33: Finding Balance in Chaos: Cultivating a Tai Chi Mindset for Entrepreneurial Success

Have you ever wondered about the profound impact of cultivating a Tai Chi mindset for your success? In an enlightening exploration, I, Jeffrey Mort, delve into the wisdom of Tai Chi and how it integrates mind, body, and spirit for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. If you're an entrepreneur constantly juggling business demands, this episode is your guide to finding balance amidst the chaos. As a seasoned entrepreneur and Tai Chi practitioner, I share personal insights and practical tips on how this mindset not only enhances physical well-being, but also elevates professional endeavors and ignites a deeper sense of purpose.

This episode promises an in-depth look into the six mental harmonies in Tai Chi philosophy. We unravel the ancient concept of intention and intent, and the transformative changes it can trigger in different aspects of life. Let's dive into how cultivating the mindset of a Tai Chi athlete can break boundaries in your health, work and spiritual journey. I guarantee that by the end of this episode, you’ll have a deeper understanding of Tai Chi’s martial, health, or philosophical goals. Explore the wisdom of ancient Chinese martial arts and embark on a transformative journey like never before.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to another episode of Breaking Boundaries for Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs just like yourself. In today's transformative exploration, we delve into the profound impact of cultivating a Tai Chi mindset for success. I want you to join us as we unravel the ancient wisdom of Tai Chi, a practice renowned for its seamless integration of mind, body and spirit. Discover how entrepreneurs can harness this meditative martial art to navigate wellness and the fast-paced business world with grace, finding balance in the midst of chaos. As a seasoned entrepreneur and Tai Chi practitioner, I'll share personal insights and practical tips on how embracing this mindset can not only enhance physical well-being, but also elevate one's professional endeavors and ignite a deeper sense of purpose. Get ready to unlock the secrets to holistic success and embark on a journey of transformation like never before. Hello, I'm Jeffrey Moore. If you're like most entrepreneurs, you're busy taking care of business, yet who's taking care of you? If you're ready to take your energy and performance to the next level in your life and your business, then this podcast is for you, because today you're going to start breaking boundaries of your mind, body and business with integrative health, and when you do that, your possibilities are limitless. I'm grateful you're here. Yes, always grateful for you joining me here today. Welcome to another Mind, your Monday episode of the Breaking Boundaries podcast for Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs. This is the episode number 33. And, as always, you'll want to stay to the end when we bring it all together on how to avoid failure and reach your next level of success with integrative health. And for all those show notes and links, visit jeffremortcom and click on the podcast button.

Speaker 1: 2:07

Shout out to our new listeners in Washington DC, in Hemet, california and way up there in Upham, north Dakota. Very interesting, upham. I came from a very small town, or at least I thought it was small, and I did a little research on Upham, north Dakota because I'd never heard of it before and they actually have a population of a mere 135 people in that town. So big shout out to Upham, north Dakota today. And today you're going to discover how cultivating the mindset of a Tai Chi athlete can break boundaries in your health, in your work and in your spiritual journey. Now we all have some boundaries that we would love to overcome and this could be maybe feeling stuck and wherever you are in your life, in your business, in your spirituality, maybe feeling unfulfilled or maybe seeking clarity of purpose and today's your guide. I want to talk about the root cause of the problem and how I know I found the ancient key to unlock a new world of possibilities. And you may or may not know this about me, but in 2015, both Tai Chi and Qi Gong were my lead domino into turning my health around into spirituality and into helping others, as I experienced the benefits for myself and I wanted to be able to share that with other people and help other people with that. So those were really my introduction to ancient wisdom, to traditional Chinese medicine and to these modalities of integrative health. So let's dive into the plan here.

Speaker 1: 3:56

Taiji Quan is the officially accepted spelling by the International Wushu Federation, so that's T-A-I-J-I-Q-U-A-N and it is known and sometimes spelled T-A-I-C-H-I or T-A-I-C-H-I-C-H-U-A-N in the West. Now, qi Gong even though Tai Chi and Qi Gong have that same Qi sound, qi Gong is spelled Q-I-G-O-N-G and I've spoken about that before in the podcast. That Qi represents energy and Gong represents practice. So that is energy practice or energy cultivation, and Tai Chi is no different. So the concepts of Taiji Quan the word Tai means supreme and Ji or Qi means boundary, and the word Quan means fist or movement. So together the term Taiji Quan implies a method of movement to cultivate a form of power that has no boundary. How appropriate for the Breaking Boundaries podcast.

