Principles To Live By

• Energy follows attention

• Release and let go – Abandon Hope

• Softness and continuity

• Awareness of polarity

• Circularity makes the world go ‘round

• Attention to the bottoms of the feet

One of the wonderful treasures about our discipline, T’ai Chi Chih, is its simplicity. The concepts are simple, but if we try really hard we can make them difficult. On this subject, one of my favorite Zen stories is of Tesshu, the great swordsman of Japan. When Tesshu was young his father noticed that it would not be possible to turn over the sword-making family tradition to his son. This made both of them sad, but especially the sensitive Tesshu, who knew it was a disgrace to the family.

Tesshu was determined to find a Zen Master to teach him the art of sword making. He received many rejections. Tesshu shared his plight, that his father was old and didn’t have many more years left to pass the art on to him. Finally, one Zen Master said he would be willing to get him ready. Tesshu would have to do everything he asked of him, without question.

Tesshu asked how long it would take. The Zen Master said 10 years. Tesshu responded, “But there isn’t much time, what if I work extra hard, then how long will it take?” With a shake of his head the Zen Master upped it to 20 years. The lessons continued. The Master asked Tesshu to clean the house. This went on for several years with seemingly no formal teaching. This made Tesshu angry and disappointed, feeling that the Zen Master was wasting precious time. He confronted the Master. The Master simply said, “I see.” The next day while Tesshu was washing dishes, the Master came up from behind with a large stick and repeatedly smacked Tesshu on the back and shoulders. Tesshu looked at the Master in disbelief and confusion – after all he had done everything the Master asked – and he ran away. The next day and then next day were the same. But Tesshu grew more aware, and this time the Master only got in one good smack. The next day, Tesshu felt the Master approaching and ran away before the Master could beat him. Tesshu went on to become the greatest swordsmen of Japan.

The clues about why Tesshu was not ready to receive his father’s art form were apparent from Master’s first meeting – when Tesshu was told not to question the Master, and he immediately did. Tesshu could not see what was in front of him. His attention was not directed to inner wisdom, but rather to his problem (much less how to solve it).

The list at the top includes principles we use daily in TCC practice – and in our lives if we have been paying attention. They are universal principles. Can you find them in the story of Tesshu and how they apply? In becoming aware of these principles we move into a pliable state, one that leads us to love and share the Chi.