Daily Devotions

It's a full sun coolish day (mid-30s). I perform my outdoor TCC practice on the deck to the sounds of silence except for an occasional shuffle of leaves underfoot as one of several squirrels dash through the trees then climb up and perform silent aerial ballets. Two woodpeckers embrace opposite sides of the same tree trunk and cackle loudly to each other. But mostly the atmosphere is filled with warm sun, quiet breeze, and ... serenity.

I feel exhausted after yesterday's election day battle. I write battle purposefully. Our local government is every bit as polarized and adversarial as the plethora of schemes and shenanigans we see played out on the national political stage. So what can I do to make a difference? For one, return to my daily practice.

Today's reading of 365 Tao fits my mood and desires: Encouragement

One thousand miles from home, I open the same
     prayer book.
Some nights it was only obligation; tonight,
     it is comfort.....

It's best to be patient and persevering. Devotion may sometimes seem to be pure drudgery....

     Within ourselves, our daily devotions are the way to encourage ourselves to persevere. With others, encouragement is the way to be compassionate. (p. 97)

Practice Makes Perfect

Tonight's TCC class was relaxing for all (I think!). After a speedy start and several late arrivals we settled into a rhythm that soothed and slowed us down.

I felt grateful to hear several students comment after practice on recent insights they've gained. One student told the class that he suddenly understood the meaning of Cosmic Consciousness Pose during tonight's class session. Unexpectedly, it wasn't about him anymore, it was about what the Universe provided (without thought, words, identifications).

Another student mentioned that, after taking this TCC class several times through, he finally practiced on his own this past week (he's beginning to remember the movements!) and he found his practices to be incredibly relaxing and stress reducing. (He already knew that from the class sessions he attended, he admitted, but he hadn't tried to practice on his own prior to this week.)

The more I practice ... the more I experience ... the more I examine the role TCC plays in my life ... the more convinced I am that this practice plays a key role in my life by keeping me centered, relaxed, peaceful, and whole. This realization fits with the Dharma Quote of the Week, dated April 1, 2010:

No one achieves perfection in anything meaningful the very first time they try; however, we've heard the phrase over and over again that 'practice makes perfect.' It is true that with multiple repetitions and patience everyone can achieve perfection over time. I don't know of anyone who has sat down to meditate for the very first time and immediately attained enlightenment, but just like the drops of water that we trust will eventually fill our bucket, consistent dharma practice will eventually lead us to liberation.
          --from Heartfelt Advice by Lama Dudjom Dorjee, published by Snow Lion Publications

Silent Knowing

It's election day tomorrow and our town is percolating ... some people think a change in town and county board members is long overdue and others like things just the way they are. Frances and I will be poll observers at the Town of Russell. I'm sure that we'll learn a lot about the democratic process simply by participating in this way. Our town board and county board keep reminding us that ours is not a democracy and if we want change, we need to indicate our desires through our votes.

At times like this it's imperative that I continue my t'ai chi chih practice. When I practiced today, I felt myself slowing, calming, quieting. It's easy to get caught up in the inequalities and inadequacies of our system. And, with the inherent polarity that currently exists in American politics it's challenging to find citizens willing to discuss their differences. It seems much easier for people to join one side or another and wage battles that prove might is right.

I'm reading Verse 56 of the Tao in preparation for Thursday's class and it seems indescribably appropriate at this moment. Dyer's chapter on this verse is entitled, "Living by Silent Knowing." The verse begins:

Those who know do not talk.
Those who talk do not know.

Tomorrow at the polls--and each day during my TCC practices--I want to remember Dyer's observation that silence is evidence of my inner knowing. Talking to convince others actually says more about your need to be right than their need to hear what you have to say!, Dyer writes, So rather than trying to persuade others, keep quiet ... just enjoy that deeply satifying inner awareness.

Yup. Sounds like poll observing to me....

Daily Practice

Easter day began after rain fell on and off throughout the night, then clouds, sunshine, clouds returning, and finally the sun resurrecting itself into white-blue skies. Even though temperatures rose to 50 while the sun shone I couldn't pry myself from the security of the darkened interior of the house. Just like a jelly bean nestled in the fake-grass embrace of an Easter basket I relished the quiet coolness of my home.

