28/10/2026
DON’T RUSH
Any time I rush, I'm not with Dao.
Why?
Because being with Dao means working at the natural pace and rhythm of what's going on.
Think of playing music. There's a beat. If you play too fast, you're rushing the beat. If you play too slow, you're lagging behind the beat. Some people lack a good sense of rhythm and aren't even near the beat at all.
There's a beat in everything you do. It isn't the same all the time. You can compare that to different songs being played: you listen for the count and then you play along.
No matter the situation, we must keep up with the prevailing rate. Take driving for example. It's dangerous to speed. It's also dangerous to go too slowly.
In the wrong kind of work environment, bosses push workers to do more in less time. It would be better to do things right in an appropriate amount of time. But that wisdom isn't observed by those who only want to force the most out of their hapless workers. That hardly makes that callousness right.
In Taijiquan, the pace is slow and we're asked to relax. That's so we feel the rate of the set, the rate of our bodily movements, and the rate at which our minds, energy, and body fall into complete synchronization.
There is no time signature for this. There is no metronome. There's only the rate one feels.
Once you feel it, follow it. Don't rush. And be as steady as the rhythm of Dao.
__________
Professor Li Deyin (born 1938), world-renowned Taijiquan grandmaster, educator, and third-generation member of an influential Chinese martial arts family. Vice Chariman of Beijing Wushu Association, creator of 42 Step Taijiquan, 48 Step Taijiquan, Taiji Kungfu Fan, Xiyangmei Taiji Kungfu Fan. He is also the highest authority on 24 step simplified Yang style Taijiquan, 88 Step Traditional Yang Style Taijiquan, Wudang Taiji Sword and and 32 step Yang Style Taijijian.
