Necessity is the mother of invention. In other words, the (re)invention of self in the light of spirit (rather than ego) cannot happen by design. It will only happen by entering situations that impel the spirit to rise to the ocassion. Such situations are dangerous, difficult, tedious, painful, terrifying, shocking, unexpected – anything that confounds abilities, disrupts aplomb, shatters cool, upsets balance. So Taiji, ostensibly all about balance, is really all about testing balance in ever more upsetting situations.