by Cheng Tong | Nov 22, 2021 | Stillness
As ever in our prayers a universal wishA gracious death with no regrets.And yet in life we give no thoughtTo ever hedge our bets. In early age an arrogance thatWe will live forever.And even death upon our clanWe take no new endeavor. The moments pass without a... 
by Cheng Tong | Oct 27, 2021 | Stillness
I have lunch once a week with a dear friend. It is the only entry on my social calendar. Writing those two words just now made me smile . . . social calendar. We gather, enjoy a meal, and in 90 minutes solve the problems of the world. We congratulate ourselves... 
by Cheng Tong | Aug 8, 2021 | Stillness
At the conclusion of my first lecture on the cultivation of stillness, after I moved to the northern Berkshires, one of the first questions I was asked had to do with the practical application of stillness. I answered simply: “Life.” I meant that answer in the sense... 
by Cheng Tong | Apr 15, 2021 | Stillness
“The great Way is easy,Yet people prefer the side paths.Be aware when things are out of balance.Stay centered in the Great Dao.”Chapter 53, Dao de Qing, by Laozi In stillness, we find clarity. By bringing ourselves into the present moment, we see the... 
by Cheng Tong | Feb 2, 2021 | Stillness
During a recent class, a student and I were discussing softness. Over the preceding two classes, we had been investigating the important qualities of a taiji and qigong practice. Those qualities are slow, soft and smooth. They are integral to an...