Right Effort

When we went down to study last week, Mark was talking to Paolo, Davina and myself about becoming what we practice and also about lightness. If we practice being anxious and full of worry, we become an anxious person who worries a lot, habitually. If we practice connecting with our hearts to whatever arises, and letting go of fear, we become people full of more courage and heart. If you practice your T'ai Chi always heavily and full of worry that the next move will be wrong, this will drag you down and dishearten you. Train enough, each day if possible, so that you remember and progress: the Buddhists would call this 'right effort'. It is neither too much nor too little, but just enough. Then; when you have done your 'training' for the session, (correcting yourself, checking your posture, technique, or making adjustments) put it all down for a moment and just do the form, or the exercise you were engaged in l i g h t l y. I've mentioned this a few times in classes this week in classes, and it seems to be in the air.