Principle

In Tai Chi a principle is something that enables us to better engage with reality, energetically or otherwise. In fact a principle is a facet of that engagement. So, principle begins to set us free – it provides a key to the cage of conditioning we all find ourselves confined within, and offers a reasonably secure path out of that cage and into the world at large. Adherence to principle, and the discipline that requires, is a pure approach to change and progress. Rather than focusing on the future fruits of success (ambition) we apply our energy, intelliegence and imagination to investigating the beauty and perfection of the principles, and strive to become more saturated by them so that we have no wasted time – no time when we are not practising. If a principle is correct – is indeed a principle rather than just another technique – then not only is it correct everywhere but your relationship with it will be alive and changing constantly, and that life and change will provide you with the energy and enthusiasm to take the engagement further and deeper. Regular contact with a teacher, who will rip you out of cycles of indulgence or closed loops of blinkered security and throw you into the deep-end where your feet can't touch the bottom, is essential. Life, or life's challenges, will also teach, often painfully so, but so often these can be either overlooked, avoided or misinterpreted. If the teacher is good then he will not allow any of these so your only options are sink or swim assuming you have enough feeling for your own destiny not to allow yourself the option of running away. If you begin to sink then the teacher hasn't quite done his job and will buoy you up long enough for you to get a firm handle on the new principles he has presented you with. Then it's all just a matter of practice.