Sea of Chi

Silver Beach Reflections

The Chi flows as the waves, effortlessly, without ceasing.

The water, strong yet gentle, rolls in and pulls back.

What power lies within the depths of the sea!

The same strength nestles deep within my soul.

by Dorene Krause

Midland Park, NJ

Sea of Chi

Teachers Retreat – Silver Beach, NJ

Apr. 18-22, 2007

by Siobhan Hutchinson

New Egypt, NJ

Renewing oneself in the T’ai Chi Chih community after being away for a while is like coming home for a holiday. First there is the anticipation. For me it was a reward for getting settled in a new job, finishing a big paper for school, and just being plum ready to receive. Then, there was a tinge of guilt. Okay, maybe a bit more. My practice had taken a bit of a detour and I needed this weekend to get back on track. I missed being with the community, practicing with fellow teachers, and fine-tuning my practice with the gentle guidance of Sister Antonia and Dan Pienciak. It was definitely time to return home.

After all the recent rain in New Jersey, it was nice to see the sun come out in cloudless skies on an April weekend at the shore. The fresh air and the strength of the sea enveloped us all. How could one not get the importance of continuity and flow in T’ai Chi Chih while at the beach? Our group moved gently as one in a circle, physically demonstrating the connectedness we all share.

This connectedness was also apparent when we took breaks and realized many of us shared similar themes running through our lives. It also echoed a conversation I had with a woman I met through work, who shared her powerful story with me. She envisions life as a continual process of falling apart, with the pieces then coming back together in a different but stronger whole. Then going through this cycle over and over again. Does that remind you of your own T’ai Chi Chih practice? If you don’t have those stumbling blocks, if you don’t have those moments of “this doesn’t feel right,” then you may not be moving forward in your practice. Many of us face moments or periods of time when we need to readjust the way we move to feel the Chi move more freely.

Sometimes our practice reflects what’s going on in our life, and what’s going on in our life can also affect our practice. I remember a time when I was feeling divided ⎯ facing a decision and not knowing what to do. When I moved, my arms and hands were not in sync with the motion below my waist. It was a time of challenge for me personally and in my practice.

The first step in dealing with an area that needs adjusting is to notice it. Observe it. Keep observing it and breathe and relax into that area. At some point you have to surrender to the fact that this may not fix itself according to your time schedule. Being patient and observing is key. We have all been there, lived through it, only to start the process all over again. Fortunately, Sr. Antonia and Dan freely share their struggles in their practice, showing that we are all truly students of this wonderful, enlightening practice. Gently encouraging one another, we create a safe environment in which to make adjustments. Yes, I came back home to re-charge, re-connect, and put the pieces back together.

The sea keeps rolling in and out. The waves keep changing according to the wind, the currents, and the moon. Like the sea, we continue.