The True Taiji Masters in our Midst

I have the great pleasure of leading the physical exercise in the morning. It’s a joy to work out the stiffness in my body and share the beauty of the morning with other campers.

I may play a role by leading the Taiji sequence, but I am humbled by the mastery of our grandparents. For me, they are the true Taiji masters.

I see it in the way they speak, the smiles on their faces and the wisdom they impart when they speak. They have so much to teach us.

Today Joe Lee’s mother, Flora, was Grandmother of the Day. As a teacher, I deeply appreciated how she spoke. In the patterns of her speech I recognized years of classical training. It appeared in the attention to all the little details that capture and hold an audience’s attention, but even more importantly, the warmth and the wisdom her speech conveyed. She spoke about the importance of waking up smiling, thankful for the day. And then she encouraged us with these words, “I can do it!” She gave an example from her own life of the satisfaction of writing, reciting poetry to an audience and the joy of receiving praise. We can do it too! How? Through disciplined focus, by paying attention to details, and putting in the time to act carefully. This is a means to accomplish great things. I recognized her words as carrying a great truth.

I have seen the results of disciplined effort in the other grandfathers and grandmothers in these past few days. It can be found in WeiChien Chow’s posters and in his calligraphy. Even something as impromptu as writing characters during dinner conversations is done with care. Caryn, my wife had asked Lillian and David Wang about some characters and they carefully sketched them out on paper napkins during our conversation. I was impressed by the beauty of their characters. Seemingly without effort, grandparents pay attention to each little detail. That is truly something wonderful to behold.

I see the same ease and detail in the movements of great masters of Taiji. Each joint moves gracefully with exquisite mindfulness. It is what I aspire to, and it is wonderful to be surrounded by elders, who lead the way.

Greg Louie