Contacting the Formless Essence

Justin commented recently that many T’ai C hi Chih teachers mistake the moving fundamentals of TCC as an end in themselves. The principles of TCC (weight shift, circularity, polarity) are tools for opening our awareness to Essence, the root source of all manifestation. Merely teaching students the three principles of TCC is leaving out the most important element of the practice: They must be taught how to concentrate their mind so that the thoughts/feelings/small mind do not impede their immersion in the intelligent Chi flow. In Spiritual Odyssey, Justin observes that thoughts impact Chi circulation, and so it is very important to discipline the mind to step out of the way.

The most common way we thwart our opening to Essence is by identifying with our thoughts and emotions, thereby closing up our meridian channels through which the Chi runs. In teaching TCC, it is essential to encourage the practicing student not to attach to rising thoughts and feelings (such as anger, sorrow, worry, or anxiety), but to instead emphasize the placement of mind concentration in the soles of the feet. Justin’s Heightened Awareness is a valuable teacher’s resource for just this purpose. In training the students in mind concentration, I remind them that just as they do not confuse the blowing wind with Essence, but instead realize that the wind is merely a manifestation of atmospheric pressure change, so too the thoughts are merely passing energy. Why identify so tightly with our feelings of sorrow, anger, anxiety, and fear – which have the effect of blocking Chi flow and Realization? Training the student’s mind to open to the awareness of the intelligent but formless Chi, the root of all manifestation, is the teacher’s task. TCC practice is one of the easiest and most enjoyable tools we can use to reach the awareness of the potent non-manifested root of All. “Keep your mind in the soles of the feet” can never be repeated too often in the TCC classroom.

I

open

my home; you

open my heart

together

we share

Chi

– Sheryl Adair

life

flowing

soft Chi waves

seeking balance

finding friends

on the

way

– Sheryl Adair

soft

softer

amazing,

a turn of wrist

eternal

moment

now

– Barbara Kristoff

a

moving

mandala

circles of love

wrapping all

into

one

– Barbara Kristoff