Around The Platter Variation: Metaphor For Letting Go

Last November, I started teaching T’ai Chi Chih at a 55-year-old-plus retirement apartment complex. Thirteen students showed up to the first class; some left; new students came to subsequent classes; and now there is a reliable group of ten students every Saturday.

Because there were two new students at our first class in January, I offered instruction on each movement. After we did Around the Platter Variation, something new came into my head that I haven’t heard any TCC teacher say (although perhaps I heard it, it entered my unconscious brain and then rose up to my conscious brain).

For Around the Platter Variation I’ve always instructed to “Pick up a ball, carry it and let it go.” This time I said “You know how we carry our burdens on our shoulders, things we worry about or that frustrate or anger us? This time, let’s pick up a burden at the shoulder, carry it forward and let it go.” There were several surprised faces, but they all seemed ready to mentally pick up a burden from their shoulders and let it go. We replaced those burdens with Joy.