| "Mind Over Matter" - What part does it play in | | | | generally invisible to us. Who ever thought about |
| your health, wealth and general well-being? | | | | atoms and electrons until they were named? |
| A friend of mine dismisses my claims about the | | | | The power of the mind to direct an action and |
| health benefits of tai chi and other Asian | | | | achieve a given purpose is summed up in a single |
| health-enhancing exercises as "nothing more than | | | | Chinese word which in translation is spelled "I" or |
| mind over matter". In his view, the silly people | | | | "Yi". In the literature of the martial arts, this is |
| who believe in these things benefit simply because | | | | often translated as "mind-intent". |
| they believe they will. | | | | When a kungfu or karate practitioner prepares to |
| For him, people recovering from illness after being | | | | break a plank with a single strike, the mind first |
| given a sugar pill by their doctor (placebo effect) | | | | "images through", or focuses on a point beyond |
| and members of primitive societies responding to | | | | the target, and the energy of the strike follows |
| magic charms or falling ill as a result of the curses | | | | through to that point. The break would be |
| of the witch-doctor belong together in this | | | | physically impossible without the acceleration of |
| category of "mind-over-matter". | | | | force through to that point of focus. |
| By his own admission, my friend recognizes that | | | | The same principle applies in sports and athletics |
| placebos and "bone-pointing" can have a powerful | | | | generally. Where mind-intent leads, the body |
| effect on believers, but he thinks of himself as | | | | follows. An obvious example would be the art of |
| immune to such mumbo jumbo because of his | | | | archery. You must aim well to hit the target. In |
| superior, more objective view of life. | | | | Zen terms the bow, the arrow and the target |
| His faith in expensive pharmaceutical products and | | | | must become an extension of your being. But the |
| surgical procedures is unshakeable, even though | | | | truth is, you must believe that you can hit your |
| these have proven harmful and even fatal in | | | | target. |
| many cases. | | | | The Problem of Self-Doubt |
| His attitude and mine toward "conventional" and | | | | An old Chinese philosophical text points out that |
| "alternative" approaches to health could not be | | | | hitting the bulls-eye in a contest becomes more |
| more different, but in both cases it boils down a | | | | difficult the higher the stakes are raised. |
| matter of belief. | | | | If we doubt our ability to do something, we are |
| Belief Systems for All | | | | more likely to fail. So how can we harness the |
| We all have belief systems, whether we realise it | | | | power of belief and eliminate doubt to improve |
| or not. | | | | our results? |
| Scientists believe that the Universe behaves | | | | This can be done in the same way we develop |
| according to a certain law until someone disproves | | | | any skill, through training. The power of |
| the prevailing hypothesis and a new hypothesis is | | | | mind-intent can be trained in the same way that a |
| established. | | | | specific muscle can be developed through regular, |
| Our beliefs, especially those we hold unconsciously, | | | | clearly focused training. |
| actually set the boundaries of what is possible for | | | | When you watch someone practicing tai chi, what |
| us in the same way that the prevailing scientific | | | | you see is a series of smoothly coordinated |
| hypothesis or paradigm sets the boundaries of | | | | movements of the whole body. What may be |
| technological development, until an Einstein comes | | | | less obvious is the way the mind of the tai chi |
| along and turns everything on its head. | | | | player directs the movements. |
| In your own life, if you don't believe that | | | | The 3 keys |
| something is possible then how are you going to | | | | This is the exercise of mind-intent guiding the |
| find the energy or staying power to achieve it? | | | | energy toward a series of targets. It's a key |
| One of my teachers noted the tremendous | | | | component of tai chi practice and it's a skill which |
| destructive power of our faith in the white lab | | | | can improve results in every area of life. |
| coat, saying that when a doctor proclaims that a | | | | The three most important things that a tai chi |
| patient has X months to live, he/she as good as | | | | player must do to benefit fully from this aspect |
| kills the patient with the power of suggestion, | | | | of practice are |
| unless that patient has the power to neutralize | | | | 1 to intend to actively move the qi (energy) with |
| that suggestion. | | | | the yi (mind intent) in every tai chi movement |
| My scientific rationalist friend sees that when | | | | 2 to recognize that the energy that is mobilized in |
| someone with the authority of a "proper doctor" | | | | this practice is the same energy that is used to |
| gives us a sugar pill, our "silly" mind is "tricked" into | | | | achieve whatever we desire, from throwing an |
| healing the body, as if by magic. He would | | | | opponent to healing the body, attracting success |
| probably agree that this mechanism operates | | | | in business or creating/improving relationships. |
| unconsciously in connection with our underlying | | | | 3 develop a true sense of detachment from the |
| beliefs in "proper doctors" and pills. | | | | result (this is the most tricky part), because |
| By this time it may be clear that my friend and I | | | | attachment to results gets in the way of success. |
| actually observe the same facts but draw very | | | | "Simply imagine it done" is the advice you will |
| different conclusions. For him, "mind over matter" | | | | receive from experts in all fields where |
| is a way of summing up the essential silliness and | | | | mind-intent is acknowledged as the key, whether |
| fallibility of the human mind, whereas for me, the | | | | it's golf, tai chi or healing an illness. |
| power of mind to condition, direct, even create | | | | The qi or chi is the life-energy that sustains the |
| reality is profound. | | | | mind and body. It naturally, quietly goes about its |
| Tai Chi and Mind Intent | | | | business of flowing throughout the universe |
| I find the study of tai chi to be singularly relevant | | | | supporting every living thing. |
| in this discussion of mind-over-matter. The | | | | The yi or i is the power of mind to direct |
| Chinese have names for things which have no | | | | life-energy toward any chosen purpose. |
| name in the English language, and this is very | | | | In the end it's just "mind over matter". |
| powerful, because things we can't label are | | | | |