My lady and I went to Greenfield last night for their weekly Contradance at Guiding Star Grange. We had a great time. Everyone was super-nice, and made a genuine effort to help us get into the swing of things. (Pun sorta intended.)
This morning, as I did five golden coins, Inoticed how similarly taiji is to contra. They’re both breath work within a pattern. They’re both energy raising activities bound together by traditions and the geometry of the human form. They’re bothorganized around spins. But Contradance is really about community and friendships in a way that taiji is not. My solo activity definitely feeds into contradance. But Contradance doesn’t yet have an affect on my practice,
On the other hand, Contra makes me happy. It’s like … I don’t know. I’m not a drug user and I rarely have alcohol. Yet I feel cheerfuland ecstatic — drunk, even — when I’m dancing, in a way that e en taiji doesn’t make me feel.
Discilpline contributes to a good life. But life itself depends on more than discipline to be good.
