TAI CHI PRACTICE and the BEGINNER’S MIND

When I went to save this document, it saved it under: Tai Chi and the Beginner.

Perhaps that’s a better title. I am by all accounts a beginner. My practice is hours old (8

one-hour sessions over eight weeks plus some additional hours of practice on my own.)

What I “know” about Tai Chi is limited. It’s not colored or clouded by time. And it’s simple—like a child summing up her world.

Here’s what I know for certain—I want to continue.

Tai Chi helps me center my KI (in my Okinawan tradition) or CHI in the Tai Chi and Chinese tradition. Both refer to the inner, life giving and affirming, energy that runs through all our bodies. If I can center it, I can move it. If I can move it, I can direct it where I need it to go. Sound a bit Yoda-ish? A bit, Wu-Wu? Or, perhaps more “The Last Airbender,” than feet on the ground learning how to walk without falling into a hole? It is. And it’s really cool.

In many ways we get what we expect and work for out or our personal practice. Many times, it’s the expectation that gets in the way of progress. It channels, and as a consequence, limits what we see.

My Sensei used to say that the usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness. Any of us who stumble around with our eyes half closed before our morning coffee or tea understand this. You can’t fill up a cup of java if it’s already full.

This is Beginner’s Mind.

Beginner’s Mind is the act of trying to approach any new activity or venture without

judgment or expectation. Our 5-year-olds do this with Karate. Every time they take the

floor, they just do what they are asked to do. If there is any assumption it’s that they can

do whatever it is that’s being asked of them. And when they’re open and eager to learn

it turns out they do almost anything.

Ever hear the phrase, “Kids are like sponges, they pick up everything,” I smile. Because they do. Their cups are empty and ready to be filled.

I’ve got energy (Chi) in my consciousness now. A consequence of 35 years of

continuous martial arts training. So that’s the lens through which I view life and practice.

I’m thinking about energy and how to settle it, amplify it when necessary, and channel it

productively for my health and my business.

Does this way of moving make sense? Does Tai Chi practice add value to my life?

Yes.

I knew Tai Chi practice would add value to my life the first time I did it. I can tell you

about the challenge I had just stepping out into the first position and how the weight shift

is improving my balance and stability. I could say that that alone made me better at

walking and moving in every direction. I could say that if that’s all that I got out of my

first day of Tai Chi class that the first day was a huge success. But those were just some

of my experiences. I expected nothing. What I got was a whole different theory of

movement that has added value to everything I do on the dojo floor as well as

everything I do after waking up in the morning.

I step with purpose. I don’t stumble downstairs grumbling about how much more alert

I’ll be after coffee. That first foot-plant out of bed is done consciously—no profanity after

Lego-induced mishaps. No more dropping onto the tennis shoes I kicked off the night

before and twisting my ankle. No more stubbing my toe on the pile of books I was too tired to move before falling into bed the night before.

Stepping with purpose improves balance. Improved balance creates stability and in

time more agility and strength.

Things this Beginner knows about Tai Chi:

1. I want to keep doing it. I am benefiting from what I’m learning. It’s adding value to my other martial arts practice and to my life. I feel good doing it. I feel great after. I feel my energy flowing.

2. Tai Chi isn’t just a physical exercise. Like Karate, if you apply what you learn on the floor to other aspects of your life, you can become more aware of your body and your reactions to what happens in our daily life. Work stress becomes more manageable. Balance and the ability to move in a different direction become second nature. Strength and control grow.

3. It’s fun. Learning new things is good for the body, the brain, and the spirit.

4. Meeting like-minded people and growing a community is good. There’s joy in making mistakes together and learning from one another.

5. There’s always room for improvement, fine-tuning, and getting a wee bit more out

of practice.

6. Time spent in practice, alone, or with others, is your time. There is only room for growing during this time. That hour of practice is like money in the bank. The outside world doesn’t exist. You are doing something wonderful for your health, overall well-being, and your investment in longevity. It also brings joy.

I’ll let you know what I learn about Tai Chi practice as the weeks I put into it become months. Better yet, join me. Share your thoughts and your Tai Chi adventure. I’d love to be a part of it.

A new Beginner’s Tai Chi session starts at MSR this week!

Thanks for reading. May you find peace, strength, and joy within today and every day.

Yours in this wonderful journey,

Morganne L. MacDonald~7 th Dan Shorin Ryu Karate & Okinawan Kobudo

MSR Health & Wellness Center. Franklin, WI

#TaiChi #DojoLife #EnergyHealing #Karate #MartialArts