Newsletter   •   Mar 6, 2024

Instant Pleasure or Delayed Gratification

March 2024

This morning I asked my nine-year old son.
“Arthur, do you want to have the Yakult now or after school?”
Arthur wanted it in the morning. Well, honestly, I was hoping he could wait till the afternoon as this was the last Yakult. In my head, a small test of his patience. With many times of telling him “Patience is rewarded” and “Patience is a virtue”, it works sometimes, and often it does not. I can imagine it must be hard for Arthur to resist that delicious Yakult when it is there in front of him.

We probably all know the phrase “It is easy to say, but difficult to do”. This refers to situations where something may sound simple or straightforward, however, is actually quite challenging to execute in practice. For example, say to someone “just relax” when they are feeling stressed. Easier said than done as relaxation is often a complex process that involves both physical and mental factors. Realising the contrast between the simplicity of verbal expression and the complexity of real-world action is important to understand ourselves and others.

There is no short-cut to train one’s mind and body without perseverance. Both our mind and body need proper training as we talk about equal importance of physical and mental health. Often the mind starts with, kind of being forced till it feels much more natural. I remember vividly when I first started my martial arts training about six years old. My father dragged me out of bed in cold winter mornings, dark and windy outside. I didn’t want to go. My father didn’t give up (or should I say, he didn’t care how I felt. He had a goal for me to achieve in his mind). With all the complaints and plenty of “ughs”, I still had to get out of the comfy and warm bed and go out to embrace the cold and dark. What a torture! However, after a few months of the daily struggle, the after-training joy and ‘feel great factor’ eventually established its root in me. I was hooked for wanting more of that mind-body feeling. Though it became much easier for me at the time to train early in the morning, I was still not aware of the potential benefits I have gained from this delayed gratification down the track for years to come. Now I am very grateful for what my father did for me 40 plus years ago.

Recently I have been offering private Qi Gong & Tai Chi sessions to a lovely lady. She had undertaken 17 surgeries in the last 8 years. 17 surgeries! My heart was full of ache and tears were welling up in my eyes while listening to her roller-coaster surgery journey. When I asked her what her goals are, she said, “I want to feel good about myself.” Clear and concise. Though initial training challenged her balance and physical strength, she is determined to have a long-lasting healthy outcome. I believe I can help her achieve her goals because her mind is in the right place.

My childhood martial arts experience and the benefits of persevering over years prompted me to encourage Arthur to do some sort of martial arts. Now he is practicing BJJ. I hope the martial arts training can cultivate his mind, body and spirit. In this hectic and ever-changing world, I know he will need the calmness and confidence while navigating through ups and downs in his life.

So Instant pleasure Or Delayed gratification?
Who says you cannot have both instant pleasure and delayed gratification?! Yes, you can, in the long run. But first, resist temptation of instant pleasure and have a long view of becoming the ultimate beneficiary.

Master Wu’s Chen Shi Tai Ji Quan Workshop is coming in two-week’s time. How exciting it is to have Master Wu from Melbourne to share his wisdom and 50-year Tai Chi skills with us! If you want to know how to regenerate abundant internal Jin (life essence), and develop high-level of sensing ability ( modern term: Emotional Intelligence) to understand yourself and others better through pushing-hands, then secure this must-have opportunity and avoid disappointment. All information is at https://meridian-connection.com.au/our-events-covid/future-events/.

An old Chinese saying goes.
“Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power”.

I look forward to seeing you again and meeting you soon at one of our classes and events.

Yours in Tai Chi,
Fang & the team