In theory, we’re a few hours away from thunderstorms, rain and wind.  Yet when I did tai chi this morning outside, all was calm.  There are cars racing by on the street in front of the house, and a few people out walking or running.  But you’d never think that Frankenstorm or Snowpocalypse or whatever was supposed to hit us was actually going to hit us.

On the other hand, the advantages of doing tai chi outside are splendid.  For one, there’s no mechanical clock ticking out the seconds. That means that it’s easier to ground, flow, breathe and burn.  You feel the energy of the larger world around you as you do the tai chi form, and feel like the work is worthwhile.  I think that tai chi outside is MUCH better than tai chi inside.  It’s a singular improvement in style and form, every single time.

So why don’t I do it more? I think the extra layer of changing clothes enough to be outside is daunting, actually.  Most mornings I’m getting ready for school, and having to change clothes twice every morning – once into tai chi garments, then out of those to shower, then into clothes appropriate t0 school… all that feels too fiddly.  Whereas if I do tai chi in my office, I can do it in my pajamas or even my underwear if the house is warm enough.  Easy.

Yet there is a qualitative difference between doing it indoors, and doing it outdoors, and I think I need to set up my life so that I’m able to do it outside more frequently.

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