If there is one thing I regret
about my martial practice it is that I did not start sooner. Not just for the health benefits, but all the
other ways it has influenced my life and changed it for the better. My practice has been there for me through
everything; no matter what is going on.
From my taiji family to the learning a whole new way of being, the
experience has been priceless.
Even on my worst days, no
matter how much I don’t want to go to class (or even practice on some days), by
the end I am always glad I do. My
teacher once told me “You will fail your taiji before your taiji will fail
you.” He was right. There was a year I stopped practice to try
and get a handle on my life, and I was worse off for it. It was my practice that centered me and
helped reduce my stress so I could carry on.
Without it being there, life’s pressures just continued to pile on. Life has a way of filling my time, so if I
don’t make time to practice I can get overwhelmed just handling my
responsibilities. I know now I would
have never been able to make it back on my own and was fortunate to have
brothers and sisters to call me back. It
is that family, those brothers and sisters, who have been the most valuable
change to my life.
Did I become healthier
practicing taiji? Yes. Did I learn new limits to myself? Every day.
Gain self-esteem from practice?
Very much. Acquire
discipline? Constantly. However, of every benefit I gained, it is the
school that keeps me going and the people brought newness in my life. Sure, some days I want to smack one or two of
them, but overall they are the spice of life.
No matter how great a martial artist is, he or she did not get there
without someone to practice with. My
Si Gung likes to say it takes two to master the art, but I say twenty minds are
better than two. Two hundred is better
than twenty. I would rather see all of
us master the art and carry it into the future, playing together with enjoyment
as we once did as children. We are
social creatures, and the school is the perfect place to gain what we need the
most: human interaction and
understanding. The benefits of having
that social interaction enriches my life and self-understanding, which in turn
deepens my practice.
The second most influential
benefit from practicing taiji is the power of self-knowledge which translates
into self-reliance. No matter what
occurs in my day or around me, I now have the skill, confidence and
determination to handle the situation.
That self-belief has become invaluable.
While I know it can be gained from many things, it is through martial
practice (particularly taijiquan) that I acquired it. Looking back, I know a big part of it is
through the dedication I’ve given to my practice and the self-esteem that
arrived. However, there are other aspects and reasons that I do not fully understand (yet)
that also played a part.
Regardless, thanks to my practice I have found a peace and well-being
Regardless why you practice, or
how much you practice, I’m sure there are hundreds of ways that it has also
helped you in your life. Some are very
subtle, but others overwhelmingly obvious.
We would love to hear about these and include them in our
newsletter. It doesn’t have to be a long
article, it can just be a few sentences or paragraph, but we want to know how
your practice helps you in your life. If
you do not practice and have thought about reasons to start, hopefully this
article has helped. Thank you!
No comments:
Post a Comment