First response: soften.

“Push hands” in Tai Chi serves the same purpose as sparring in other martial arts; it’s a chance for you to apply what you’re learning on your own, in your own solitary body, in practice with other people. But push hands isn’t about speed or force or even about winning. In fact, if any of those three approaches are your first response to your partner’s actions in push hands, your partner will tie you in a knot before you can think.

Most teachers would probably say the first principle of Tai Chi push hands is to root, to feel yourself connecting into and through the ground. That makes it more difficult for the other person to get you off balance.

But my first principle has to be softness. If I’m tight and hard, I’ll forget all about my root, and everything else. So in push hands, as well as the rest of life, I’m starting to make “soften” my first thought, my first action, and my first reaction, in every circumstance. When you soften, you remember what you need, and you remember what you have (which of course is all you need).

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark Teacher

Teachers come in many forms and not all of them are the kind, wise old man or woman who opens up a whole new world of miracles to you. Sometimes the universe sends you the dark teacher. The one who comes at you aggressively or condescendingly or critically. While you’re in the middle of facing a dark teacher, it’s next to impossible to realize that you’re actually receiving a gift, but often these people make our best teachers. He or she is there to test you. Do you really want what you say you want? Just how much are you willing to endure? How hard are you willing to practice? Can you develop a coat of armor so strong that you continue to work for what you want even when the dark teachers show up?

The dark teacher appears in many forms: an actual teacher, a lover, a boss. What dark teachers have you had? What have they taught you?

Go outside.

This is by far not the first time this S.M.A.C.K. has been said on this blog, but really, it can’t be said enough. Go outside!

There is absolutely nothing so important that you can’t afford 15 minutes to be free of walls.

And when you’re out there, trying just watching the clouds pass and doing nothing else… another old stand-by we’re always in danger of forgetting. Yesterday I saw Snoopy change into a crocodile turn into a Pekinese turn into a little old man dancing