Tai chi is a journey
with no goals and no end.
(John
Lash)
Journey?
So where is this journey? Where are you going? Why is it necessary?
What you learn from your tai chi teacher is only a small fraction of what you
need to study.
There is so much more.
The journey of discovery is your own responsibility. Your teacher cannot (and
should not) really aid you.
Consider: if we tell you what we think a
zen koan means, does that mean that you
understand it for yourself?
Are you capable of having further insights? Can you progress without our help?
Tai chi is just the same. Your teacher can only take you so far.
Even though they may have much more material and insights to offer you, it is
meaningless to you if you lack the cognitive
wherewithal to understand it.
Internal, not external
People travel to China in search of understanding, but Lao Tzu
said that you can know the whole world without ever leaving your room.
Your journey will not take you anywhere, for there is nowhere for you to go. You
are right
here, now.
The only zen you find on the tops of mountains is
the zen you bring up there.
(Robert Pirsig)
The journey is internal, not external. You must unlock your own mind and set it
free.
Can you do this? Are you committed enough?
A different you
Unlearning will change you.
The process may be slow and gradual but there will be radical and distinct
changes taking place.
You may well lose more than you bargained for.
A
spiritual journey is not a trivial affair. It
will profoundly affect who you are.
You may come face-to-face with uncomfortable truths about yourself, unexpected
insights and realisations.
Some people may withdraw from your company, whilst others will seek you out.
If you are hoping to come through the experience unchanged, think again.
Meditation
Yang Jwing-Ming once told this story:
An archer happened to be watching an oil seller one day and noted how the oil
seller could pour oil from the ladle into a thin-stemmed vase without spilling a
drop. This was a stunning feat of accuracy and balance. The archer quizzed the
oil seller about it, so the oil seller placed a coin on top of a vase and
proceeded to pour oil through the square hole in the centre of the coin. The
archer was amazed and wanted to know the secret of this skill. The oil seller
could not explain or teach his ability; he just put it down to practice.
The archer spent many years in training and gained a reputation for being a
master archer. No one could match his skill. Then one day he retired into the
wilderness and never returned.
Some years later, a group of archers came across the master archer living as a
hermit in the woods. They were surprised to find that the master no longer used
his bow. The archer explained that he no longer needed it. Archery was simply a
tool. It had served to point him in the direction of the way. When he no longer
needed it, he put it aside.
We must treat the tai chi this way. It is the means, not the end.
Walk the path alone
Your teacher should be willing and keen to share their knowledge
and
skill with you, but there are some things they cannot share.
This is not a matter of being mean or secretive.
You simply have to figure them out for yourself. No one can give it to you. No
one can say it.
The
words are not the thing.
You must undertake the journey alone and you must be very diligent, patient and
thorough.
The path is
different for each of us, for we are all
unique.
It will not be easy, and you will become disheartened and frustrated.
But it is worth it.
If you have the stamina and the passion to endure, then you will not regret your
efforts or your sacrifice.
The journey is the point of your training in
our
school.
Not the books, not the form, not the self defence. They are just tools to help
you on your way.
Page created 9 May 1999