Jan 28 • General discussion
When did I start Tai chi?
I was asked the other day when I started learning Tai Chi, and it got me thinking.
Well, I was 21. I can’t remember the exact month, I think September but I do remember the car I had at the time. That’s how I know my age.
A lot has changed in my life since then. Not just the car.
I’ve lived in and renovated five homes, a couple of them major projects where the entire roof came off and my wife and I rebuilt the house, with a lot of help along the way. During this time, we got married, built a business, and now have three amazing children, the oldest is 15, the youngest is 8.
Looking back at that car, I thought to myself, I’ve owned many cars since then some good, some not so good, and some I wish I still had.
But what really stands out to me is that despite all the changes along the way, Tai Chi has been a constant.
With all the noise and chaos of life, it has always given me a quiet place to return to. Only now, more than 20 years on, do I truly see the value of that Tai Chi sanctuary I used to attend.
It never occurred to me at the time that it was a space to escape the stresses and strains of building projects, raising a young family, and setting up a business. It was just something I did, rarely missing a class.
What started as an interest, simply going somewhere to learn movement once or twice a week became a habit. And in that habit, I found the grounding of Tai Chi. I used to go somewhere to find this grounding, but more recently, I’ve noticed that now, when I move, it comes to me.
Tai Chi has genuinely changed my world. I truly believe for the better!
It hasn’t been easy, but it has been constant. There were certainly times I thought, what’s the point? I’ll never get it; my body won’t allow these movements; I’m broken. I made excuses for myself, like I can’t do it because my job is damaging my body, or I’m too tired because I didn’t get enough sleep last night.
In pain and uncomfortable, I’d think to myself, with a hint of jealousy, how does my instructor make it look so easy and effortless? The truth is, it came down to her experience.
In class It felt like I was always asking the same questions which hand goes where, why is my weight on the wrong leg every single time. And every time, my instructor would put me right and repeat the movements until they made sense. Thank you, Barbara Donne, for your patience. I don’t know how you didn’t crack!
So, if at any point you’re finding practice hard, or struggling to keep up, that’s exactly how it’s meant to be. It isn’t an easy path to walk. Just keep walking, repeat the same steps a thousand times, and try to enjoy the scenery. There’s no destination to arrive at.
Really pay attention to the journey, not what was or what will be. Focus on what truly is. That’s the only place you can exist.
As you change, the “what is” will also change.
That’s the beauty of it. The "what is" is where you are right now.
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When did I start Tai chi?
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