My TCC Spiritual Code

“In the Pursuit of Learning

Everyday, something is acquired.

In the Pursuit of the TAO

Everyday, something is dropped.” – Tao Te Ching

T’ai Chi Chih reconnects Mind and Body. But what does that really mean? “Constant awareness in the soles of the feet will cure a thousand illnesses.” – Buddha. How can that be? The answer for me is found in something I call my Spiritual Code of TCC, a framework, an extended metaphor for my spiritual journey.

Rocking Motion: Palms go up as if pulled by strings. Surrender to a “higher” force. Awaken to our spiritual connection or heritage. Hands float gently down. There is patience, letting things unfold at the proper time, wu-wei – the action of no-action, spontaneous, not forced, going with the flow. Rocking on heels. Utilizing a conscious mind to stay in balance as we interact with the flow of “higher” forces (of Chi).

Around the Platter: Hands go around and around. The seasons come and go, over and over again, and we acknowledge this, we accept it and we go along effortlessly with this flow.

Around the Platter Variation: We pick up a ball, carry it around to the front, drop it and merge with the flow. We take up our rightful responsibility/duty and carry it for the appropriate time (i.e. to the front where we can see it clearly, consciously, and we know we have learned lessons from doing so). Once we have fulfilled that particular duty, we drop it, and we return or merge back with the flow of things.

Carry the Ball to the Side: Fingers point straight down on the downward portion of the movement. We let go completely of all tension in the wrists. As we fulfill our life’s responsibilities, we let go of all attempts to hold things in check or to control the shape of events. We trust completely in the safeness of the Universe – even when doing seemingly complicated maneuvers (such as Passing Clouds).

Push-Pull: As you sow, so shall you reap, cause and effect. Everything that you are… Send out love/peace vibrations into the world. They come back to you.

Pulling in the Energy: Palms are upward while going around; light comes through each fingertip. We are open at all times to receive guidance or assistance from the higher realms as we flow with the rest of the world.

Pulling Taffy: Hands go in different directions – one with a palm up and the other with a palm down. Recognize the unity behind seemingly opposite tendencies within us. Open to receive (palm up). Detachment from things (palm down). “Be still as a mountain and flow like a river.” See unity through the illusion of duality.

Working the Pulley: When one hand goes forward, the other is going backward (duality). Yet both hands describe the same pattern (unity that is above/beyond the duality). But opposites or polarities only seem to be in opposition. They are part of a greater, unified whole when viewed from a higher perspective. Beware of a “Pedestal Syndrome:” You may seem to be progressing (going forward) while others seem to be regressing (going backward) or vice-versa. Yet from a higher perspective, you are both going through the same pattern (evolution); i.e. when others seem to be progressing differently from you, they’re simply at a different point in the evolutionary cycle/path. The ebb and flow of life.

Light at the Top of the Head: We connect Heaven and Earth, yang and yin, Mind and Body. We expand (increase) our ability to take in that combined energy; we fill up with the joy of life. We individualize the higher energies brought in by mixing them with our unique energy patterns. We let the resulting energy combination settle, i.e. we claim ownership of it. Metaphorically, this new, higher energy form is a tiger. We embrace it and bring it down to the stillness (mountain) of our inner self.

Cosmic Consciousness Pose: A pattern is made by space between the fingers and thumbs. It is reminiscent of the entire, complete, whole, that which contains all parts. It is made up of entering, or potential form, unchanging reality.