Well, thirty-nine, actually, until I hit the 366th day this year. I like making it 366 so that if I somehow accidentally skip one (I don’t think I did, but there’s always a risk), I still get it. Kind of like a baker’s dozen, I guess.
I did half an hour of tai chi this morning. Once through the form, and then another ten minutes or so of ‘jamming’, trying out different processes and movements together. It was fairly successful, I’d say. Since I’m also out of school an extra two hours this morning due to a school delay, I took the time to do a Druidic pathworking. I’m close to the end of the Bardic grade, and I’d like to be done soon.
One of the things that came up in practice today was a weird wobble in the ankle. I’m making this effort to slow down, right? That means that small changes are more immediately obvious. As I put weight on my foot, and tried to spread my weight between the three nails (big toe, ball of the foot, and heel), I noticed this left-right wobble in my foot and ankle, like my body was trying to find the balance point. First the foot would tremble and I’d find the balance point on the inside edge of my foot; then the foot would tremble again, and I’d find the balance on the outer edge of the foot. Back and forth, back and forth.
The balance wasn’t nearly as stable as I’ve always thought it was. I’m in this dynamic state of balance, apparently all the time, where/when I’m walking or standing, and I’m not really as firmly planted on my feet as I think I am. Startling.
The way I finally burned through to a daily practice was commit myself to every morning lighting the candle and incense at my Sarutahiko shrine and at least doing a few stretches and some breathing. Some mornings (not that many) that’s all I do, But once I’m actually in my accustomed exercise space and I have the blood flowing, I usually do my full 1/2 hour routine.
One of these days, I am going to join you in a daily commitment to Tai Chi, I am just afraid of making the commitment and then not following through. That would be worse.
Thank you, Andrew, for continuing to write this blog. I find it so very inspiring! There for a while you’ll be going along saying some version of “I did it again and I don’t know what to say about it…” and then all of a sudden, something happens. It’s been very interesting to follow you and not just for the Tai Chi. I think I have told you that in the beginning I subscribed for some of your other-than-Tai-Chi posts, thinking what could I gain from hearing about someone’s Tai Chi practice daily… well it’s turned out for me that while I love your other posts (especially the design ones) your daily practice posts are the most inspiring, educational and interesting.
Dear Christina,
Thanks for the comment. That is indeed the pattern — running out of things to say for a while, and then making a new discovery. And I’m sorry — there have not been as many of those design posts of late, more poetry than anything else — but a new project in the Design department is emerging this afternoon, so we’ve got some new cool stuff ahead!
Andrew
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