There are two places in the tai chi form where there are spins. The first, coming after the Golden Pheasants and the kicks, is a half-spin into a calf-or-knee-height kick, followed by Box Ears with Fists, and Bounce the Baby. The second, which follows the last Snake Creeps Down and the Step to the Seven Stars, is a full spin. There were plenty of problems today — too fast, not breathing properly all the way through, not working the horse stance where it’s needed.

But I did two perfect spins today: a half-spin that ended exactly where it needed to, and had just enough force to turn me with a bit of a fierce swiftness, while stopping with a shock facing the right direction. And the other… the full spin? Oh, a thing of beauty: the ball of my foot alone was on the floor, and I turned with this graceful slowness, my toes off the floor and my heel in the air… I came to rest facing the same way I had been, in contact with the ground and yet somehow not of it. Oh, what a morning!

With all the other errors today, perhaps I should do the work again, later today. For now, let me revel in a pair of perfect turnings.