Tag: stillness

Out of Nothing, we Emerge

JacobLeave a comment

Yang is clear and Yin is murky; Yang moves and Yin is still.
Starting from the root and flowing to the branches, it gives rise to the myriad things.
Clarity is the source of murkiness, movement is the foundation of stillness.
When people can be constantly clear and still, heave and earth return to their places. . . .

. . .Although it is called attaining the Tao, in reality there is nothing to attain;
But in order to transform people, it is called attaining the Tao.

These are some lines from the Taoist scripture of Clarity and Stillness.  There’s additional information about how we are entangled in desires, cravings and ideas about banishing them.  I’ve found some truth in the words within this particular scripture in my personal studies and experiences.

In the movements of martial arts, stillness arises after a lot of practice.  The first time I experienced stillness emerging out of movement is after a day full of tai chi practice at a workshop when I was tired and past the point resistance. I found I hold my body in ways to prevent opening myself to others.  After a lot of tai chi I learned to relax in ways unbeknownst to me before.  My interactions with people became more authentic and open.  Connections were more readily made. I found a stillness I had not known before.  I liked it.  I spent years chasing the experience attending workshops, learning new forms, giving more of my time, meditating and the like.

Then, life hit and I started a family project.  Now practicing the art forms for hours at a time is a luxury.  Even so, I retain the stillness within.  This leads me to an understanding of sorts. Practice is a vehicle to transform us just like the concept of the Tao.  Ultimately there’s nothing to attain.  Stillness is something to be uncovered within ourselves.  Sharing my experience with others in and out of the Taoist arts has lead me to understand stillness is something under the daily routines, our quest to be a hero or heroine, our religions, our gods and even under the god that rules them all. These things are not paths up a proverbial mountain but to the still point within where everything else dissolves leaving us alone in our our truest experience of reality connected with everyone and everything around us.

Joseph Campbell talked about finding that still point in our minds where things drop away. From this perspective the peak of the mountain is where all the paths up the slopes vanish to reveal our experience in it’s rawest form with no strings attached, no religion, no deities, no sense of ‘other’ committing us to the myriad things. Our movements and wandering in life beget stillness.  Out of stillness, all of our movement, interactions and understanding emerges as the forms of our life.

We practice forms to discover stillness.  Once found, our cultivation of stillness allows our forms to emerge.  Stillness is the root of clarity, movement, transformation and ultimately the Tao.

Practicing Stillness

Jacob1 Comment

As stated in the post, Using our Bubbling Spring, I’ve added a fictional collaboration to my manuscript where various characters come together in a tai chi class to create the book Managing the Business of You.   The concepts in the book are derived from quality and business management principles but are born out of my work in the internal martial arts.  Here’s another except from the manuscript I’m attempting to discover an agent who connects with the ideas therein.

After the retreat our collaborators went out for dinner together. They talked of their experiences.  They shared how their bodies felt after a weekend retreat.  They related how their thinking had changed through the course of the weekend.  Emmet agreed and indicated he could see it in the faces and bodies of most of the participants during the final meditation session. “The stillness was palpable.  People’s bodies were relaxed and there was a spirit in their eyes that was not so evident when we started a couple of days ago. There was something under the surface so to speak that helped people maintain upright postures and a relaxed nature even with the two ambulances roared past during the sitting sessions. “I think if the ambulances had come by when we started, people would not have been able to stay centered.”  Sarah was smiling. “As you were describing our retreat, I had the image of an iceberg come to mind.”  Connie loved these random associations.  They showed active imagination and free association she tried so hard to get people in her practice to let happen. “Icebergs are amazing symbols.  They are so stable amidst both calm and rough seas.  They emerge out of the great ice floes at the poles and float out into the oceans shedding material and adding their pent up water to the environment.” Emmet followed the flow of meaning developing.  “That’s a good image of the class but not necessarily the icy coldness of an iceberg.”  Connie immediately added, “symbols are not perfect just like life itself.”  Emmet continued, “the class was very stable like an iceberg despite the agitating nature of the ambulances and other distractions.”  Felicia had an odd look on her face.  “I don’t know if I follow the whole iceberg analogy, but I definitely felt the connect we had as a group. Everyone was working better together after the meditation sessions.  Our movements felt more alive and expressive as well.”  Ricky and Ronda Roots said at the same time, “We were connecting.”

The group was amused as usual when Ricky and Ronda spoke at the same time with the same or similar words.  The completed each other’s sentences and did not regret the interruption.  The Roots have a connection that few relationships do. They integrated so much of their lives it was like they were of one mind.  Although no one had asked, most wondered what their sex life was as connected as they appear to be.  The collaborators enjoyed this even if it was a little threatening to the feeling of loneliness within us all. Felicia added to the dialog, “We were connected, having fun and just allowing ourselves to be who we are.” Emmet was enjoying the fact that his instructions had a positive impact on people’s lives outside of class. “We were practicing stillness.”