I heard those muffled words through the door of the cabin and the haze of half-wakefulness...Another soft, respectful knock and once more..."G-dog to the tai chi deck," just a little louder this time.
Reluctantly I moved to the door and the unavoidable fate that awaited me on the tai chi deck otherwise known as the top deck of the Chinese junk I was on. I had to go...after all who was I to deny the other early-risers the splendour of my fluid movement...meditation in motion. So I moved to the upper deck.
Moved like a stalking tiger, is a better way to describe my journey there. My mastery of tai chi had brought with it the ability to move cat-like, stealthy and strong, yet with the fluid-grace most would envy, desire, yet never attain.
Shortly after my arrival the session began and I tai chi'd like a god each move precise and fluid. I was like water sitting still in a glass but moving at the same time, not an easy thing to do. Totally still yet moving powerfully like the tiger poised to leap upon its prey; improbable yes, but that's what happened. It was...and I say this with all humility and modesty, simply magnificent to behold.
Meditation in motion...whilst being totally, completely and utterly still.
My moves left the others - who moved like beached whales all flubbery and blubbery - in awe.
My, Wave Hands Like Clouds morphed seamlessly into White Stork Spreads Wings then seemingly without motion I'd be in the Step Up to Grasp Bird's Tail pose after which I'd create the White Snake Turns and Pokes Out Tongue pose. It was a glorious display the others could only dream of emulating, but knew to try would be to fail. Those poor cretins.
After some, Turn Around to Sweep Lotus, a little bit of Draw Bow to Shoot Tiger and Golden Cock Stands on One Leg I ended the session fully relaxed, yet energised. As I departed the tai chi deck the others flopped, flubbered and blubbered to the ground with wails of despair, woe and inadequacy although I barely noticed from my deeply meditative state of well-being - I strode off like the Tai Chi Titan I am.
And...if you believe any of that you're a total nutbag!
Make no mistake, I did do tai chi, no one can take that away from me although I was, well...I was monumentally bad at it...however not flubbery or blubbery.
I think I looked more like the muddled bundle of gnawed bones and masticated flesh the tiger had left after killing a gazelle and consuming it rather than the actual tiger in stalk-mode. In my heart of hearts I really wanted to be good at tai chi but in reality I was a tai chi disaster unfolding in rather unattractive ways on the top deck of a Chinese junk floating in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam.
My girlfriend and I were on holiday in Vietnam and had arranged several days cruising on Ha Long Bay in a Chinese junk...a ship. It was a pretty special one, with only a maximum of 20 or so passengers allowed.
It was top-notch from a comfort, food and service perspective and we had an amazing time exploring the area, kayaking limestone caves, visiting floating villages, immense limestone caves, swimming in the ocean, massages, reading on deck and...tai chi.
My girl insisted we join the tai chi master on the top deck each morning at 6am and so, not one to want to get into trouble with her, I did even despite knowing I was going to be terrible at it.
My lady wasn't much help to me - she's a yoga goddess and can bend into all sorts of pretzelly shapes. I creaked and groaned my way through the moves feeling like a rusty old farm implement which was not made any better by the fact she'd made us stand in the front row. I'm sure the young girl leading the group thought I was some sort of mentally retarded drunk baboon on crack or something like it as I was grunting and sweating my way through the session whilst those around me moved gracefully and with purpose...In meditative silence.
You know what though? At the end I felt better. Weird huh? We'd head back to our room, grab showers and hit the dining room for breakfast at 07:30 and I felt loose and energised and very clear-headed.
Our cruise on Ha Long bay was amazing, I mean such a special time. It's difficult to explain I guess, but we came away feeling different. Better.
We met another couple on the cruise, older than us, and really hit it off. We have kept in contact and only a couple years ago went to Cornwall, UK to stay with them for a time. They're coming here to Australia next year to see us...Cool huh? They helped to make our Ha Long Bay experience a little bit better than the amazing thing it already was, and they've been great friends since.
Looking back now, remembering those mornings on the top deck groaning my way through tai chi moves, makes me smile. My gal in yoga pants and top, Ha Long Bay slowly drifting by and that cool salty air... perfect way to start a morning and who said a little embarrassment isn't good for the soul.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.