Harmony: Outside Ourselves as Within

In “The Essence of T’ai Chi Chih” Justin has said, “T’ai Chi Chih becomes a Way of Life that effects changes in our everyday existence as we circulate and balance the vital force throughout the total system. Spiritual, mental, physical, and psychological changes subtly begin to take place.” Justin continues: “As these changes occur we get in touch with ourselves and the world we see begins to change.” One of the changes a regular practitioner of T’ai Chi Chih may notice is a beginning of a kind of harmony in one’s outer life, the face we show the world, so to speak, as a reflection of what is going on inside.

What also quickly becomes apparent is that the outer self does not always mirror that inner ideal which has been established through much practice. Perhaps some of the wisdom behind T’ai Chi Chih comes in being able to see this discrepancy and to work with it, without judgment. For me, this has been an ongoing lesson. When my outer life seems to be in a state of great turmoil and confusion, I know that my inner being is calm and unchanging, stable and grounded. Why, then, is it so difficult sometimes to simply allow the inner peace and joy to take over and pour out to the world? Why do I seem to have this struggle to truly bring into harmony the outer with the inner?

Through the insights provided me by regular T’ai Chi Chih practice, I have found for myself that it is, indeed, a natural outgrowth of the human character to not always be “together,” to not always be able to show my most likeable face to the world, to not always be able to control my anger in a positive way, to not always be capable of treating others the way I would like to be treated. These are facts of being human, facts that show we are physical as well as mental as well as spiritual as well as psychological beings.

How we handle those not-so-good times when the outer person seems to be at tremendous odds with the inner one is probably a measure of how much we are learning. A lesson for me seems to be to not judge myself so harshly for those very human setbacks but to try and realize that every day is a new day, and that it’s possible to start over every day. That doesn’t mean I am allowed to make excuses for negative behaviors and feelings; it just means I accept my failings in a bit kinder way, with a little more humor and love–and then go on! We all are, no doubt, our own worst judges, and we certainly need to view how we relate to the world, but we also need to forgive ourselves. We need to be aware that that inner spirit of calm and centeredness will harmonize with the parts of ourselves we show the world–if we but let it.

– Jean Katus
Fort Yates, ND