Our family travelled to Niagara Falls and Great Wolf Lodge last weekend where we enjoyed two fun filled days in a gigantic indoor water park. We slid down all the numerous tube-rides at least a dozen times each and splashed the afternoon away in the wave pool.

On our last foray into the wave pool I was inspired to test my Taiji.

When the red lights started flashing, indicating that the waves were about to start crashing into us, I place myself into an elongated bow stance and relaxed into my root. The excitement of the crowd grew as they started to get tossed around by the mechanically generated waves and all around me I heard laughter as person after person was swept back towards the “beach”.

I had positioned myself so that the waves would “hit” me in the midsection and when they did I consciously merged with them and channelled the energy into my legs and out through my feet. I started to tense up after a few large waves but then consciously surrendered into full relaxation and rode the energy.

I used ting jin to follow the energy from back to front and never left my centre. I realized that I improved my root when I let go of my hips and allowed my whole body to relax and flow with the energy of the thousands of gallons of water pressing, pushing and uprooting everyone around me.

I felt at ease and in absolutely no conflict with the waves. They pressed forward and I rooted, they pushed and I followed. Soon the waves diminished and the crowd left the pool in search of their next adventure leaving me to digest my lessons.

Do not fight what is natural.
Allow all energy to do what it was intended to do.
Stay relaxed and rooted and eventually the energy will dissipate and you’ll find that you remain on your own path.

Peace
Rod