JUST DO IT!
Learning to Walk, taken from https://www.asda.com/baby-club/baby/helping-your-baby-learn-to-walk
Question
I've been looking at your Taijiquan website and your book The Complete Tai Chi Chuan, and I would like to know more about the principle of “shoong”. I sometimes have difficulty relaxing physically and mentally, and was wondering if there are practical means of being in a properly “shoong” state before I try and do taijiqigong or a set.
-- Chia-Hua, USA
Answer
“Shoong” means relaxation. It is easier as well as more rewarding to actually relax than to intellectualize on its principles. It is like eating and walking. If you want to eat or walk, you just do it; you are never bothered about describing how you eat or walk, or about the principles of eating and walking. Similarly if you want to relax, just relax.
This is different from saying everyone can relax easily. In fact, and quite surprisingly, many adults find it hard to relax. You have to learn how to relax, just as you learned how to eat and walk. Can you remember how much time you had to spend learning how to walk when you were a small child?
There are three golden steps to relaxation. One, have your body symmetrical. For example, if you are standing, check that you are standing upright, with your shoulders level and your arms hanging loosely at your sides. Then loosen all your muscles. Don't worry how or why you do it; just do it.
Next, have your lips gently open and smile from your heart. Again, just do it. Thirdly, close your eyes gently and do not think of anything. Then just let go. All these are easier done than described, and you need not worry about the principles behind them. Just do them and enjoy the benefits.
The above is taken from Question 7 of June 1999 Part 3 of the Selection of Questions and Answers.
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