Sunday, May 2, 2010

TCC Practice is Not for Ourselves Alone

We varnished our snowshoes today readying them for storage. Hopefully our next snowfall won't occur until late fall or early winter though local residents remind us that our area does occasionally receive snow into May.

Today was sunny and windy, cloudy and windy, windy and windy. Temps climbed to 70, then backed down to 60, but it felt much cooler because of the wind coming off the lake.

I read Sr. Antonia's May 2010 T'ai Chi Chih Newsletter today. As guide for the T'ai Chi Chih community she publishes a monthly message to inspire, challenge, and encourage us in our regular practice of TCC. I particularly related to her message when she mentioned that T'ai Chi Chih practice is not for ourselves alone (per the discussion we've been having in my TCC class that studies the Tao).

Sr. Antonia wrote:
Some years ago I let my practice slack for about two weeks. One day Sr. Dominic, my Regional Minister asked: 'Are you still practicing your T'ai Chi Chih?' I admitted to her that I had slacked off. She quickly said--go back to your practice. I never asked her why she said that...actually I really didn't want to know!

No. T'ai Chi Chih practice is not for ourselves alone -- the Chi moves beyond ourselves and our small circles to permeate the world and universe. Don't forget, the final pose of the practice is called 'The Cosmic Consciousness Pose.' Shifts happen and our world begins to change. We continue to evolve--our practice evolves--our caring, loving, and nurturing also evolve.
What a wonderful encouragement, inspiration, and motivation for keeping up TCC practice!

My practice tonight focused on maintaining the 'musts' of T'ai Chi Chih movements per Justin Stone's instructions in his Photo Text, p. 21: Softness at all times, slow and even movements and no effort. It felt lovely to float through the movements in the presence of the moment.

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