| About six years ago I began to study tai chi. | | | | where you are in your life, no matter what |
| When I began, I had already been studying karate | | | | activity you engage in, no matter how much of |
| for several years, but my instructor encouraged | | | | an expert you are, you have only taken baby |
| me to add tai chi to enhance my martial arts | | | | steps compared to where it is possible to go. But, |
| abilities even further. It seemed interesting to me | | | | don't be fooled by this statement. It is easy to |
| from the very beginning, but I was totally | | | | accept this as an intuitive intellectual understanding. |
| unprepared for what I have received. What I | | | | It only becomes profound when it is discovered in |
| have learned is far beyond anything I ever | | | | the course of experience. |
| expected. | | | | Consider this. There are four areas of your life |
| Tai chi is a martial art that takes you through a | | | | where your humanity is expressed. The four |
| series of very slow movements. You have | | | | areas are the emotions, body, brain activity, and |
| probably seen people do it on TV commercials to | | | | spirit. And the profound truth is this: in each of the |
| advertise arthritis medicine. It seems rather | | | | four areas it is possible to literally explode beyond |
| strange and exotic for people who have never | | | | where you are now to ever higher and higher |
| been around it. And because it is so slow and | | | | levels of development. |
| easy going, it seems like it would be very easy to | | | | You can develop control over your emotions so |
| do. But I assure you, it is actually a very powerful | | | | that you are always positive and upbeat. You can |
| and practical form of exercise. | | | | overcome depression and negativity. You can put |
| When I first started practicing these moves it | | | | yourself in the appropriate emotional state for |
| was quite awkward. It is amazing the amount of | | | | any situation you find yourself in. |
| strength and balance it takes. But as I practiced | | | | You can develop control over your body. You can |
| over the next several months and years, I began | | | | provide it with the nutrients, rest and exercise |
| to notice a number of things begin to happen in | | | | that will keep it healthy. You can sculpt your |
| my body. I began to develop greater leg strength. | | | | muscles so that you look good. |
| My balance improved. I gained better posture. I | | | | You can learn to control your brain function. You |
| began to be able to control and conserve energy. | | | | can gain greater and greater ability to absorb |
| I gained more powerful breath support and | | | | content, to think quickly, to shift your outlook, to |
| control. I also saw my ability to concentrate | | | | concentrate, to control your focus and your |
| become stronger. | | | | perspective. These are all amazing abilities and |
| If you did a deep examination of tai-chi training, | | | | anyone can become better at them. |
| these things should really be expected because of | | | | Finally, you can develop control over your spirit. |
| the nature of the exercise. But there is one other | | | | You can become more and more skilled at |
| thing that has happened in my experience that, | | | | self-awareness, creativity, communication, decision |
| even to this day, I continue to marvel about. No | | | | making, analysis, contemplation, imagination, and |
| matter how far I seem to progress, there seems | | | | self-discipline. |
| to be further to go. I make a major advance and | | | | The sad thing, though, is very few people ever |
| think I am mastering the art and, behold, a whole | | | | move on a life path that causes them to |
| new level unfolds before me. This has happened | | | | continually develop in all four areas all the time. |
| so many times that I have come to believe that | | | | The average person will work on one area then |
| there is no limit to the amount of progress I can | | | | another, in fits and starts, but very few are |
| make. As I have discussed this with my | | | | focused on developing all four all the time. |
| instructor, he has assured me that this is so. | | | | So this brings us to a final, and profound, question |
| Now, this is a significant realization, and is | | | | which will determine what you do with the rest of |
| particularly helpful with an activity like tai-chi, | | | | your life. How much further do you plan to |
| where the movements are so slow. In our | | | | progress in your life beyond where you currently |
| fast-paced society, slow is very difficult. In fact, | | | | are? Your answer will determine the extent to |
| many people who start tai-chi don't end up | | | | which you are able to live life to the fullest. There |
| staying with the discipline very long because | | | | is more to gain beyond where you currently are. |
| activity and progress seem so slow. | | | | In fact, the potential is unlimited. But, you will |
| But, there is a much broader application that | | | | determine your reality. There is more and more |
| needs to be recognized that has very profound | | | | and more and more. |
| implications for every area of life. No matter | | | | |