Today's designation as a holiday offered me the opportunity to break ranks from my normal day-to-dayness and rest quietly. Of course, I practiced my t'ai chi chih. The practice came late in the day after I'd recouped from the morning's high blood sugars and taken several naps. I followed the lead of the TCC foursome on the Good Karma video then rested in a chair to 'receive' whatever followed in the wake of my practice.

When I read today's segment in 365 Tao I felt grateful for my commitment to the word of the day: Practice. It reminded me:

Spiritual success is gained by daily cultivation.
If you practiced for the day, then you have won.
If you were lazy for the day, then you have lost....

     Whatever system of spirituality you practice, do it every day. If it is prayer, then pray every day. If it is meditation, then meditate every day. If it is exercise, then exercise every day. Only then will you be able to say that you are truly practicing spirituality.... (p. 94)

Me and My Shadow

Today's two-part TCC practice began on the deck at home and finished in a parking lot in Duluth, MN. The early afternoon home session was windy ... and cold. During the late afternoon final session it was still windy but the sky had cleared and the sun shone brightly. My super-long shadow practiced in front of me and mimicked my movements exactly.

Now I'm home again after a brief escape from the Bayfield area. It felt good to get away from the constancy of daily life and simply relax and play for a few brief hours. It's late, though, and my eyelids remind me that it's past my bedtime and if I don't lie down they'll insist on putting me to sleep while I sit here in front of the computer.

The two-part harmony of my before- and after-practice was a welcome change in my typical routine. I experienced the different feel of moving in the shelter of trees compared with the wide-open brightness of sun. Though the Duluth practice was accompanied by the sounds of nearby traffic roaring by it felt wonderful to move in wide open spaces. Me and My Shadow ... we had a good time.

The Calm Came (TCC)

Today was one of those days. Everything felt slightly off balance. I couldn't identify any particular reason for the feeling ... just a vague sense of uneasiness like bouncing a ball that's slightly out of round or riding a bike with one of its wheels out of true.

I definitely know that something's not right when I go grocery shopping--as I did today--and I can't decide on which items to purchase. That's never a problem for me. Is there an astrological explanation for my feelings of unease? ... Whatever the reason I felt like I was circling round and round and round with no landing strip in sight.

It didn't occur to me until I began my early evening practice that a TCC practice earlier in the day may have set me on a different path. For, as soon as I began Rocking Motion, something settled inside of me. With the quiver of energy in my palms came a sensation of internal quietude. Ah, peace. The Calm Came (TCC) ... just not as quickly as I would have liked.

Perfectly Useless

Class One of my next T'ai Chi Chih eight-week session met in Cornucopia this morning. It was a small group--only three students--and we moved, discussed Verse 55 from the Tao, and shared a cup of tea. Today's smaller class size allowed for more intimacy and sharing which felt wonderful.

One student mentioned after practice that she thought she must have ADD (attention deficit disorder) because she found it difficult to focus on the movements; her attention floated away with every thought that crossed her mind. Perhaps we all struggle with a certain amount of ADD if for no other reason than the fact that our culture doesn't teach or encourage us to stay in the now. We constantly must relearn what it means to bring ourselves into the present rather than dwell in the past or anticipate the future.

T'ai chi chih practice is one of our teachers in how to Be Here Now. As we practice over and over and over again we notice how peaceful it is to linger in the present moment. Dyer titled this chapter "Living by Letting Go." He encourages us to allow life's natural rhythm to flow through us--sounds like t'ai chi chih practice doesn't it?--in order to promote and experience well-being. He counsels: Visualize yourself as indestructible.

Interestingly, when I'm in the center of my practice--and consequently, in the center of myself--I feel invincible. If I'm not worried about what others think or expect of me, if I'm not focused on pleasing others or, for that matter pleasing myself, I'm no longer torn by indecision or fear, worry or doubt. I am indestructible because I'm my true self, nothing more, nothing less. I feel free, empowered, and less willing to hold on to the way I think things should be. I can truly live by letting go.

Dyer includes this wonderful quote by Lin Yutang to encourage and inspire us: If you can spend a perfectly useless afternoon in a perfectly useless manner, you have learned how to live.