T’ai Chi Chih–With Eyes Open

T’ai Chi Chih is a meditation done in the midst of the world. It is a process of serenity in the midst of activity–“Seijaku,” rather than a meditation for which it is necessary to seclude ourselves, block out all distractions, and withdraw from outer stimulation. The world goes on around us as we practice T’ai Chi Chih, sometimes in the peaceful dawn of a new day in our regular place of practice, other times amidst the sounds of evening rush-hour or bustling crowds, and though we mentally focus within, we are not separate from that energy and activity which surrounds us. T’ai Chi Chih gently leads us to inner quiet. Suddenly even the outer hubbub takes on a graceful vibration. Hakuin, the Zen master, said, “Contemplation within activity is a hundred million times better than contemplation in stillness.”

– Corinn Codye