Can Tai Chi Help You to Discover the Source of Happiness?
– Chief Instructor Brett Wagland

When I practise Tai Chi, I am in the moment – completely relaxed, yet aware of what my body is doing.  I feel a deep sense of peace and joy.  This state of being enables me to appreciate the simple things in life and happiness arises naturally.  We say that our health is in our own hands.  So is our happiness.  Outside causes and conditions play a role in bringing about happiness.  However, our attitude and thoughts are more important.  We need to guard our thoughts if we want to be content.  When we become judgemental or emotionally overwhelmed, it is our thinking, energy and actions that affect our response to the world around us.

When we first learn to relax, we realise how little control we have over the mind.  Before we begin to practise, we are unaware of the mind’s constant chatter.  It is like a child talking incessantly or background radio noise that goes on and on.  We need to know how to turn it off or play something else.  Better still, we need to know how not to be affected by any of it.  So the first stage of our training is learning to calm and settle the mind.

In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, there is a diagram depicting different levels of calm abiding meditation.  It describes the journey of a meditator training the unruly mind which is represented by a monkey leading an elephant.  The elephant has great potential which is largely untapped.  An elephant that is well trained can do a great amount of work.  On the other hand, a wild elephant can reap enormous havoc.  The monkey is the discursive mind, constantly jumping from one thing to another.  When you feel stressed, it is important to stop and give yourself some space.  Ask yourself whether you are acting from the elephant mind or the monkey mind.  Doing so will bring clarity and will help you to make sound decisions. 

When you first learn Tai Chi or Wu Dao Gong Martial Arts, you are unaware of how much these arts can change you.  In the beginning, they appear to be just punches and kicks and slow motion movements that you find you are not able to perform well.  It is easy to become discouraged and start the negative chatter.  Just as with the example of the meditator and the elephant, we learn to calm our restless mind.  In these arts, working with the physical body gives us an opportunity to see how our thinking and actions affect our whole being.  At first, the body does not listen to the mind and the mind forgets the principles of the training.  This is where we begin to see our weaknesses and our self-imposed limitations.  When you make an effort and consider more deeply, a transformation begins to take place.  Gradually, you will realise that these movements are affecting your roots.  Your energy and nervous systems are beginning to change at a deep level.  Traditionally, these arts were called paths to self development.  Naming them martial arts as such is too limiting.

When a friend came along to film the kung fu class, he asked in a quizzical tone, “Why are you practising the same movement over and over again?”  I jokingly said, “Because we are slow learners.”  In fact, we have been practising these movements for ten years.  A period of at least ten years is required to develop a strong enough foundation to be able to move from the external to the internal.  To reach a point where you can express the full meaning of each movement takes hard work, dedication, inspiration and a knowledgeable teacher.  Someone looking from the outside sees that what we are doing looks monotonous and requires a lot of effort.  The practitioner sees a journey of self discovery and transformation physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  This view point is difficult to convey to someone who does not train in this area. 

As my teacher Fei Wang likes to say, “Do you understand the art in martial arts?”  In Chinese culture, finding a master who really understands the deeper meaning of these arts is worth more than money can buy.  We are truly blessed to have someone of the calibre of Fei.  Without someone who has journeyed into the depths of these arts and can demonstrate them, we would never really grasp their full meaning.  So what is the art in martial arts?  Is it a dance-like beauty we are trying to display?  Compared with ballet or modern dance, we are not so graceful.  Or is it closer to painting or playing music?  It is said that the human being is the highest form of creation on our planet. Being able to express our true nature could be said to be the highest art form.  The Chinese internal arts of Tai Chi, Xing Yi and Ba Gua all endeavour to train the mind, body and spirit, thus enabling us to develop and express our full potential. 

Happiness is a journey of self discovery, of unlocking our full potential.  At first, it involves exploring the outside world which is not as fulfilling as it seems to be.  Dissatisfaction with the outside can lead to an inner journey of self discovery.  This can be a very challenging time when we see that things are not quite as they appear to be.  However, at the same time, these discoveries can be liberating.  With regular practice, we begin to see that obsessive focus on the self indulges the ego and this brings all our negative emotions into play.  When we use our energies in service to others, our good qualities, such as love, compassion and courage come to the forefront.  These activities are already causes for happiness.  The more positive and beneficial our thoughts and activities, the less obscuration there is to our inner radiance which is the source of our real happiness.  Training in the internal arts leads the practitioner to many realisations that he did not at first expect.  This is why they are acclaimed as paths to self development.

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