How did it feel to you?
(Bruce Lee)
Hugging
In order to practice tai chi we must touch one another.
Our culture tries to isolate everyone - mine/yours, here/there, this/that...
We are not very good at sharing.
Being able to hug somebody without any resistance within indicates that you are
very comfortable with yourself.
Vulnerability
We are all
vulnerable.
Everybody can be hurt.
This is part of being human.
A stance, position, poise or image of toughness is simply
fear hiding behind a
'front'.
Learning to be yourself and open up is critical to tai chi.
We have a lifetime
of mistrust and personal discomfort to address, so this process will not be
easy.
Soften, relax, trust and be trusted.
Be
patient.
Sexual intimacy
What has tai chi got to do with sex?
Intimacy, sensitivity, relaxation,
stress relief,
health,
letting down your defences... tai chi and
taoism helps with all of these.
Taoist insights can be applied to sex as readily as to cooking or
furniture arrangement.
The Barefoot Doctor has written an entire
book about tai chi, taoism and sex.
Sex involves removing your protective outer clothing and letting another
person be closer to you than you would normally allow anybody else to be.
If you cannot let down your defences and feel comfortable with other people you are
never going to relax fully during sex.
Embarrassment
Part of being a whole, balanced human being involves shedding
your
fear.
Sexual embarrassment is a throwback to a time when the very topic of sex was
considered 'bad form'.
In this world of AIDS, teenage pregnancies, divorce and explicit
advertising, we need to be open and forward.
We need to be capable of talking with one another as adults, without
worrying about appropriateness.
If the topic of
sexuality makes you uncomfortable, that says more about
you than the topic itself.
Wu wei
The taoist approach to life involves the implementation of 'wu
wei'; going with the flow.
In self defence, this means not blocking punches.
You do not try and stop the incoming force; you accept it and subtly
redirect it to avoid being struck.
This serves to over-commit your attacker and prevents the possibility of
force against force.
In sex, this same attitude is adopted.
Page created 7 May 2000