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At t’ai chi last night Kim (our instructor) asked why we practice. A simple enough question, but one to which I found I didn’t really have an answer.

Am I in it for the health benefits? Some spiritual awakening? Martial prowess? Self awareness? All of this? None of this?

I guess my answer would be a bit of everything. While I’m in pretty good health, t’ai chi has certainly helped eliminate little nagging aches and pains that I use to have. The Taoist aspects also appeal to me, as do the martial applications. And learning about one’s body and discovering all the bits and pieces therein is truly fascinating.

When I began t’ai chi 5 years ago it was mostly out of sheer curiosity. It was simply fun learning the form. But I have long since “known” the form. So why keep going to class? I could simply stay home and practice every day.

Except it wouldn’t be the same. Class provides focused time to work with my self and others on small aspects, leading to greater self awareness, which, in turns, leads to greater external awareness. Just last night, for example, Kim helped me figure out why my right hip doesn’t work like my left. You would think that I could control my own hip and know what it’s doing, but that just isn’t the case. Additionally, during Push Hands exercises I had a “delicious moment” (as we call them) while working with another student. She was sinking her root down her back leg and I not only felt it, I caught it, got my chi underneath it and was in control. It literally felt like her entire weight rested effortlessly in the palm of my hand and that I could mover her around at will.

So, why am I in class? Because I keep learning something new about myself, about others and about the world. I also harbor a secret desire to be one of the best t’ai chi sword practitioners — but that is going to take a lot of time and effort.

What about you? What do you practice and why?