Meditation is the process of conscious, controlled focus of the mind which may take place when the thinking processes, both in pictures and in words, have quietened down. It is not a trance state, a sleep state, nor a state of nothingness but rather a state of consciousness and awareness that lets go of resistance.

T’ai chi is allowing the meditative consciousness to come of its own accord. I would like to think that meditation allows me to be as I am, within the moment, here and now, so that I can find that clear consciousness. To come naturally to the experience of meditation I aim for a stilling of all movements of the mind as my major effort consists of attempting to still the endless waves of the mind. And if I manage to slip into it for a few minutes in half an hour of stilling, I consider myself fortunate. The vision I like to use is to put all my thoughts on a little train, in front of me, and seeing that train passing through, leaving me where I am, taking all my thoughts away. One summer day I was contemplating the sea on a deserted beach in Belgium; it was 7 in the morning. I had practised The Long Form a couple of times together with some Qigong. I always find the sea a wonderful natural way of settling into a stillness at the end of my practice. I stood in the Standing position for a while, smelling the sea air, being at one with the seagulls, the waves, the sand, the sky, the warmth of the sun. As I turned around to leave the beach, I suddenly noticed a couple of dogs lying a couple of meters away from me, just watching. Whilst looking deeply but calmly in their eyes, I am certain that something of indefinable importance passed between us. It was as if we were able to communicate directly, soul to soul. We understood – without knowing it – each other’s deep need for contact, joined by reciprocated love. There was ‘nobody there’ in me to frighten or disturb them and so they both remained immobile, in perfect harmony. Our meditation together was so special, I have never forgotten it. And this is how I experienced the secret of our relationship with the animal kingdom, human nature and the whole Universe, whilst meditating, one day, on the beach, naturally.