Only when we are no longer
afraid do we begin to live.
(Dorothy Thompson)
Inevitability
Aging is inevitable yet the mass media of the Western
world desperately works to encourage an attitude of denial and resistance to
aging. This is hopelessly naive.
We cannot change the reality of aging but we can work to improve the quality
of our health and our everyday life.
Relationships
Taoism suggests an open-minded approach to living.
It rejects stagnancy and apathy.
We are invited to see the world through younger eyes - to see things
differently.
To see the wonder of existence.
Our relationship with the world around us is important.
It determines so many things in our life.
If we are relaxed and responsive, we can move sensitively through life,
finding joy and happiness irrespective of adversity.
If we are brittle and tense, we encounter darkness and pain.
Zen teaches the mind to let go of fixity and embrace change.
We shed our misconceptions and free the mind.
This is a liberating experience.
It won't happen to me
Everybody ages and dies. This is the way things are. We cannot change the
truth of it.
Denying your own vulnerability is stupid.
We are human. We are flesh and blood. We deteriorate. Things wear out. We
feel pain and we die.
But this is not something to be depressed about. There is great joy to be
found in living.
Just realise: we cannot live until we stop pretending.
Start as young as you can
The sooner you address your health, exercise and lifestyle - the better.
Young
A person who starts tai chi in their teens will may well be an expert in
their 30's. The mind is more resilient and the the body flexible.
On the other hand, they may not have the patience and the motivation to gain
the skills until they have matured as an individual.
Who can say?
Old
An older student has more life experience and they may be able to make the
connections necessary to actually understand the art.
They might learn at a slower pace but their tai chi may well have a depth
that a younger student could not imagine.
It depends on the individual.
Motivation
When your body aches and your joints feel stiff - tai chi, a balanced diet
and good living are appealing.
Do not be put off by the difficulty of a new journey. Change is good.
You can still learn, no matter how old you are or how young. You simply need
the heart and the will.
Page created 11 September 2003