Gratitude + Humility = Cosmic Consciousness Pose

What is gratitude? The Dalai Lama said, “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.” Like many ideas on our quest for spiritual development, our journey from the finite to the infinite, our notion of gratitude transforms along the way from simple thankfulness for the things we perceive as external to ourselves, such as loved ones, to appreciation that is non-dual – we are One with its cosmic origin.

Is T’ai Chi Chih a gratitude practice? Does it offer the transformative opportunity to see the good (or God) in everything? Here I visit the subject of the power of gratitude, the enormity of its potential to transform us and what takes place inwardly in its presence.

At the very first TCC class I attended I was instructed during Cosmic Consciousness Pose to think of absolutely nothing, and that if thoughts persisted, to think about what I was grateful for that day. I found incorporating conscious gratitude into the practice to be interesting and helpful and so I integrated this into my personal practice.

Justin offers the following advice in the TCC photo textbook Joy Thru Movement (within the General Instructions, Additional Tips section): “My T’ai Chi Chuan master used to say ‘Try to have no extraneous thoughts while practicing.’… Empty the mind before beginning; forget troubles and other preoccupations. The great Chinese philosopher, Chuang Tzu spoke of ‘fasting mind.’ We keep our heads too cluttered and accumulate too much tension; let the mind fast a bit for 15 minutes.”

But, how is this “fasting mind” accessed? This quiet fasting mind is detached from everyday interests, worries and concerns. How can I empty my mind?

After several years of using the tool of thinking about what I was grateful for when in Cosmic Consciousness Pose, I observed that there was a direct effect on my brain and the content of my consciousness. Other thoughts came to a full stop, and gradually “I” became quiet; the mind quiescent. Over years of practice there have been intervals where the content of consciousness was empty – empty of all but Light – the “Uncarved Block” of consciousness. Justin assigned the name to this pose – Cosmic Consciousness Pose. I do not make it happen. It is attained immediately when I understand intuitively what it is – the mind’s great action, acquiescence. The paradox is only verbal.

Upon reflection, it became clear that when thinking about what I am grateful for there comes the touch of essential humility; essential because nothing is to be transformed without it. Humility is Teh; sincere objectivity about one’s condition. The I, the ego, shrinks as humility approaches, absolved then dissolved; the everyday I quietened, the brain not doing. In this peace the spiritual heart opens and prepares to receive… blessings… joy, full of my Original Face, the face before I was born.

Is true gratitude possible without humility? No. Which comes first? Neither. Gratitude and humility arrive hand in hand, a combined catalyst. How can the mind involute to fasting mind? Start with the brain that is always busy. The brain loves to work, it loves to do so it must be given a job. The practice begins by assigning the brain the job of thinking specifically about what I am grateful for today, and then another job follows – observing the result. Less and less identified with thoughts, more and more the watcher, the I in identity subsides as the door to humility opens, the flood gates release, joy and freedom flow as the Chi takes the lead in the spirit dance of love, joy and light in sync, in harmony with the Cosmic Rhythm.

Lotus Sutra

From the state of Emptiness

Each man’s body is a Body pervading the Universe

His voice is a Voice filling the Universe

His life is a Life which is without limit.

I bow in gratitude to God for the gift of this body, the vessel through which this practice is received, as offered by my teachers Justin, Carmen and Lisa and all of you with whom I share the Chi. All is love.