Conference? Conference! July 2012

I was accredited in 1996 and attended my first T’ai Chi Chih conference that year in Albuquerque – and I have every year since then. Thankfully, I have been blessed with the ability to get there and pay for it; I don’t usually have conflicts that can’t be resolved. My mantra has always been that I would continue going as long as I learned something. I meet teachers who teach in a wide variety of environments – one of only two teachers in a state, teachers who come from a large TCC community and teachers who live outside the U.S. All have different challenges, and as they share information, it helps us all. Since I only see some teachers at conference, I can depend on them to give me helpful feedback on my form.

During last year’s conference I experienced all of the following (take a deep breath): I heard Carmen Brocklehurst speak about Justin; in small groups we discussed moving, teaching strategies, transformation and empowerment; I heard a lecture on how to market your TCC classes, a lecture on how to use Justin’s writings, a lecture on Seijaku, a lecture by Ann Rutherford on resistance in Seijaku that drew ah’s and oh’s from the attendees, a lecture on spirituality in TCC; I heard about articles and research done on TCC; I heard updates from the TCC Center, Vital Force and Good Karma.

Plus all the leaders are available. Plus the meal discussion amongst teachers is in valuable. Plus I got ideas for books to read, how to use a TCC app and how to get students to remain in your classes. Plus I got all the moving and at least two complete practices a day. I went to the last conference with an injured knee so I spent the entire weekend doing seated TCC. And I learned that I had a bias against seated TCC and that I was ever so wrong about seated TCC. I always learn something. You might say that I am a slow learner if it took me 14 years to appreciate seated TCC. I would simply say thank goodness for a yearly TCC conference.

Conference is like TCC itself. I started TCC to help a physical injury but continued TCC because of the mental and emotional benefits. Conference has always taught me something new, but I make the effort every year because of the benefits I feel. After conference, I feel cleansed and refreshed, and I feel the negative hold on my body, mind and spirit has been released. I feel comforted personally and comforted about others in the world. Maybe that has not been your experience at the last conference you attended? Maybe you ought to reconsider coming to conference again? Come, come and teach me something, please. I am waiting for you.

Where In The World

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Helena Fox-Beaudoin practices T’ai Chi Chih at the 15th century Incan site of Machu Picchu, Peru.