The next morning I awoke with a fresh wave of motivation flowing through me. The conversation and the deal I made with Systema forced my eyes open and her words sat upon my shoulder the number thirty slowly being comprehended, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't at least make an attempt.
I was determined to take Systema's advice because her advice always performed sufficiently for me, so I would take it as guidance on how to actually accomplish the feat of reaching level 30.
I had woken up an hour earlier before my first lesson with Mr Chen, the room was still dark as I began meditating in silence. Sitting up in my bed to practice the breathing technique, I took a deep breath in, counted to four, and then slowly exhaled, repeating the cycle, each breath clearing my mind.
I closed my eyes and began to focus on my Qi. I envisioned a clear, gentle river, flowing peacefully through my meridians. To my surprise, the image was far sharper than I had imagined.
