Friday, October 22, 2010

Softening the Knees ... and Need

Huhhhhh. Today I feel like I'm getting sick. So the first question I ask myself is this: "What is out of balance in my life?"

I've been busy. Too busy. And the first thing that gets ignored or forgotten when I'm busy? VEGETABLES! (I could generalize that to include plain old healthy eating instead of fast, easy, unhealthy snacks.)

When Frances asked me what I could do to boost my immunity, I responded with the obvious answers: T'ai Chi Chih practice, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Hen in the Woods mushrooms. After I swallowed some C and Zinc I immediately launched into a long, slow TCC practice. I did feel better by the end of my practice if for no other reason than the fact that it helped to calm me and forestall my anxiety about getting sicker.

TCC practice was wonderful. I looked out the patio door at a sun-filled sky. Birds hopped on the ground and flew in every direction. Ander and Lucy grazed in the south ravine; Ander faced east as he ate birdseed off the ground under the feeder and Lucy faced west as they dipped her beak into a water filled garbage lid.

Because I didn't feel well my need to accomplish something or force myself through my practice vanished and I was in a soft, slow, receptive mood. (I was reminded of Justin's admonition that the best way to practice TCC is to imagine that you've lost your last friend and everything else you value in life; you have nothing left to lose.)

I truly allowed myself to soften my knees and follow the flow of the weight shift. I didn't just do this as I shifted weight forward and back on the standard forward-back movements such as Around the Platter, Bass Drum, and the like. I also noted the effect that softening my knees had on side-to-side movements and in-place movements such as Rocking Motion and Bird Flaps Its Wings. Wow! It felt really good!

We'll see what tomorrow brings. For the moment, at least, I feel infinitely more relaxed, at ease, and grounded in the present moment.

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