Article by Al Case
I had been studying Karate for a while, and I was curious about tai chi chuan meditation. I had read of esoteric meditation concepts in such arts as Shaolin Kung Fu and Tai Chi Chuan, and it definitely did seem like something I wished to do. Heck, one book I browsed stated that if an individual can focus on simply one thing for as little as 3 minutes he could rule the planet!
3 minutes? Heck, that was absolutely nothing!
And if I did it I would undoubtedly be the most effective martial artist in the planet! I could well knock over walls, be a wafting, disembodied intelligence. No wall could control me! No changing booth could be immune from my kung fu powers!
At the time I was working in a plastics factory in San Jose. Being rather burnt out with making heat shrinkable tubes, I determined that the day had actually come when I would certainly understand martial arts concentration and command the planet.
Lunchtime, and I walked out to the parking lot and into the orchard next door. I chose a round stone for my one thing, and sat down on the curb. My thoughts filled with plans for exactly what I would most likely do when I had actually controlled the globe, I consumed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and psychologically equipped myself.
Done with sandwich, I positioned the round stone on the ground and sat cross-legged just before it. I could not do a zazen sitting posture, or a yoga lotus asana, or anything like that, so I figured sitting Indian fashion might probably need to do it.
I gave myself a shake, lowered my gaze, and concentrated on the stone.
It was round. Probably I touched on that, however I did observe that it was round. And the colour dirt. Well, of course, I had actually gotten it from an orchard and… I psychologically shook myself and required myself to cease thinking. I needed to concentrate, be a laser, command the planet. My eyes stared at the rock.
A short time passed. I speculated precisely how I was expected to realize when 3 seconds passed. It sure was a very long time. I tossed that thought out of the way and stared at the stone once again.
After a while, I was sure 2 minutes had actually passed. I proceeded, awaiting the heavens to open, anticipating God to bow down, awaiting the cosmos to open and enjoy me as their rightful ruler.
And, 3 minutes… at least I think it was 3 minutes… I was bored. Absolutely nothing was taking place.
I picked up the rock, tossed it over my shoulder and back into the orchard and… I instantly recognized something. The rock had not been dull… I was boring. The rock was merely sitting there, doing nothing, it was me that had actually made it, and reality, and life… boring.
I stood then, and life was never ever the same after that. I was never ever bored ever again. I often speculate where that round stone is. Heck, if I could possibly locate it I would certainly be up for one more 3 minutes of tai chi chuan meditation… the things I could possibly discover!
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