If the words in a book were all joined together they would have no meaning. Sentences are formed by the spaces between the words. If the notes in a piece of music did not have pauses it would be a cacaphony of sound, it would lose all poignancy. It is the pauses between the notes that bring out their meaning and feeling. It is only in the spaces we discover ourselves and the meaning of all things, as it is our connection to the universe. We, as a society, have become obsessed

In our Western culture, society seems to have put an inordinately high premium on "doing." In Tai Chi one learns that if listening precedes doing, it is generally more effective. But listening can be quite a challenge as it can only be achieved through the state of "not doing." In this state we listen with the whole body, which I would call mindful intent or focus. Essentially the entire body becomes a relay for information gleaned through touch via our synapses. I tell my st

Tai Chi Ch'uan-The Art of Mindful Meditation There is a saying in the Taoist philosophy, “Stillness in stillness is not the true stillness, that only through stillness in motion does the universal rhythm become manifest.” This is the goal of Tai Chi, to incorporate and harmonize the rhythms of the universe within our human bodies. It is, I made add, no simple feat. As a teacher of Tai Chi, I find that students who come to me are too full. Their bodies are too busy acting and

What is Tai Chi? What I have found is that Tai Chi Ch'uan has proven itself to be a method of improving my physical health, increasing my internal and external power, helped me discover a state of impenetrable inner calm within and enabled the honing my self-defense skills to a sharpened edge. It has literally opened a portal enabling greater communication with my surroundings and the environment as a whole. This is why I ask each of my students, “Where do you want Tai Chi to