When you watch kids who are totally absorbed in what they are doing, it’s as if the rest of the world doesn’t exist for them. All that they can see, hear and touch is the stuff right in front of them. They are not burdened with the worries of adult practicalities yet, e.g. stopping for milk on the way home, filling the car up with petrol, changing gas and electricity suppliers etc.
How do you stop this “stuff” from running around your head all the time? Well, it takes practise. You practised worrying every day until you got to this place, now you have to work at not worrying. It is inevitable that when you practise Tai Chi you will find your mind overtaken by daily worries at short intervals. You will, however, also find that your mind is totally enthralled in what your body is doing for minutes at a time too.
This begins as fleeting moments, which sometimes jolt you back into the reality of your surroundings, when you realise how quiet and peaceful your mind has become. These moments last longer and become deeper with practise. You don’t actually have to train your brain to do this, no conscious effort is required. To begin with, just concentrate on what your body is doing and let your brain wander where it wishes, do not try and control anything.
As you become used to this and become more skilled in your Tai Chi practise you will be able to monitor those thoughts as they happen, without being involved in them. These constant flow of thoughts we call “The Chatterbox”. It appears to be another person inside your head wanting you to worry and fret about just about everything happening in your life.
When ultimately you find that your chatterbox has hi-jacked you into thinking about something else in life else, just gently bring yourself back to what you are doing. Do not start scolding yourself for drifting off in the first place that is the chatterbox at work too.
And the added benefit? Well, you will find that your concentration will increase without you evening noticing it. And not just in your form, in other areas of your life too. Concentrating intensely means that your mind becomes clearer as you deal with the task in hand. You can then move onto the next task, without the worries or niggles of of what is to come. Your brain becomes de-cluttered effectively making it easier to remember more.
Sometimes, when you have finished your Form, you will be aware that you had your eyes open but, you didn’t actually see anything during that time. Just like like the kids I was referring to at the beginning of this article. Childhood teaches us some important lessons, but they are only any good if we carry then into adult hood with us.
The Buddha said;
“The Mind is Like a Drunken Monkey Dancing on Hot Coals”, it never stops unless you discipline it. The only discipline you require is to focus on what you are doing and nothing else. The future does not exist and the past is gone there is only now.
May you have a happy and healthy week.
Best wishes,
John Hine
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