Breathless

Sometimes reviewing old T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) notes can bring unexpected revelations. Recently I reread notes from Laurie Jacobi’s presentation, “Embracing Emptiness,” from the 2022 Teacher Conference. During our time with her, she guided us through her idea of waiting within the shifts and transitions of our practice. Being in the empty space. Allowing something else to move in, like the timeless pauses between pendulum swings, that space between breaths. Justin Stone reminds us that “great secrets lie in the space between breaths.” (Heightened Awareness)

As I began to bring more attention to those “time catches” in my practice, I made an additional discovery. Those pauses led to moments during my weight shift when all the elements of TCC aligned in a sweet harmony of balance, almost palpable. The light sustained flow, the directness of focus, the polarity and circularity, the shaping of existing energy, the graceful glide that leads to graceful grounding … they were present in a hushed stillness, a secret now revealed. It was an all-inclusive, Dorene Krause-style, aha! moment. The gentle finger fluttering became a much more deeply felt sensation. These moments for me are rare like a true hidden treasure waiting in every practice, whether it is TCC, Seijaku, or Fast Track. And when I allow these treasures to unfold, those moments become momentous. Although I find my breath, I am left breathless.