Today Fayne and I went to a local retirement community to present our introduction to Tai Chi Workshop. During the time we share with the residents our goal is to help them understand what Tai Chi is and how it can help them improve their circulation, strength, flexibility and concentration among all the other benefits available through Tai Chi training. We always use some basic movement and flow Qigong exercises to help them feel for themselves the various intricacies of Tai Chi. Then we get them working on Tai Chi Walking which is a wonderful tool for helping them gain strength while stabilizing their sense of balance.
Sometimes, there is someone in the crowd that is very resistant to change and gets annoyed at the prospect of learning something new. As I write this I am recalling a workshop I did about 8 years ago where I was working with the residents on Dan Tien breathing techniques. After a bit of effort on their part, one of the participants announced that she had been breathing the same way for 92 years and was not about to change now. At the time I was taken aback by her resistance to a practice I KNEW would help her tremendously, however, as I look back I understand more clearly how she felt.
Today we had someone in the workshop that felt they were an expert at walking, therefore we had nothing to teach her about that subject. She completely missed the point of Tai Chi Walking and resisted an opportunity to try something new. Walking is part of her daily exercise routine but listening to a different perspective was not. Even while her friends and neighbors were amazed at how this simple exercise was able to help them understand themselves better.
Fear of change is a very large part of why people resist opportunities for growth. With my students, I look for ways to make them a bit uncomfortable because I know from personal experience, that this is where they will find the most growth. Tai Chi is a reflection of the self and therefore will challenge you on a physical, mental and spiritual level if you are open to the opportunities.
As I share this story with my students my hope is that they will understand how to become a bit more open to change and allow Tai Chi to show them new paths for growth.
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