It Takes A Lot Of Effort To Get To No Effort

This profound [title] statement came from a serious student who began to embody softness for the first time. It was her “ah ha moment” and was pivotal in her journey, no longer needing to continue to experience tension or effort in the way she moved… she was free. We, as teachers, talk a lot about letting go of tension in class, but we have no magical formula for such a process.

Justin often told the story of the teacher who kept saying “move with softness and continuity” in every class. By class number six a student suddenly said, “Oh, you want us to be soft… Why didn’t you say so?” Apparently, we will not “get” a teaching before we are ready to. Justin offers the koan in Spiritual Odyssey (page 15/17) “Trying is not the Way – Not trying is not the Way – You say it must be one or the other – But I say – Neither Nor.” Throughout this book Justin sprinkles little gems of how to let go, by comparing hard and soft in nature… and that the soft outlasts the hard. He speaks of the pliability of bamboo in a storm in comparison to the strong, mighty oak tree.

There is a process of “maturing” in the T’ai Chi Chih form that has nothing to do with a certain time line because it is uniquely different for each practitioner. An experienced teacher can tell the moment this transition takes place. Two things that will greatly help this process are 1) an attentive awareness of how one moves and 2) how one “feels the form.” Developing an awareness and feel are closely related, yet different.

Justin speaks of awareness as being “the root of T’ai Chi Chih, which is essentially inner-oriented.” So the focus is inward. It is being aware of how one begins and ends each move as well as everything that happens in between… And how does it feel? Awareness of where and how one places the heel, what happens in the joints of the ankle, knee, hip, back, and this awareness will be as unique according to each body shape and bone structure… And again, how does that feel? Awareness in how one stands in the Resting Pose, and in what movements does Justin refer to the “position of rest”… Is there a difference, and if so, what is it? Awareness from the soles of the feet to “being suspended from above” as well as being aware of each shift of weight, whether it is forward, backward, side to side, or up and down.

I’m sure your head is spinning right now with all this awareness and feeling that is an essential part of the TCC practice. Actually, it is quite simple: Know the form, be aware of how you move, and feel every part of it. Doing all of this will surely activate, circulate and balance the Yin and Yang Chi, and after all, isn’t that why we practice in the first place? The good news is that all this will change you, and being a “new you” will invite you to experience the TCC form in a new way, allowing for a greater circulation and balancing of the Vital Force, the Supreme Ultimate, the Life Force.

Where will that bring you? Back to the beginning so that your Knowledge (Chih) will transform and renew you down to the cellular level, besides teach you TCC movements with a new and fresh understanding. Can you see how circular this process is? And such circularity can last a life time.

With these words, I encourage you to go deeper into your practice to be more aware and to feel each movement. You will experience the t’an tien in a whole new way, not only in practice, but as you walk. Your body awareness will be heightened – balance on all levels will be renewed.

With all of this in process, I can’t wait to see you at the next retreat, intensive or teacher training. May each of us experience the effort of no effort in our TCC practice, teaching, learning and continual growth. It will show up in how we live our lives too. Effortless. Priceless. Wishing each of you peace and all good.