defence; both passive and violent.
How many people are initially surprised, if not disappointed, to discover that the root and function of these slow, flowing, gentle movements of relaxation are deeply grounded in civil combat and self-protection? I have had prospective students walk out of a trial class in total disgust at being told that part of the Brush Knee involved a strike to the face Who would suspect that the graceful dance-like movements, both aesthetically pleasing and calming, could be a devastating code of selfdefence moves - in effect a long and graceful kata?
By accepting that T'ai Chi is outwardly apparently very yin but contains the possibility of extreme yang, we learn to see a deeper significance in T'ai Chi - and by extrapolation, we can learn to see a deeper significance in the world around us.
We learn not to assess people by outward appearances - their physical appearance, their clothes, or even what they have to say. We learn to look deeper, into the heart and soul of the person; and if we choose to judge at all, we judge them by their actions. What they do to make the world a better place. Clothing and fashion statements are irrelevant. We learn to look past that outward projection of 'self' until that projection becomes like the emperor's new clothes. We learn that a fancy car is nice, but not important. That a smart new suit looks good, but holds no more promise of honesty or reliable service than a well worn, out-moded suit. ...
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