Speaker 1: 5:09

So Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art that has evolved into a mind-body practice with profound physical, mental and spiritual benefits, and I can attest to all three of those. Cultivating the mindset of a Tai Chi athlete can indeed break boundaries in various aspects of your life, including health, work and spiritual journey. So the concept of the six mental harmonies in Tai Chi philosophy plays a crucial role in understanding how this mindset can lead to transformative changes. So there are also six physical harmonies in Tai Chi, and this represents movement, and that means that the shoulders are in harmony with the hips, the elbows are in harmony with the knees and the hands are in harmony with the feet. Now, on that same theme, there are six mental harmonies where the mind, or the heart, is in harmony with intent, and the intent is in harmony with the Qi, or the energy, and the Qi is in harmony with the strength, and that strength can be both physical and mental. So in Tai Chi, the concepts of intention and intent are often used interchangeably, and different schools or styles may interpret and teach these concepts in various ways. However, there are some general principles that can be discussed. So, intention, and in Tai Chi it is represented by Yi YI.

Speaker 1: 6:45

In Tai Chi, intention refers to the mental aspect of movement. It involves focusing the mind on a specific action or a movement and directing the flow of Qi or energy within the body. Intention is closely linked to mindfulness and the idea that the mind leads the body. For example, when performing a Tai Chi movement, the practitioner's intention might be to relax a specific muscle and maintain balance or guide the flow of energy through a particular pathway. It's about being mentally present and aware of each movement.

Speaker 1: 7:29

Next, intent, intent. In Tai Chi it's zengeng, which is Z-H-I-N-E-N-G I hope I'm pronouncing that right or simply nian N-I-A-N, and this is intent. In Tai Chi it's often associated with the purpose or the goal behind the movement. So, a little different than intention, this is intent and it goes beyond the physical execution of a technique and involves a deeper understanding of the martial, the health or the meditative aspects of Tai Chi. Intent encompasses the overall purpose of the movement, whether it's for self-defense, whether it's for health improvement or whether it's for spiritual development. So, in essence, while intention is more about the mental focus and awareness during the practice of Tai Chi movements, intent broadens the scope to include the purpose and application of those movements in the context of Tai Chi's martial, health or philosophical goals. So it's worth noting that interpretations of these terms can vary among different Tai Chi practitioners in schools, and some may use the terms interchangeably. And additionally, the philosophy and principles of Tai Chi can be deeply rooted in Chinese traditional medicine and Taoist philosophy, adding further layers of interpretation. If you're studying Tai Chi in a specific school or style, it's recommended to consult with your instructor for more precise understanding based on that particular tradition. So we're going to get into the harmonies here and how this applies to your health and to your success and to your spirituality as well.

Speaker 1: 9:24

So harmony between the heart and intention. For health means focusing on the alignment of your heart and intention in Tai Chi. It can help develop mental clarity and concentration. This can lead to reduced stress, reduced anxiety and positively impacting your cardiovascular health. Now, when it comes to work in your career, aligning your intentions with your heart fosters a sense of purpose and direction in your work. It can enhance your decision making abilities and help you to stay focused on your goals. Now what about spiritual journey? This harmony contributes to a deeper understanding of your inner self and aligns your actions with your spiritual values.

Speaker 1: 10:14

Now, harmony between intention and Chi, or energy for health. Intentional movement in Tai Chi stimulates the flow of energy, the flow of Chi in the body, promoting overall well-being. This can enhance your immune system. It can increase vitality and improve the body's natural healing processes. I definitely experienced this going through Tai Chi on a regular practice, and the more that I did it, the better I felt, the more I wanted to do it. So, therefore, the more I did it and the better I felt, and a lot of these chronic health issues that I had started falling away. And you've heard me say before. This is when I came to the realization like, if this is possible, what else is possible? And started exploring other avenues of integrative health.

