TCMA: The Gap


The gym rat wants the aesthetic and increased fitness lifting weights can bring. They work very hard - 8 reps of this, 10 reps of that, one rep max every once in a while pushing their body to the limit... But what happens in between?

Does the gym rat go home to eat real and healthy food or binge on pizza and beer? Do they watch comedies or the 11pm news? Do they drink water, stretch, foam roll, and rest?

If one were to camp out in the mountains and awake at 4am in order to catch a sunrise one would likely feel awe, love, or a sense of higher power. One would likely think, ‘I love this feeling. I want to hold onto it forever.’ And, with that thought, the feeling would disappear.

The same is true of meditation. When one is meditating one will likely reach a state of relaxation - maybe even by accident. The mind will want to hang onto the feeling and it will be gone. Feelings of relaxation and a higher power can’t be achieved by holding and grasping. 

The martial artist throws a punch, putting all their effort into the blow, so much that their punch looks stiff and forced. They try harder and harder putting even more into their endeavour only to find themselves becoming slower and less powerful.

Speed and power comes from being relaxed before and immediately after any type of movement - from Chinese boxing to grappling to swimming. It is also the time between the punches when one is better equipped to adapt and adjust.

We administer acupuncture for 20 minutes. Our patient comes back for 8-10 weekly sessions for the same 20 minutes. We know that it takes 24-48 hours for the treatment to peak, therefore it must be the time in between treatments when the true healing occurs.

The Gap. We can find everything we are looking for right there. However, it is not as tangible as The Thing and we must have a playful and open mind to find The Gap. No, wait. That’s not right. We must have a playful and open mind so The Gap can find us.

Thirty spokes are joined in the wheel's hub
The hole in the middle makes it useful

Mold clay into a bowl
The empty space makes it useful

Cut out doors and windows for the house
The holes make it useful

Therefore, the value comes from what is there
But the use comes from what is not there

Tao Te Ching; 11

Kenton Sefcik