TCUP: An Association ahead of its time?

Despite the multitude of benefits and advantages to having one, there are many misgivings about forming a unified organization of tai chi and internal arts practitioners. All relate to what people refer to as a negative Filipino trait – "the crab mentality".

Without intentionally offending the crab as a specie, this mentality refers to what is perceived in the crab's behavior when they pulls down a fellow crab that is trying to escape by climbing out of their cage in captivity. Some people argue that the crab actually does this because he is concerned about the group as a whole and is discouraging individual selfish motives. Or that, the top crab is just trying to pull the other crabs up . . only a crab can really tell.

Whatever, the usual common phenomenon in case is the copious proliferation of Filipino associations in the America – regionalistic, clannish and personalistic. Characterized by constant bickering directed at personalities rather than issues – a national preoccupation that is probably an extension of our homegrown politics.

It would seem that this is an inherent trait of the particular stage of the development of the Filipinos as a people – still lacking a sense of nationhood. Would the Tai Chi Union of the Philippines (TCUP) then be anachronistic and fall into this pattern?

But, another point of view is to see Tai Chi and the formation of the TCUP as a transformative effort and proactive solution to a national problem. Imperative even, since the country and its people are ill prepared and disunited to face the impending problems that the “Global Warming” trend will spawn in a not too distant future. This approach can be seen as one of many approaches our people can take to be able to ward off this "ten thousand pounds" threat with our puny "four ounces" of national strength”.

So, how can tai chi do that? Actually, real tai chi has the potential of changing the practitioners internally – to gain the universal principles of balance, unity, coordination, sensitivity and connectedness; not to push but to flow and to harmonize. If so, it would then be the practitioners that would transform the Filipino thinking (as in the 100th monkey/critical mass principle).

So TCUP can be looked as the practitioners learning practice set. To paraphrase Confucius, “If we want to change the world, we can . . . but we need to start with our country, but before that we start with our community, but before we work even closer to that of our family, but even before that, our self, and before that, our vert inner thoughts by asking if they are sincere”. So, that’s it, do we have sincere heart on this – “cheng shin”.

We can, can’t we? In the formation of TCUP, as in our practice of tai chi, we can let our egos rule, we can have selfish motive, or we can be sincere to learn and do. Many believe some of us can do it. Just like in tai chi, we may be far off from our goal, but if our heart is in the right place, the right direction will be evident, and it would just be a matter of time. . . Patience too.

For inquiries and comments email me: ed.stillmountain@gmail.com