Seated Meditation

I wrote the following poem after attending the 2014 teacher conference and Seijaku accreditation in New Jersey. Getting together with teachers and practitioners has always been a wonderful experience. Poetry seems to flow during the days immediately following T’ai Chi Chih events. Attending gatherings opens us to a greater flow of divine inspiration and creativity of unique forms. 

I customarily lead a short seated meditation at the end of every class, and I sometimes include this poem as part of that. I am grateful to my accrediting signatory teachers, Dorene Krause and Phyllis Segal, for leading beautiful seated meditations at the end of their classes. Dorene’s words were always poetic and lovingly chosen to enhance our meditative journey. Phyllis typically began her seated meditation with the Nei Kung (“This energy sea, this flowing Chi, from the Tan T’ien, below the navel, to the soles of the feet…”), repeating it three or four times and then systematically guiding us down through our bodies. She ended with more Nei Kung and added, “…filled with the fullness of life, filled with the fullness of life.” 

Seated meditation allows further grounding of the energy and soaking in the shared flowing Chi. I am not surprised when students tell me that the seated meditation is their favorite part of class, and that they don’t want it to end. I recall feeling the same when I began my TCC journey. I continue Dorene’s tradition because as a teacher, I still savor each moment of the seated meditation and don’t want it to end.

Within the Softness

Within the softness,

Within the flow,

No matter where we go,

We always have a place to stay,

With all the time in the world,

Within the softness,

Within the flow.

No matter where our thoughts have been,

No matter where our thoughts may go,

We can always return,

To the sweet softness,

To the everlasting flow.

Within the softness

Within the flow,

In our one true home we really know,

Our world opens wide,

We’re free,

At peace,

Complete,

Vibrant and alive,

Within love’s softness,

Within love’s flow.