Being Soft

Recently I attended a gathering at the New Mexico T’ai Chi Chih Center where we had a good-sized group of people practicing TCC together. As I looked around the room I could see many different interpretations of soft while doing the movements. I was disheartened to see that many people believe that soft is performing movements without any Chi flowing. They seemed to embrace soft as “no feeling.” This couldn’t be farther from the truth. As I told one student, “Soft isn’t a bunch of nothing; it’s a bunch of something!” That bunch of something is Chi, it’s life, the Life Force!

Moving from the tan t’ien allows the bunch of something to flow through our entire being; misunderstanding soft does not. Misunderstanding soft does not allow Chi to flow through our entire being because we don’t feel it. Practically anyone watching Justin move can tell that there is something wonderful going on when he does TCC. Some feel great love, others are in awe, and most are just drawn to what is happening even though they can’t put a finger on why. Justin participates with his whole being.

I encourage everyone to watch Justin’s DVDs. He definitely has a bunch of something going on, even when he’s not doing the movements. Move from the tan t’ien and let go. Softness happens when you let go. It’s a by-product, not the goal. The goal is to circulate, balance, and strengthen the Life Force within, and we must participate in that consciously. To truly embrace the softness is to let go and embrace the circulation of the Chi.

I emphasized this to the same student, “Move from the tan t’ien.” The student replied, ”Oh yeah … I don’t do that.” Moving from the tan t’ien does not mean that you are pushing the tan t’ien ahead of the rest of the body. It means that the tan t’ien is moving you. Allow yourself to participate fully in the movements and let the circulating energy move you on all levels. This is how you get the most out of practicing the movements. Why spend time practicing TCC to get any less?