At Lateef we have always been very intrigued, inspired and motivated by Tai-Chi.

Because we believe there is a deep connection between tea and Tai-Chi.

They are interlinked through their spirit, they both seek to refresh one’s mind and body. So it seems that mindfulness and stillness can be practiced equally through the ritual of making and imbibing tea, as it can through the practice of Tai Chi forms.

At the heart of it, Tai Chi is a moving meditation in the form of a series of gentle exercises that create harmony between the mind and body. The ultimate purpose is to cultivate our inner life energy (qi) to flow smoothly and powerfully through the body. This is a spiritual experience, as much as a physical one.

The Art of the Straight Line captures the energy of Lou Reed’s worlds of Tai Chi, music, and meditation. Lou Reed was a musician, singer, songwriter, poet, and founding member of the legendary rock band the Velvet Underground.

Lou Reed had a groundbreaking solo career that spanned five decades until his death in 2013. Reed was also an accomplished martial artist whose practice began in the 1980s. This book is a comprehensive collection of Reed’s writings on Tai Chi.

During the last decades of his life, Reed studied directly under Master Ren Guang-Yi, a champion of Chen Tai Chi. He was so influenced by his practice that he released an album in 2008 that he wrote specifically to be listened to while training Tai Chi, entitled Hudson River Wind Meditations.

Now, mindfulness meets martial arts in this beautifully designed book.

Through both prose, poems and photography, it offers us a glimpse into Reed’s physical, mental, and spiritual journey.