COMMITMENT, SELF-DISCIPLINE, AND INTENTIONALITY

Compiled and edited from the book “Full Catastrophe Living” by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Commentary by Emily B. Smith, Certified T’ai Chi Instructor, Grasshopper Healing Arts

Some people have resistance to the whole idea of taking time for themselves. The Puritan ethic has left a legacy of guilt when we do something for ourselves…some people discover that their inner chatterbox tells them they are selfish or undeserving of this kind of time and energy. But those of us in the martial arts believe that taking time to “tune” you own instrument and restore your energy reserves can hardly be considered selfish. Intelligent would be a healthier description!

Committing yourself to goals that are in your own self-interest is easy. But keeping to the path you have chosen when you run into obstacles or do not realize results immediately is the real measure of your commitment. This is where conscious intentionality comes in—the  intention to practice whether you feel like it or not on a particular day, whether it is convenient or not, with the determination of an athlete.

Regular practice is not as daunting as you might think once you make up your mind to do it. We recommend that you set aside a particular block of time every day to practice. Just reserving this amount of time every day for yourself will create a very positive lifestyle change.  You will soon realize that on practice days, your body feels much more vibrant and energized than on the days when you skip practice. I have found that posting a “practice” calendar on the wall and marking X’s for each successful day will remind you that a day without practice is a day without progress.

Our lives are so complex and our minds so busy most of the time that it is necessary, especially at the beginning, to protect and support your T’ai Chi regimen by making a special place in your home for practice. It needs to be comfortable and at least 10’ x 10’ (you do not need a huge room to practice your T’ai Chi), and needs to be protected from interruptions.  Try shutting off your phone, radio, TV, and computer. Tell your family members that this is a sacred time for you. If you purchase the regulation Tai Chi footwear right away, this will help put you in the right mindset, and is a measure of respect for your martial arts practice, your teacher, and yourself.

And finally, the momentum of regular practice helps to maintain a certain mental stability and resilience even as you go through states of turmoil, confusion, lack of clarity, and procrastination. These are some of the most fruitful times to practice, and after at least ten or fifteen minutes of mindful T’ai Chi practice, you will certainly arrive at a better place than you were before.

T’ai Chi Ch’uan is an ancient martial arts practice that will impart untold physical, mental, spiritual, and psychological benefits—but only if you are able to maintain conscious intentionality and reverence for the sustained, daily gift of your time and undivided attention.

3/19/2012

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Emily B. Smith, Grasshopper Healing Arts, Edgerton, WI 53534