Be at Ease

Fill your bowl to the brim

and it will spill.

Keep sharpening your knife

and it will blunt.

Chase after money and security

and your heart will never unclench.

Care about people’s approval

and you will be their prisoner.

Do your work, then step back.

The only path to serenity.

Verse 9, Lao Tzu’s “Tao Te Ching” (Stephen Mitchell translator)

I frequently suggest using “70% of your full effort” during the warm-up section of our weekly Qigong classes. Following this suggestion may feel odd or even wrong at first. That’s because for many of us, trying hard is a deeply entrenched habit practiced for a lifetime. Using full effort can be a good thing of course, especially if we need to accomplish a difficult task. But when pushing, straining, over-doing, and over-thinking is our default behavior it leads to stress, creating wear and tear on our bodies, minds, and emotions.

  One reason Qigong feels so good is because its movements and images are based on relaxation, unimpeded breath flow, and noticing what you’re experiencing in the moment. It’s not about trying harder; in fact, it’s just the opposite. This takes practice! But isn’t it fun? And don’t you feel about 10 years younger when you let go of that compulsion to push yourself, even if only for a few minutes while practicing leg swings or “teacups”?  Chances are, when you make “less is more” a regular part of your practice-and your day- you’ll find you’re healthier, more productive, and in a much better mood, too. It’s amazing how much the good energy starts to flow once you let go of trying to be perfect.