tai chi or insanity

Sitting in a meeting with my back to the window, a few of my coworkers started chuckling audibly at an unusual sight outside. I turned to see a client swinging his arms wildly and thought nothing of it. (I work at a mental health agency.) A few minutes later, when the meeting ended, one coworker stated, "I'm going to go out and ask him to stop." As I got out of my chair and turned around, I viewed the man and his actions again. It was at that point that I realized he was practicing tai chi. The worker went and interrupted him.

I was so saddened by this client having to cease doing something that is so healthy and beneficial simply because a bunch of therapists pathologized his action as part of his mental illness. It is also sad that so many people around here get terribly uncomfortable with what they don't know or understand. Back in Colorado, no one would think twice seeing anyone performing tai chi or qi gong in just about any locale. I would say it is probably more unusual out there to NOT see people in the local park practicing early in the morning.

I often try to educate people who are ignorant to healing arts and contemplative topics. I don't claim to be an expert but I share the knowledge I have and my own experience to try and open peoples minds, even a little bit. And, yes, I get a lot of eye rolls. That's okay, for every twenty eye rolls, I get one person whose mind expands a touch. To me, that is worth it.