Reflections On Conferences Past

As I prepare for our annual T’ai Chi Chih teacher conference in two weeks, I find myself thinking back on previous years’ conferences. I’m very fortunate to have been accredited just nine months before the first conference in 1985, and to have been able to attend every one since then. Just for fun, I pulled out my saved conference folders and browsed through them. They brought back so many lovely memories.

Our first conference was in one of the old rustic lodges at Asilomar in Pacific Grove on the Central Coast of California. It was only two days, yet the 40 teachers who attended agreed that “Chi, that was wonderful” and “it was too short.” So the next year it expanded to three days and since 2000 it has been four days in length.

Back in the day, before the Internet, email, social media and cell phones, the two main ways teachers stayed in touch were the quarterly Vital Force journal and the annual conference. They both still provide important ways of connecting our TCC community.

At the 1992 Conference at Vallombrosa in Menlo Park, California, Justin told us that our purpose in coming together for conference was twofold. First, to renew ourselves in the essence of TCC and return home in that dedication. Second, to refine the movements of TCC so that we do it well and pass it on correctly.

That has certainly been my experience. Yet for me and many other teachers there has also been a third purpose: to connect with our TCC family in person. It is delightful to re-connect with old friends year after year and to make new ones. An added bonus is the powerful Chi generated by over 100 teachers doing a silent TCC practice together. This is a deeply moving experience not to be missed.

To all TCC teachers, I invite you to join me at next year’s conference in Minnesota, June 20-23, 2019. Put it on your calendar now to reserve those dates. I’d love to connect with you there in person.

all

moving

together

flowing as one

sharing peace

love and

joy