Why I Practice Tai Chi
Why I Practice Tai Chi
"Life is really very simple, but we insist on making it complicated."
Confucius
Why I Practice Tai Chi
"Life is really very simple, but we insist on making it complicated."
Confucius
Our modern world is extremely fast-paced. We are exposed to more and more input every day and we crave more and more excitement in our lives to continually satisfy us.
Most of us work hard, play hard and enjoy plenty of 'spare' time. Here in the West we import food, clothes and luxuries from all over the world to satisfy our every need. When we feel "hungry" unlike our ancestors 50 years ago we now just open our fridge and snack immediately. When we are bored or lonely we can reach for a telephone and talk to our loved ones no matter how far away they are. We can watch TV, use the Internet or jump on a plane and travel the world.
Despite all this modern luxury, most people admit to feeling stressed, disappointed, depressed or even angry with their lot. At one time or another, most of us have used alcohol, retail therapy, cigarettes, junk food or drugs (both prescribed and illegal) to make ourselves 'feel better'.
We can often feel that our lives are pretty tough going and that we deserve that beer, that cigarette, that holiday, that burger and to put our feet up whenever we can. We grow ever more impatient, demanding and expecting instant solutions to all of our problems. When we feel pain or illness we reach for magic supplements and pills and seek out doctors who we expect will make us instantly well. We are taught to feel that happiness is elusive, is just around the next corner and will be achieved when we can just earn a bit more money; when we can take that foreign holiday, when we can afford to buy a bigger house or that flash new car.
Two of the most important aspects in Tai Chi training are to remember to smile gently and to 'count your blessings' daily. Everyone has heard the phrase 'counting your blessings' but what does it actually mean? What would happen if we really did think about and count all the amazing things that we have in our lives?
Imagine for a moment how it would feel to be drowning under water. Suddenly everything else becomes irrelevant and the only thing that matters to you is to fight to breathe and to survive. Now breathe deeply, savour your breath and feel grateful that it you can breathe easily and that you are not struggling or gasping for air.
Now recall a time when you felt extremely sick or were in terrible pain. Remember how everything else in your life suddenly seemed unimportant and feeling well again became your only concern. Now take a moment to be grateful that you feel happy and healthy right now.
How would it be if we could all remember to feel blessed every time we are able to breathe easily and for all those times when we wake up and feel healthy and pain-free? What would happen if we really took the time to remember to feel grateful for our healthy mind and body, for our loved ones, for all the amazing experiences we have had and will continue to have? What if we could remember to feel grateful for the food and water that we have to sustain us and for the roof over our head that keeps us warm, safe and dry. Maybe the answer to our problems is as simple as to stop once in a while and remember to be grateful for what we already have and to not concern ourselves with what we don't have.
This daily reflection on the positive things in our life or 'counting your blessings' is known as 'meditation' or for some people 'prayer'.
The ancient Samurai warriors of Japan were known to meditate daily on all the gory ways they could die. This sounds morbid but it is in fact a useful way of remembering just how much worse things could actually be.
This is perhaps the most important reason to practice Tai Chi. It certainly plays a large part of why I continue to practice this incredible art daily and why I feel so inspired to recommend and teach it to anyone who will let me.