What a Small and Wonderful World
The beauty of Tai Chi is that one can use it to express whatever ideas and philosophy one is living with or examining at the moment. After my first book “A String of Pearls” was published, I received a letter and a book written by a woman in Scotland by the name of Gerda Geddes. She had read my book and wanted to share her ideas with me.
Her Tai Chi book looked at Tai Chi as an allegorical journey. She was a psychologist of the Reichian School, so that was her main model for contemplating what Tai Chi is. Her book, “Looking for the Golden Needle”, opened many doors for me, since I didn’t have the keys for those sorts of doors from my past experience. I had never thought of Tai Chi form as a journey for the soul. I tend to view the form as a vehicle for moving energy, self healing, relaxation, meditation, and martial arts. I enjoyed her vision very much.
It is very important to get together with others and share your views on a topic, even if others have much more experience in the topic, as they might not have ever looked at it the same way you do.
It also turned out that Gerda and I shared the same teacher, Master Choy. What a small and wonderful world.
Life and Death
Beautiful clear morning at the Park – almost Fall. So nice that the sky is no longer smokey due to all the forest fires we experienced all summer. Fall is usually a wonderful time here in Port Townsend.
I was just starting a 54 move form practice, and as I turned to my right for Ward Off Right, I noticed a smallish squirrel sitting on a fence post, watching me. I continued my form, and every time I turned to the right, he was still there, watching. There were several other squirrels hopping around, but not my little buddy.
I finished and was just gazing straight ahead, when the squirrel hopped right to left about 30 feet in front of me. I had a soft focus gaze which included the squirrel, when Bam, a hawk came diving for it, talons extended. The hawk missed and flew into a tree on my left.
Chetzemoka Park is also home to a family of black birds, noisy and raucous. Very territorial. When they saw the hawk, they started yelling their heads off, and flying around the tree the hawk was sitting in. Several other black birds then showed up and they all kept dive bombing the poor hawk. He couldn’t take it anymore, and he flew off.
The bottom line is you’ll never know what you will experience when you go outside to practice.
New Family Business
Two members of our Tai Chi family here in Port Townsend, Olia Kerzhner and Brendan Melville, have started a business selling vintage cotton hoodies (made in the USA). Please visit their site. These hoodies are great to wear on these fall days. www.kisstherain.us