The First Time Ever I “Saw Your …?”
Yesterday I talked a little about the beginner’s mind. This morning I came across one of those little known historical facts that got me thinking again, and yes now you’re going to have to suffer the consequences. Sorry about that, I really am.
I got to thinking about the first tai chi class I attended. I knew the teacher from work and thought I’d give it a try. I’d been studying various external styles for while and knew I needed something softer as well. I wanted to be sure I could keep it up as I got older and was told tai chi would help.
I knew it would be very different from what I’d studied, but I never thought it would be as hard as it was. Although it was slower, the workouts sometimes seemed to go on forever as sweat poured off my body and my legs burned from the effort. My teacher was very kind and told me I had a “knack for it.” I think she just wanted me to stick around. Well I did, stick around that is, and she’s still my teacher. Now though she is also my senior training sister, as well being responsible for me becoming a fellow disciple of Master Cui Zhongsan. Her name is Miriam Holland.
I didn’t know anything at all back then, and although it may sound trite, now I feel like there is more to learn than when I started. So what little known historical fact got me thinking about this, and why did I phrase the title of this post the way I did? The word saw isn’t just a visual reference, it’s also the name of a tool. The first time I really “saw” tai chi was as profound an experience for me as it must have been for people in the 18th Century when they witnessed a saw being used in a new way. 
1799 - Count de Grisley was the 1st magician to perform the trick of sawing a woman in half .
I’ll bet you didn’t see that one coming. How was that for tying something completely unrelated back to tai chi? And that picture of a seesaw, putting the two concepts together, pure genius. OK, OK I’ll shut up now but you have to admit, it’s clever even it is a stretch.
John
P.S. I found this historical tidbit here: http://www.corsinet.com/trivia/1-triv.html and I found this great seesaw picture here: http://www.mccullagh.org/photo/1ds-10/burning-man-see-saw
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May 5, 2009 - 01:05:59Well, she was obviously right about your having a “knack” for it — witness: your website!
I used to work in the nursery industry, and said to many people, “A love for plants is your ticket in the door.” It’s no assurance of success, but having “a feel” for something really helps when you start out.
And as you said, with tai chi, it has such depth that you cannot exhaust it!
Walt,
Thanks for the kind words. You were right when you said having a love for something makes success that much easier. Also the depth of tai chi is what I think really pulled me in.
John