Today I tried to do the Jedi mind trick. No, not that one where you wave your hands and the person does whatever you say. The one where you shut your eyes, because they can deceive you and you shouldn’t trust them.
It was not a success. About halfway through Five Golden Coins I had to open my eyes, and keep them open. I tried again on Eight Pieces of Silk, and failed again. I tried again on the form, and failed again. Balance was a problem and so was orientation….is the desk one step in front of me, or two?. And there were other problems, with names like stack of books on the floor, and chair not tucked beneath desk. Too hard.
Except, of course, you know I’m going to try again.
[…] Today during the tai chi forms, I had an unusual sensation that I haven’t felt in a while: boredom. It’s one of the most insidious forms that the Dweller on the Threshold can take: after all, if you’re bored by an activity, chances are that anyone you try to talk to about it will be bored, too. In response, I tried to perform more seriously, and refocused myself. So I began doing each move more carefully, and with more ferocity. One of the ways that I do that is I start trying to move through the form blind, with my eyes closed. Your eyes can deceive you. Don’t trust them. […]
Wow, what an opportunity to train your senses! Maybe go much slower? I will be very interested to see how it goes next time.