Wow.. this morning, I ran across the following passage on Cook Ding’s Kitchen: Zanshin, or “Remaining Mind”:

When body, breath, speech and mind are broken from each other and scattered in concept and strategy, then no true action can reveal itself. There is only hesitation, or trying to push oneself past hesitation. This is the mind of hope and fear, which arises because one is trying to live in some other moment, instead of in the moment that arises now. One is comparing, planning, or trying to maintain an illusion of control in the midst of a reality which is completely beyond control.

A lot of what we do in taiji is trying to tie together the body, breath and mind. How can we do this? 

In my own training, I’ve taken a layered approach. In practicing zhan zhuang, I can work on linking the breath and mind.  In silk reeling or simple movement exercises I slowly add in the body. Hopefully, over time, we can have them all connect.