29. The I-Ching drinks tea

☰/☳ Tea Time equals Me Time. For me, whether it be through Baguazhang 八卦掌 and/or Tea 茶, this concept pervades everything I do now. ☳/☵ Today, just happens to be one of those days in which I am not really here. Physically I am. Materially and energetically also. But spiritually I have succeeded in ascending my Baguazhang Mountain 八卦掌山 for the fourth time in my life. ☵/☶ Every time I am about to reach the peak, I wish for the bounties of earthly life. Instead I am greeted by the reality of nothing. I brew a cup of tea 茶, sit down and ponder on what is going on: Has the journey been worth it? ☶/☰ It is quiet. I am alone. Perhaps the closest experience I can relate to others is like visiting a place of worship with no tourists nor fellow worshippers around. It is all just you. In your seat of power. Being at one with yourself. For the fighters out there, think of it as being in the changing room by yourself after you've won the fight. ☷/☷ I use the term mountain 山 because in Taoist circles, martial arts is sometimes referred to as 'Climbing the Mountain'. Some take it literally and end up becoming a mountain hermit or joining a retreat. Others take it symbolically, and after having wrestled with the fact that the mountain will not come to them, decide to 'Be the Mountain' itself. ☴/☱ Baguazhang 八卦掌 spiritually is like lathing; round and round we go until it is refined into Nothingness 無. We see our Tao 道. Nay. We are confronted by the Tao 道. Do we refill the teacup or do we accept that Tea Time equals Me Time is done (at least for now)? ☲/☲ I am not alone in this. And it is not just a Baguazhang 八卦掌 thing. Any path taken can reach this goal, if the person has chosen to take on such a path. The type of tea I am drinking makes no difference to the fact I am drinking tea. And so it is with you. ☱/☴ For those wondering about the gua 卦 at the start of each paragraph and know what they mean, the front gua 卦 is to be placed upon the second gua 卦 to make the hexagram, the paragraph refers to in the Book of Changes 易經. The I-Ching 易經 is the map 圖 upon which Baguazhang 八卦掌 is based upon. To know it, is to know where you are going with life. Liked what you heard & want to connect with me? Join me at… linkedin.com/in/peterhainzl/