Relinquishing “Attack” Thoughts

My current focus in on harmony and relinquishing even the perception of attack thoughts in myself/others. I’m recognizing that even my impatience is an attack thought.

For increasing awareness (I prefer this word to “growth”) of my ability to relinquish attack thoughts, I am being grateful for “therapeutic irritations.” Can I suspend my perception of my intention or the intentions of others and “hear” the fear or the call for peace behind the words or thoughts?

With regard to receiving corrections in T’ai Chi Chih, I have never received a correction for which I was not grateful. Even if I did not agree with the correction, I welcomed it as an opportunity to discuss it with the Guide or trainer or in a group. 

Because Daryl, Steve, Don, and I were primarily “self taught” when we traveled to California to be accredited, we felt privileged to have our movements “refined” by Justin, Steve, Ed, Antonia, Pam, Sandy, and Dan. I treasure the many corrections Justin suggested: “Don’t be like a vise, Hannah!” (Joyous Breath) “What happened to the hand passing under the elbow?” (Passing Clouds) “60% awareness in the hand behind the body.” (Working the Pulley) “When the weight moves backward, turn the torso only sharply in the direction of the front foot.” (Working the Pulley)

Because most of my students have extreme physical (nursing home residents) or emotional (transitioning from homelessness; recently released offenders) challenges, I seldom make corrections unless they are doing something that could compromise their knees, back, etc. With continuing students who do TCC regularly, I use Sandy’s method of “try to do it larger/smaller, slower/faster, higher/lower and see how that feels.”

At the Boulder Conference, I invited new teachers to practice making corrections on me to build up their confidence. I look forward to continuing to “explore our differences in a way that honors what is alive and true and evolving in each of us” instead of being one of those “therapeutic irritations.”