Rustic
At every turn he aimed to pare away everything that was not strictly necessary to leave only the more austere and sublimely refined.
(Andrew Juniper)
Zen taste
We train a Chinese martial art but we embrace zen sensibilities.
Zen finds beauty in everyday things, in simplicity, in imperfection, in the
subtle.
This also feels to be more taoist too.
Rustic can be defined as:
of, pertaining to, or living in the country, as distinguished from towns or cities; rural
simple, artless, or unsophisticated
lacking refinement or elegance; coarse
simple or unsophisticated
made of unfinished or roughly finished wood: rustic furniture
having a rough or textured appearance; rusticated. Used of masonry
Natural things
Zen cultivates a taste for natural things.
Instead of glossy, flamboyant, outward show, it turns the attention inward.
You begin to notice the small, the seemingly insignificant, and you see the
wonder of the ordinary.
This way of looking at things seems most appropriate for a martial art that
conceals its power so skilfully.
The tai chi is not ornate.
It is simple, direct, flowing and natural.
Within the slow spirals, curves and gentle steps can be found a grace that is
difficult to articulate.
Agricultural mind
People who live close to the earth have an affinity for it.
They spend a lot of time outdoors, using their bodies, working with the land.
Tai chi echoes the humble, rustic movements of the agricultural life.
It trains the body to draw in, release, bend and straighten.
Everything occurs naturally and easily, like the flowing of the seasons.
When we lose track of our origins, we miss the essence.
There is nothing in nature that needs a coat of paint. You cannot improve a leaf
by adding frills to it.
Natural things are already beautiful.
We do not need to change them, we simply need to see them and appreciate their
perfection.
Wabi sabi
Zen art can be seen in 'wabi sabi', in the love of the transient, the
impermanent.
Our lives are fleeting, and we suffer greatly, either through ill health or
other hardships.
This may cause sadness but the beauty of life can only be appreciated in
contrast with the difficulties and sorrow we experience.
The symbol for the samurai is the cherry blossom. It is a beautiful flower. Yet
it falls at its peak of glory.
The real
In our superficial age, it is tempting to follow the crowd and pine for lasting
youth.
It is tempting to coat things in a veneer, a gloss.
It is tempting to embrace the superficial, to lie, to excuse and pretend.
We must not do this with tai chi.
See it as it is, in all its simplicity, with its strengths and its flaws.
Without adornment, costumes, traditions and rituals.
It may look coarser, more rough around the edges. But it is real. It is what it
was meant to be.
Page created 15 April 2001