The Best is Yet to Come

When we first begin to learn T’ai Chi Chih, we find that it is more difficult than it looks, and we are surprised to discover that our normal way of approaching things doesn’t work very well. The brute force tactics that serve us in the “real world” make us feel clumsy and awkward in our T’ai Chi Chih practice—nothing like the vision of soft graceful motion we had in mind. We are taught that T’ai Chi Chih must be done with absolute softness, and often reminded of Justin Stone’s words: “Softness means letting go.” Clearly, we must use an entirely different way of thinking and acting if we are to be successful. The sight of our T’ai Chi Chih teacher flowing with such softness and grace continues to haunt us, and regardless of what we would like to believe, we know that our old ways are not working. We find this “letting go” is more difficult than it sounds, and that the old ways of living have more of a hold on us than we realized.

Soon enough it becomes apparent that the CHI has its own intentions, and that we can either fight it or learn to align ourselves with it through our T’ai Chi Chih practice. The CHI is intelligent energy and it is much more responsive to subtle suggestion than brute force. If we are dedicated in our practice, we discover that it is not only necessary, but also quite enjoyable to let go. We finally appreciate what it means to flow freely with “the effort of no effort”, and find that T’ai Chi Chih is doing T’ai Chi Chih. This is a direct experience of Joy Thru Movement, and the resulting feeling opens up something within us. Our world is suddenly much more vast and mysterious than we previously realized.

As we continue in our T’ai Chi Chih practice, we begin to experiment with using the same principles that govern the flow of the CHI outside our practice as well. We learn to let go in our lives and find that things have a way of working out—often better than we had planned. More and more opportunities present themselves and as we let go, we are pleased to note that everything is going quite well. Until we struggle again. The problem is that we’re only willing to let go while things continue to go “our way.” As soon as life takes a different direction we find ourselves picking it all up again and getting troubled. Are we so certain that we suddenly know what is best?

This reminds me of a very moving presentation I heard from a T’ai Chi Chih teacher (in Folsom prison.) He said to his imaginary audience of fellow prisoners, “You think you know best, but your best judgement brought you here! You need to realize that you don’t really know what’s best for you.”

Recently, Justin encouraged me to “let go” once again by saying “Life will lead you to where you are meant to be.” There is great comfort in those words and I have no reason to doubt his experience. Slowly, consistently, it is becoming my own experience as well. In the T’ai Chi Chih Teacher’s Training Manual it says: “To enter the door you must be shown the way…gradually, the steps extend to wisdom.” The way of T’ai Chi Chih is letting go; regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the direction things appear to be heading. Let go of tension, clinging and even of any fixed sense of “self.” When this happens, there is only the great experience of life, and all needs are well taken care of. Let the CHI take a larger role and allow “your” life to change. As this process of letting go continues, one day there will be no “you” left, and no one to worry about getting “your way.” The best is yet to come.