About six years ago I began to study tai chi. When I began, I had already been studying karate for several years, but my instructor encouraged me to add tai chi to enhance my martial arts abilities even further. It seemed interesting to me from the very beginning, but I was totally unprepared for what I have received. What I have learned is far beyond anything I ever expected.
Tai chi is a martial art that takes you through a series of very slow movements. You have probably seen people do it on TV commercials to advertise arthritis medicine. It seems rather strange and exotic for people who have never been around it. And because it is so slow and easy going, it seems like it would be very easy to do. But I assure you, it is actually a very powerful and practical form of exercise.
When I first started practicing these moves it was quite awkward. It is amazing the amount of strength and balance it takes. But as I practiced over the next several months and years, I began to notice a number of things begin to happen in my body. I began to develop greater leg strength. My balance improved. I gained better posture. I began to be able to control and conserve energy. I gained more powerful breath support and control. I also saw my ability to concentrate become stronger.
If you did a deep examination of tai-chi training, these things should really be expected because of the nature of the exercise. But there is one other thing that has happened in my experience that, even to this day, I continue to marvel about. No matter how far I seem to progress, there seems to be further to go. I make a major advance and think I am mastering the art and, behold, a whole new level unfolds before me. This has happened so many times that I have come to believe that there is no limit to the amount of progress I can make. As I have discussed this with my instructor, he has assured me that this is so.
Now, this is a significant realization, and is particularly helpful with an activity like tai-chi, where the movements are so slow. In our fast-paced society, slow is very difficult. In fact, many people who start tai-chi don't end up staying with the discipline very long because activity and progress seem so slow.
But, there is a much broader application that needs to be recognized that has very profound implications for every area of life. No matter where you are in your life, no matter what activity you engage in, no matter how much of an expert you are, you have only taken baby steps compared to where it is possible to go. But, don't be fooled by this statement. It is easy to accept this as an intuitive intellectual understanding. It only becomes profound when it is discovered in the course of experience.
Consider this. There are four areas of your life where your humanity is expressed. The four areas are the emotions, body, brain activity, and spirit. And the profound truth is this: in each of the four areas it is possible to literally explode beyond where you are now to ever higher and higher levels of development.
You can develop control over your emotions so that you are always positive and upbeat. You can overcome depression and negativity. You can put yourself in the appropriate emotional state for any situation you find yourself in.
You can develop control over your body. You can provide it with the nutrients, rest and exercise that will keep it healthy. You can sculpt your muscles so that you look good.
You can learn to control your brain function. You can gain greater and greater ability to absorb content, to think quickly, to shift your outlook, to concentrate, to control your focus and your perspective. These are all amazing abilities and anyone can become better at them.
Finally, you can develop control over your spirit. You can become more and more skilled at self-awareness, creativity, communication, decision making, analysis, contemplation, imagination, and self-discipline.
The sad thing, though, is very few people ever move on a life path that causes them to continually develop in all four areas all the time. The average person will work on one area then another, in fits and starts, but very few are focused on developing all four all the time.
So this brings us to a final, and profound, question which will determine what you do with the rest of your life. How much further do you plan to progress in your life beyond where you currently are? Your answer will determine the extent to which you are able to live life to the fullest. There is more to gain beyond where you currently are. In fact, the potential is unlimited. But, you will determine your reality. There is more and more and more and more.
About The Author
Dr. Freddy Davis is the owner of TSM Enterprises and conducts conferences, seminars and organizational training for executives, managers and sales professionals to help develop greater effectiveness and productivity. He is the author of the book Supercharged! as well as the Nutshell Series of books for strengthening business. You can visit the TSM website at www.tsmenterprises.com, or you can contact Freddy directly at 888-883-0656 or www.tsmenterprises.com.
Oswego taxi to Midway ..Step 1: List all the business activities that you complete... Read More
Skills or beliefs; this may well be another example of... Read More
When my neighbor's child was about 8, he decided that... Read More
One of the greatest challenges people face when trying to... Read More
"When you talk to yourself, you listen. No matter what... Read More
I've long been a student of those who have achieved... Read More
He was pencil thin and walked with a limp. A... Read More
Something For You To Consider?How To Create What You Want... Read More
There are "How to" seminars on virtually every business topic.... Read More
"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.... Read More
I was in the gym, pushing my adolescent muscles to... Read More
If you were to evaluate the major influences in your... Read More
I wrote an article on this very subject, with the... Read More
Howdy folks, today I would like to speak to you... Read More
Temp your way to the top Want to take the... Read More
I am unashamed to copy the peak performance techniques of... Read More
Thomas Edison wrote his quote " I have not failed,... Read More
One of the keys to being successful in anything you... Read More
Delegate your life If you're having problems finding the time... Read More
"If you can tell the world who you are and... Read More
Everything you are or ever will be is completely up... Read More
Do you sometimes feel that you're living a boring life?... Read More
Bill is a man for the people, of the people... Read More
As a golfer and coach, I've been thrilled to watch... Read More
The simple action of writing the every day grocery demonstrates... Read More
shuttle from Midway Morris ..If you look back to the 70s and 80s, many... Read More
Why is true success so rare?Why does research show that... Read More
People say: "One can't help one's thoughts." But one can.... Read More
You have probably heard the term "IQ" many times, and... Read More
Authors such as Napoleon Hill have produced a great deal... Read More
Do you ever wonder how some people consistently get what... Read More
The problem with writing about success is that almost everything... Read More
Mary and Susan were friends for years. They grew up... Read More
Most of my clients had a vision of the contribution... Read More
Have you failed before and wished the earth could open... Read More
All of us could work on our skills in influencing... Read More
Recently I stumbled across a list of Microsoft Interview questions... Read More
Think out of the box, they say. But what's a... Read More
Do you believe that? Do you believe we can all... Read More
When I decided to have my web site built, I... Read More
We all want success. You do. So do I. Some... Read More
The gambling instinct is in every man or woman. All... Read More
If you help yourself, God and humans will help you... Read More
Bring in the big guns People love to be needed,... Read More
Circus trainers used to tie a chain around a baby... Read More
Abundance is intangible, spiritual and attracts energy. To attract this... Read More
Everything you are or ever will be is completely up... Read More
One of the questions that I am asked most often... Read More
How many times have you thought about being successful, famous,... Read More
Very few of us can pick up a complex task... Read More
Success |