Trust Your Intuition
In practice and in basic self-defense, it's important to trust your intuition - about your surroundings, about your circumstances, about those you meet. When we are in a familiar place, we tend to not be quite so alert. We have…
Being fully present
We don't often think about being present, being fully present in this place at this time, now. Most of us are busy thinking about how to solve this or that problem at work, picking the kids up from wherever they…
Self-Discipline Starts with Knowing
Self-Discipline starts with knowing who you are and what you can do. It's a very self-centered process. That notion - self-centered - has a negative connotation for many. Someone who is self-centered is seen as selfish and self-absorbed. The difference…
Remaining calm
Remaining calm is a central tenant of taiji practice. The effort is within. The outward appearance should always be relaxed and flowing. The inner work requires strength and concentration. 内固精神，外是安逸 Nei gu jing shen, wai shi an yi. Strengthen the…
To Do Nothing
To do nothing is far more difficult than to do something. Doing nothing requires the ability to embrace stillness, to be able to quiet the mind and calm the body -- even when there is the overwhelming urge to fight.…
What is Xin (心)?
What is xin (心)? Literally, it means heart. It can refer to the physical organ (心脏) or to the center of being that is most attuned to feelings and emotions. I'm not referring to sentimentality, but to those sincere, often…
Being here now
Most anyone who has studied any art that requires focus, be it rock climbing or theatre or martial arts, has heard some version of the phrase "being here now." It may have been in the context of keeping your mind…
Nothing will happen today
Deciding that nothing will happen today seems counter to what most of us want. We like new things to come into our lives. But what about when you don't want something? There's a connection to what we have in taiji…
Not being angry
There are good kinds of anger that can spur us to act, as when we become angry if we see something wrong. We may feel angry that whatever it is has happened and try to correct it or do something…
Old Ghosts
Taiji and forms solo practice is sometimes called shadowboxing - fighting an imaginary opponent or your own shadow. It's how we develop ourselves, learn how to move, and engage qi through the movements. But the fight with an imaginary opponent…