Mind
Use mind not force.
(Yang Cheng Fu)
The mind
The qigong and
tai chi forms are designed to work the
mind as much as the body.
This can be augmented by reading certain
books which focus upon relaxing and opening the mind.
If the mind is not relaxed and open, the body will not follow.
The mind is said to lead the
qi.
Memory
Memory is how information is
stored within the brain.
Memories relate to past incidents, and how we interpreted them.
When an event occurs, the mind draws upon memory in order to understand what
is happening.
Whilst this is a common process, it also distracts the person from the
immediate moment, from the here and now.
Thought is a kind of tension
As odd as it
may sound, tai chi regards
thought as a kind of tension.
Consider it for yourself: what is thought?
Invariably thought is the process of analysing the memory of some past event
in order to understand it better or determine some future course of action.
Whilst thought can have its uses, it also requires energy and can tire you
out.
Instead of experiencing the immediate, the mind is absorbed in memory.
No-thought
Tai chi requires the student to
let their thoughts come and go without considering them.
Imagine birds flying overhead...
Is it necessary to name them?
Or to make any comment about them?
Thoughts will occur by themselves and pass without effort.
Awareness
Awareness is the ability to notice what is
happening without assessing, judging and measuring.
A tai chi student must relax sufficiently, so that awareness improves
without any
effort at all.
When thoughts pass without concern and the mind becomes tranquil, a
heightened state of awareness will occur.
Page created 12 March 2004