Serenity

In his opening words in the T’ai Chi Chih Photo Text, between the Chinese brush painting of cherries by Ou Mie Shu and the Tao symbol with explanation of yin and yang, Justin shares with us the possibility of dwelling in the experience of serenity. He ends with, “This serenity should spill over into our everyday lives, making possible a calm and joyous interior even during the most hectic times.”

I believe that each of you has experienced this serenity, otherwise you would not be here, nor would you be teaching. Some other descriptive words and experiences for serenity may be centered, peaceful, an inner calm, tranquility. It has been my experience that I do not always maintain that constant peaceful state. There are times when my serenity is thrown off center, and I know it. Overall, there is tranquility at my deepest core. In meeting with teachers, they often ask how I am doing, and they ask that with deep concern. When I respond that “Things are going very well,” then their expression becomes even more quizzical, to which I respond, “Maybe I’m missing something?”

Even in the midst of turmoil we can dip into that well of inner serenity. We are not always aware of that accumulated serenity! Do you ever respond to something and know that response isn’t your usual one? It’s no secret that there is a lot of road rage on our major highways and local streets. How do you, how do I respond to this outer chaos? Can we simply allow people to go ahead in serenity, rather than reacting with road rage.

We can surprise ourselves with another response that is not the usual way. Where does that response come from?

When I was making my silent-directed retreat lat summer, I would practice the entire TCC form twice a day – what a luxury! At this retreat house there is a set of steps to the ocean. After my practice that very first morning on my way from the ocean to the retreat house, a retreatant sat at the top of the staircase taking in the ocean view. She also took up most of the space needed to get by. I immediately thought, “Does she think she owns these steps?” … which left me steaming for a few minutes. The next morning after TCC practice there she was again, only now she was standing at the top of the steps – with even less space for me to pass by. This time it dawned on me, “She must think I am skinny enough to get past her in that small space!” Probably neither of these thought patterns are correct, but I much prefer the second to the first response.

I invite you to read Justin’s words in Spiritual Odyssey (pg. 49). He often speaks of the “reciprocalcharacter of Mind and Chi” (or Prana in Sanskrit).He ends this by saying, “Ultimately we are what we think; this creates our Karma.” And on page 69, Justin makes a bold statement,“Remake your Chi and remake yourself.”We can only allow this to happen by regular TCC practice. “But that practice must be done softly and continuously, preferably at a slow pace,” as Justin says in the T’ai Chi Chih Photo Text (pg. 21).

How do we drop the “I” in TCC practice? These reflections began with a quotation from the T’ai Chi Chih Photo Text in which Justin uses the words “measured movements” when referring to the serenity which develops with our practice. When talking about the six principles of movement in the TCC form, we never talk about “measured movements” as such, so I’d invite us to consider what they may be. The move originates in the T’an T’ien with wrists, not arms, creating circular patterns, moving slowly, allowing the hands and weight shift to be synchronized. There is only softness and continuity. There is no “I.”

“I” only enters into the experience when there is a desire to control. Control makes us try too hard. Control creates tension. Control demands ego.

Can we be completely dead to “self” in our practice of TCC? I believe we can, and when this happens we sink into the essence of the form. And so no one is doing TCC. It is doing itself. No self, no ego, nothing, nada. TCC in this experience becomes a moving meditation. We can practice TCC and have the deepest spiritual effect on ourselves. Justin’s statement from Spiritual Odyssey says it all,“You can chase your shadow all day and never catch it, but stand still at noon and it will merge with the body – no effort.” (pg. 87).