One of the cardinal sins of Taiji is anticipation. We have all experienced a Pushing Hands partner who yields before we push, and we have all been guilty ourselves; it is difficult not to anticipate especially when we know what's coming next. It is a bad habit that we indulge during our Form too: the mind runs ahead of the body, seemingly clearing the way but effectively inducing a mild anxiety that lightens the load on the legs – a load we should be endeavouring to intensify by stilling the mind and being quietly in the body – the dantien. The mind is such a tricky customer, with so many dimensions, some wonderful but some not so good. The ego of course is the part we battle with, not to destroy but to bring down to size. It is the part of me that thirsts for constant affirmation, even to the extent of belittling all around so that it can shine all the more brightly. So beware those so called spiritual teachers who promote some brand of positive thinking: it is often just a glorified technique for bolstering the ego and making one feel full of oneself. The ego, and the mind generally, needs reducing with a regime of discipline and sacrifice. Only then will it become quiet and still enough for energy and spirit to manifest in life.