Monday Morning Tai Chi Training Tip #421
Preparing for the End
We are steadily moving towards the longest day and shortest night of the year. This got me thinking of life and death. Plus, there have been a number of people connected to the Gilman Studio who have recently passed.
Internal artists prepare daily for their own death. We do not welcome, nor hope for it, yet we prepare for any encounter, including death, with knowledge and trust. Internal artists spend most of their training time learning about themselves, their body, mind, and spirit, and translate this self inquiry into practical day to day applications.
This training brings confidence, and with confidence comes the ability to trust. For death, we must learn from the elders, the wise ones, and traditional teachings. There are even some that have died and returned to tell about their experiences. Elizabeth Kubler Ross wrote an excellent book about his topic entitled “On Death and Dying”which was quite popular back in the 1970s.
One of my dear friends, a poet, saw his death approaching, and he made this awareness his work, his gift to others. He kept a close eye on his feelings and emotions, as well as his physical transformation, and he wrote about it. He left his body with a smile on his face, and the name of God on his lips. His love enabled him to trust, and this brought confidence that all that follows will go well, as it should.
So daily I train and prepare by doing my best, keeping my heart and mind open, and trustinig that there is some reason for me to be here, and a correct time for me to leave. I thank my dear friend for his guidance.
