Instinct
Let him keep the deep drives in his own guts from going into action.
Let him keep still, not looking, not hearing.
Let him sit still like a corpse, with the dragon power alive all around him.
In complete silence, his voice will be like thunder.
His movements will be invisible, like those of a spirit,
but the power of heaven will go with them.
(Chuang Tzu)
Animals and humans
The use of
names to label everything has led us to
become divided from
nature.
We see ourselves as superior to other creatures.
We see ourselves as something different.
Yet, when you look into the face of other creatures or watch their
behaviour there is often something familiar.
How 'evolved' are we really?
How different to animals?
Is it not our similarity that disturbs many people?
Animals may not talk but they have communities, relationships and seek
comfort.
Harmony
People regard instinct as primitive.
We actually spend a lot of time doing primitive things: eating, sleeping,
excreting, procreating and killing.
Animals live in harmony with their environment whereas humans destroy and
exploit theirs.
People are disconnected from their essential nature and this disharmony is
shown by our treatment of other forms of life.
Survival
Instinct and intuition have largely been forgotten about in modern
culture.
Your body has certain involuntary responses.
These responses have absolutely nothing to do with how you have been
educated or
conditioned.
They are primitive qualities that serve to keep you alive.
Modern society encourages us to ignore our instincts.
Instinct helps us to fulfil our primal needs: food, shelter, self defence
and sex.
We are conditioned by society to channel our instincts into shopping,
possessions and competition with other people.
This is not healthy or in accord with your own nature.
Tai
chi works in conjunction with your
instincts and trains us to listen to what your body wants.
Intuition
'Gut-reaction' is how your instinct tells you things.
We have been educated to ignore our intuition and think instead, but the
intellect has limits.
In tai chi, we listen to our guts:
We eat when we feel hungry not because we are bored.
We rest and allow ourselves to relax and heal.
We embrace our sexuality because it is primal and necessary.
We train our bodies to move in accord with
our instincts; to feel more and think less.
By developing sensitivity and compassion for other beings we can experience a
more fulfilling existence.
Page created 4 May 2000