Speaker 1: 11:04

Now, when it comes to harmony between intention and Chi For work, applying focused attention in your work can lead to increased productivity and efficiency. It helps you to channel your energy into meaningful tasks, which fosters a sense of accomplishment. And then how about spiritual journey? When it comes to harmony between intention and energy, connecting intention with Qi facilitates a heightened awareness of spiritual energy within and around you, fostering a deeper spiritual connection. So next, harmony between Qi and strength. Tai Chi emphasizes, for health, the cultivation and circulation of Qi energy, promoting flexibility and strength without unnecessary tension. So this is soft power. If you can conceptualize that, this can improve your physical health, your flexibility and your balance. So, when it comes to work, with harmony between your Qi energy and your strength, balancing your Qi and strength in your approach to work helps in managing stress and preventing burnout very, very important in the entrepreneurial world and it allows you to exert effort with efficiency and resilience. So your ability to recover and your ability to bounce back Now in your spiritual journey. This harmony facilitates a harmonious integration of physical and spiritual strength, supporting your spiritual growth.

Speaker 1: 12:47

Next, harmony between strength and intent for health. Integrating strength with intention promotes mindful movement and reducing the risk of injuries and improving coordination. This contributes to a sense of physical well-being. When it comes to work, applying strength with clear intent in your work enhances your ability to achieve goals and it also encourages perseverance and determination, crucial for professional success. And in your spiritual journey. This harmony aligns your inner strength with your spiritual intentions, fostering a sense of purpose and authenticity.

Speaker 1: 13:31

Now, harmony between intent and breath very, very important for health. Coordinating intention with your breath in Tai Chi promotes deep, rhythmic breathing, which can reduce stress, improve lung capacity and enhance overall respiratory health. Now, hands down, this practice was instrumental in overcoming my chronic asthma conditions. And now that I mentioned a chronic health condition, this is not intended to be medical advice. I'm not a medical doctor and I don't claim to diagnose, to treat or cure disease by any means on this podcast, but what I do is I help you understand that there are integrative health modalities that can help with this.

Speaker 1: 14:17

So back to harmony between intent and breath for work. Mindful breathing in the workplace can help manage stress and maintain focus. It contributes to a calm and centered mindset, improving decision making and on your spiritual journey. Conscious alignment of intention with breath supports meditation and mindfulness practices, deepening your spiritual awareness and connectivity to source energy. And, rounding things out here, your harmony between breath and movement. When it comes to health, tai Chi emphasizes the integration of breath with flowing movements, promoting relaxation and reducing muscle tension. This can enhance overall mobility and joint health, and this is why Tai Chi is known as moving meditation. And when it comes to work, incorporating mindful movement into your daily routine fosters a balanced and energized work life. It can mitigate the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle, especially if you're a digital entrepreneur and spend many times in your seat in front of a computer screen. Now, on your spiritual journey, the seamless integration of breath and movement in Tai Chi facilitates a meditative state, aiding in spiritual contemplation and self-discovery. So by embodying the mindset of a Tai Chi athlete and cultivating these six mental harmonies, individuals can experience holistic improvements in their health, in their work and their spiritual journey, and the practice encourages a balanced and harmonious approach to life, breaking down boundaries and promoting well-being at a physical, mental and spiritual level.

Speaker 1: 16:04

So you're called to action here today. Now, knowledge is power. I just gave you a whole lot of knowledge, but it's not power until it's put into action. So I want you to take intentional action, put this information into practice and I encourage you to do your homework when joining a Tai Chi practice, when it comes to the lineage of the practice, when it comes to the experience of the practitioner or the instructor, and especially when it comes to the ego.

Speaker 1: 16:35

In Tai Chi, there is no place for the ego. It's a great practice to help to squelch that ego and get rid of that ego mind, and this will help you to avoid failure. It'll help with misaligned energy. It'll help with taking unintentional action. It'll help with wandering aimlessly in your health endeavors, in your business endeavors and especially in self-realization, and failure in this aspect would lead to wasted time and wasted money on things that just may not necessarily bring you sustainable results. However, it can contribute all of this can contribute that Tai Chi mindset can contribute to your success story. It can help you take a quantum leap in your health, in your success in your career and especially in your spirituality.

Speaker 1: 17:31

So your three key takeaways today from this episode is that ancient wisdom is a very powerful tool for success and Tai Chi is not just something done at senior centers around the country, but it's a way of life that can have many benefits for all ages. There is something for every age, for every ability when it comes to Tai Chi practice. And, last, that you can transform your mind, your body and your business, and especially your spirituality, with integrative health. So I appreciate you being here. Please share and leave a review so that we can help more people. And stay tuned for the next episode of Breaking Boundaries podcast, where we're going to be doing a case study on recovery from long COVID. You're really going to love that episode and we will see you next time to help you with breaking boundaries. Bye-bye everybody.