I took my first Tai-Chi lesson since I got sick last week, and wanted to go on the eve of our one-day trip to New York City to see the movie “Hannah Arendt,” playing for short showings in several cities in the coming weeks. Movies like that can no longer get into the big cinemas, another gift from the corporate Leviathans that have gobbled up our culture as well as our work. Scott and Red have a particular connection, Red just has this gift of entering whatever space he is in, whatever space I am in.  Not that many people get down on the floor and talk to him, though.

I am liking Tai-Chi, it is not simple for me to learn. Breathing is important, there are lots of movements that require precision and memory, and my head is a distractable space that does not retain too many specific things. I had so much trouble in school all my life I am fairly certain I have one or another of those much discussed learning disabilities. I just don’t absorb things in the normal way. And my body has not quite returned to normal, Lyme is a disease that keeps on ticking. Scott is a patient teacher and we are getting to know one another. I took a video of the first four movements today with my Iphone and that will help as he will be away next week. I’d like to do 20 minutes in the morning, another 20 minutes at night, sometimes it is hard to find that time.

I’ve got the broad outines of the first movements down, it is flowing more easily and naturally. I have a ways to go. I am eager to pursue it.

I can see the rewards to Tai-Chi, in our world it is just critical that we find ways of unplugging ourselves from the fragmentation, data, bad news and notifications of the outside world. It helps me already with focus and balance, I think it helps me recover from my encounter with Lyme Disease last week.  From dog-walking to meditation, people are awakening to the importance of finding time and space for their own thoughts, their own peace of mind. I know I have. Scott is a busy man with lots of interests, but he finds time for Tai-Chi and other elements of spiritual practice. I think this becomes more important every day.