March 10, 2014
The Importance of Play
By De Anna Beasley
Push hands class at Columbia Tai Chi Center
As a post doc, I’m learning how to develop and manage independent research. I have heard plenty of horror stories about the pitfalls of academia that I sometimes wonder if I’m in over my head. Often the expectations feel unrealistic for someone just getting out of graduate school. How am I to develop a compelling research project that would define my academic career within a span of two years? On a bad day, the process feels daunting and demoralizing.
You may have felt this way at times with your Tai Chi training. I know I have. But one of the key things I remember from Sifu’s class that helped me get past those moments is the importance of play. This concept becomes even more apparent when you start doing partner work as in Push Hands, Martial Applications and Shan Cho. In my experience, the more I simply relaxed and allowed myself to have fun, the more I learned. There are moments when I get frustrated but I hope those moments are few and far between compared to when I’m having fun with my brothers and sisters. In the end, I’m still refining important skills and over time what was once a complicated set of moves will feel effortless.
On the surface, play looks like a waste of time and energy, where the risks far outweigh the benefits. But as Sifu has asked us to consider many times: how often do you see baby animals play? For something that is apparently a waste of time, playing is quite ubiquitous in the animal kingdom. Many have suggested that play is an opportunity to safely practice and refine survival skills, improve motor function and develop coordination. Think about that the next time you see a litter of kittens or puppies playing!
So have fun with Tai Chi and let the time pass! Don’t worry about being perfect, simply enjoy the process. While you do that, I’ll make an effort to do the same with my research. In the end, I think we’ll find ourselves with similar, happier results. And with some serious skill to boot!
How can you cultivate a sense of play in your Tai Chi practice? In other aspects of your life?