“I’ve been practicing Tai Chi an hour a day for 30 years,” he said, “but I’m still a long way from being a master.” It was a beautiful, cloudless day in Golden Gate Park. I was 25 years old, and I had recently earned a black belt in Goju-Ryu Karate. Tai Chi was completely foreign to me. “How will you know when you reach mastery?” I asked. I didn’t mean to be insulting, but the man clearly took offense. A quick scowl, and then he walked off. I never did get his name.