Tai Chi
The universe is born of natural grace,
From the unmanifest comes
the manifest;
Tai chi is the supreme energy,
The most natural Way.
We can tune ourselves with Tai chi
By learning and practicing our most natural Way.
First one must listen to comprehend the Way:
All that comes, goes;
All that goes, comes.
To advance is to retreat;
To retreat is to advance.
What appears, disappears;
What disappears, re-appears.
As all reality is transforming,
To do Tai chi is to transform.
Empty becomes full;
Full becomes empty.
Hard force requires yielding,
Soft force needs strength.
In movement there is stillness,
In stillness there is movement.
Within the yin, there is yang,
Within the yang, there is yin.
All things partake in the great paradox,
Duality contains itself,
This is the beginning and end of Tai Chi
In attempt to apprehend this fully,
One at first expends a great deal of effort.
Focusing, practicing, fine tuning, reconsidering,
A skillful sensitivity leads to effortlessness.
One’s feet become rooted to the ground,
So the energy can rise up through the legs,
The waist steers the force,
That gains momentum through the spine,
So the energies can be issued forth by the arms.
Bending, extending, closing, opening,
Ward off, roll back, press, push;
Roll down, Rise, go left, go right.
Expanded, centered.
Settled, vital.
What arrives as one can leave as many,
What arrives as many, can
leave as one.
Those who do Tai Chi know the paradox,
and use
it to manifest their natural Way.