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Between Heaven and Earth

Written by Katherine Dreyer, Co-Founder of ChiRunning & ChiWalking
Founder of ChiLife Coaching

 

To See a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour

From Auguries of Innocence, By William Blake

William Blake’s famous poem captures an aspect of the Taoist philosophy that forms the foundation of T’ai Chi, and ChiLife Coaching.

We humans have within us the qualities of both heaven and earth.

It is our role to live both as mammals who are born and die, need food, water, and clean air, just like all other creatures on earth. And to live as conduits of heaven’s inspiration and influence.

We have the potential for peace and joy, to be the bearers and sharers of understanding, compassion and. most importantly, of love.

We see it lived out on the world stage in the great artists, the sages, and the silent heroes who give their lives for others. They transport us beyond the confines of our minds to the vast potential of humankind’s affinity with heaven.

Danny and I saw the concert pianist Lang Lang perform in San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall. At the end of his playing of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto #2 the audience of several thousand burst out in wondrous applause, not just because of the glorious music, but because he transported us to another realm.

During the intermission, “Heavenly.” “Not of this world,” were the awestruck murmurs throughout the halls.

Lang Lang had tears dripping down his face and was clearly in an ecstatic state of…well, the Taoist would say, “of heaven.” And he carried us all there as well.

We all have the same innate capacity as Lang Lang to bring the energy of heaven into llfe. He spent his life focusing on it with his love, devotion and practice of music.

We don’t need to create timeless works of art in order to be the conduit between heaven and earth, but it does need recognition and cultivation.

Working with T’ai Chi Grand Master Xu, we learned about the potential and the responsibility of living in these human bodies. The message is foundational:

Use your body and live your life wisely. Make the most of every moment.

We know we need to cultivate our minds through education. But in our culture, we sometimes forget that we also need to cultivate, practice and explore the greater wholeness of our lives.

Our bodies are one the instruments through which heaven reveals itself. Like a barometer, our senses give us clues as to where to put our attention, how to live our lives as creatures of earth and of heaven.

The reading of the barometer is what we might call intuition or a sixth sense. It is that which gives meaning to, and gets direction from our senses.

If we don’t nurture our heavenly gifts of intuition, creativity, and the ability to recognize the deeper meaning and value in our experiences, we end up living mostly of the earth, by the mundane and without deeper meaning.

Your life experience, your joy, your despair, your longing, your successes, are of the world, yes. And, they also resonate through eternity as do Blake’s wild flower and grain of sand…exquisite, timeless, precious beyond words.

The potential for the heavenly is always right there, in all of it. That never wavers.

Our tending to it, our cultivating of heaven on earth, that is up to us.

I’d love to be your guide.

ChiLife Coaching adapts the principles used in ChiRunning and ChiWalking to bring positive change to your whole life.

 

 

Get a Free ChiLife Coaching Session with Katherine Dreyer, co-founder of ChiRunning, ChiWalking and ChiLife Coaching.

What to expect: In your free 50-minute session, you’ll get a feel for working with me and ChiLife Coaching. We’ll explore one of your challenges or goals. It’s a great way to experience the support and guidance you’ll receive in regular sessions. You can easily book your spot through my online scheduler. You’ll get all the details by email right away.

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