The donkey and the carrot of Taiji
By David Chen, 2003

The journey to the Tao of Taiji
is like a donkey going after carrot;
it looks so close that I need just one more step to get it.

I walk, I run, I shake, I roll, and I retreat;
it is still in front of me.

It was the years of pursuing the carrot of Taiji
that made my legs stronger, my body healthier and my mind more focused.

But gradually, I started to slow down and realize,
how foolish I was---
the Taiji in front of me was not a carrot;
instead, it was a flashlight
that guides me to the correct path.

Then one day, I stopped and understood the meaning of all this:
that Taiji neither carrot nor flashlight,
nor does Tao have a path.
Only if I keep my heart open and my mind clear,
will the entire journey be the Tao of Taiji.