I did one iteration of the tai chi form this morning. My back was hurting a bit — there was a lot of driving yesterday in heavy rain, followed by an overnight in a tent. I did twenty push-ups, too. Then there was an interruption for a bit, followed by another tai chi form. Then there was breakfast, followed by another tai chi form. There’s a move afoot to go from this family reunion house stuffed with twenty-five people from all over the country, to the beach. I’m planning to stay home and do more tai chi, and maybe make some artwork.
My tai chi practice genuinely benefits from a degree of solitude. When I’m in company with lots of other people, as I’m doing this extra-long weekend (or short week), it’s hard to have a serious practice. When I’m at home, and deep in the structure of school, doing tai chi is easy. There’s a series of inverse proportions between the seriousness of my day, and the quantity of people around on one side, and the depth of my practice on the other.
“There’s a series of inverse proportions between the seriousness of my day, and the quantity of people around on one side, and the depth of my practice on the other.”
That’s an interesting observation.
Well, sure.
When I’m in a house with a lot of other people, it’s easy to get interrupted frequently. Lowers my commitment to the program for the day. When I’m nearing the end of vacation and I’m at maximum lack-of-structure, the depth of my practice suffers. Right now, it’s both… and it’s consequently VERY difficult to keep my practice going at all.
I’m genuinely looking forward to the start of school.