EMPTY YOUR CHEST






Pic.: Chetna Shetty



At the start of our every Tai Chi session, our teacher guides us through a meditative exercise… very akin to the ‘Shavasana’ in Yoga. While ‘Shavasana’ is done lying down (like a corpse), the Tai Chi exercise is done in a standing (basic) position…

It takes about ten minutes… But, if done faithfully, it can give us everything that we have gone there for…

What have I gone there for?

Yesterday, Clint, a fellow-student in our Tai Chi class (who is a HR Consultant), asked me this question: “Why did you join Tai Chi? What benefits have you reaped?”

Clint’s question was a sincere one. So was my answer…

Yes, Tai Chi has benefited me immensely… Like this…

During the awareness exercise, our teacher guides us to become aware of our body - head to toe. We realize how heavy, how stiff our bodies have become… how shallow our breathing… how fickle and slippery our minds, our attention… One of the instructions of our teacher, yesterday, sounded so fresh, so revolutionary to me, that, for a moment, I felt it contained all the reasons I had been going there for… “Empty your chest,” our teacher said, “let go the air, gently… let go the heaviness… relax… Drop your shoulders…”

I had heard our teacher saying the same thing in our every Sunday session. But, it had to be yesterday for the ‘Buddha experience’ to happen!

Letting go, if I am mindful, can happen effortlessly… Fear and anxiety can just dissolve the moment I truly pay attention to them… In the same way dissolve my jealousy, lack and every kind of insecurity… Guilt, anger and hatred cannot build their homes where there is mindfulness… when I empty my chest… let go the heaviness… relax… drop my shoulders…

I go to my Tai Chi class, because my mind and body are heavy with the load of hoarding… holding back.  Money and wealth may not be my way of hoarding… But, hoarding I do – yes, I do - of my own ‘stuff’… in my own ‘chest’…

“Empty your chest,” when our teacher said this, I knew what I had to…

Yes Clint, this is the main reason why I had joined Tai Chi…
To empty my 'chest'!



GERALD D’CUNHA

Comments

Abha sah said…
Gerry, I guess you have read The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Haan for what you describe as an 'effortless' happening is really the miracle of mindfulness!

And you are so right, it is our readiness that creates the time for the Buddha Experience'!

Have you read Zen in the Art of Archery? It is the first of the 'Zen in the ...' series of books and in my opinion it is by far the best.

God bless you, Gerry.
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Yes Abha ma'am, those two books are really great... I read them many yrs ago. Thanx for bringing them back to me. Thans for ur good wishes and blessings. Love
Unknown said…
Sir I love ur posts and read them regularly but i dont post much comments and sorry for that but your posts are truly heart-touching and inspiring.
Gerald D'Cunha said…
Thanx Hitesh. Glad. keep reading. Love

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