Relaxation is the freeing of your energy from worthless activity. Such activity may be worry, anger, fear, etc. My teacher is always at pains to point out that energy needs to be abstracted from activity. If not then it'll always be locked up and its purity and essential nature cannot be investigated. The activities of Tai Chi – the Forms, the Pushing, the Uprooting, the Firing, etc – are simply vehicles for the energy and the means for generating and developing the energy. There should come a point where the energy wants to break free of such structural shackles and start to simply be.
Spirit directs the energy. We've all met people with terrific spirit. They generally have terrific energy as well. And they're often heart-attacks waiting to happen. If the spirit is given too much of a free rein it'll damage the body, particularly the heart. The heart has to soften, contain, and keep in check the spirit – temper it. The heart is like a broad morality that pervades your being – something about it steps outside the closed system of self and sees and feels the broader picture which always contains the physical, emotional and energetic world you dwell in. When the heart contains and tempers the spirit then spirit can be expressed in the gentlest and subtlest of actions – it can be brought into everything you do and not just saved up for those dramatic occasions when you need to suddenly let out a large burst of energy (lose your temper).
Heart also directs the spirit – makes sure it's connected so that the energy it carries can be effective. Strong spirit without heart is just a bit aimless and pointless. Rather like a toddler's tantrums – impressive in their strength and intensity but laughable in their disconnectedness and self-absorption. When you control others with spirit you keep them in a dispirited state – a state of fear and trepidation – you effectively enslave them and you'll never receive their best energy. When you involve others with heart you encourage them and they'll be far more inclined to join with you and give you their best and take the two of you to places you could never have foreseen.
Spirit directs the energy. We've all met people with terrific spirit. They generally have terrific energy as well. And they're often heart-attacks waiting to happen. If the spirit is given too much of a free rein it'll damage the body, particularly the heart. The heart has to soften, contain, and keep in check the spirit – temper it. The heart is like a broad morality that pervades your being – something about it steps outside the closed system of self and sees and feels the broader picture which always contains the physical, emotional and energetic world you dwell in. When the heart contains and tempers the spirit then spirit can be expressed in the gentlest and subtlest of actions – it can be brought into everything you do and not just saved up for those dramatic occasions when you need to suddenly let out a large burst of energy (lose your temper).
Heart also directs the spirit – makes sure it's connected so that the energy it carries can be effective. Strong spirit without heart is just a bit aimless and pointless. Rather like a toddler's tantrums – impressive in their strength and intensity but laughable in their disconnectedness and self-absorption. When you control others with spirit you keep them in a dispirited state – a state of fear and trepidation – you effectively enslave them and you'll never receive their best energy. When you involve others with heart you encourage them and they'll be far more inclined to join with you and give you their best and take the two of you to places you could never have foreseen.
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