03 June 2005

Beginner's Mind

Once I was pushing hands with my teacher, trying unsuccessfully to maintain my internal equilibrium.
"I always feel that I'm at the beginning stage", I complained.
He looked at me with a mixture of pity & disgust and muttered,
"That feeling never changes".

The study of TaiChi is not about the acquisition of expertise, but the shedding of conditioned responses to the world so that one can join more effectively and enthusiastically with other energies.
A desquamation.
The resulting rawness is managed by a developing compassion: the ability to embrace the myriad connexions and bring them into a consuming heart.
This is yielding.
Pursue knowledge, increase daily.
Pursue Tao, decrease daily.

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