The Intelligence of the Chi

I believe that Chi, the vital force, has a kind of intelligence. That it draws together people of like spirits and open hearts. Like in our small group of T’ai Chi Chih practitioners in and around Sacramento, California, at St Francis of Assisi Parish, known for its vibrant liturgies, its embrace of the unconventional and its welcoming nature.

Sometime in the late 1990s, a group began practicing TCC every Saturday morning in the chapel. I happened upon the group in December 2001. Nancy Reed, a Buddhist and the cello player in the Saturday evening choir, was the TCC teacher. I had just returned to California after years away. After my first Mass, not knowing anyone and filled with curiosity, I approached Nancy. The following Saturday, when I saw that she was the TCC teacher, I knew that I was where I was supposed to be.

When Nancy moved to Florida, I assumed her role with the TCC class. We started doing the practice outside in good weather. Some participants drifted off and new people continued to join.

Wendy was a new student who had longed to do TCC with Tara Stiles and finally, after moving to Sacramento, joined the St Francis group in 2003. Wendy was ever faithful, finding TCC invaluable during several bouts with cancer.

Elizabeth Ebrahimzadeh saw the St Francis TCC group practicing outdoors, and she knew immediately that she was meant to learn TCC. Not one to delay, Elizabeth made it her business to become an accredited teacher and an active group member.

Some members attended a weekly chanting and meditation (Taize) service at St Francis. Then they found that TCC and the Taize reinforced one another. Eventually, there was a small group of TCC practitioners in the back of the church every Wednesday during Taize.

Karen joined our TCC group when she joined the parish. Like others, she began TCC for physical reasons but over time embraced the meditative nature of the form. As a nurse, she found that our TCC/Taize practice helped reduce the stress and pressures of her job. She is always willing to assist in leading the group and offers an invaluable steadiness.

Darlene taught many healing movement practices to patients at Kaiser Medical Center. Since she knew some area TCC teachers, she joined us about 10 or 11 years ago. Darlene was often present on Wednesdays and Saturdays and has remained connected via Zoom, now that she is in Hawaii. Her appreciation of TCC is enriched by her background in many healing techniques.

Mary discovered TCC at Sunlight of the Spirit where Elizabeth taught a weekly drop-in class. Mary, who has assisted me and Elizabeth, has a keen sense of energy, offering Feng Shui and dousing services. She is also a regular.

Rosalee discovered TCC at Divine Savior Parish in Orangevale, and when her teacher Norma became ill, I jumped at the chance to help.

I met George when working for a mental health group in Sacramento. He took to TCC as if it were made for him and became an accredited teacher in 2018. As a young African American male, he’s brought some welcome diversity to the group. He and I made a special effort to bring TCC to those who would not have discovered the practice otherwise, through a weekly practice at a drop-in center for mental health clients. We hope to resume this class when indoor gatherings are once again allowed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finding TCC

Elizabeth: I met TCC in a park 18 years ago. It called out: “Hey you with the brisk stride and tense shoulders, come over here, you need me.” We strive to hold ourselves together. For a worrier like me, it would have been impossible during COVID-19 without a powerful grounding discipline.

Wendy: The practice met me in 1982 when I noticed someone doing T’ai Chi in a beautiful park. I watched, mesmerized, from a distance. It took 20 years, several job changes and a move to Sacramento until I found a TCC class.

Darlene: TCC in conjunction with the Taize service offered a palpable cessation of stress and increased relaxation. Lasting friendships developed through the camaraderie of the core group.

Sue: It was a dark evening in a dark church. I sat quietly, taking in the comforting music of the weekly Taize service. Then I found a spot behind a pillar where no one could see me and did a TCC practice. I felt a flood of sacred Chi so calming and healing. Before long, I was joined by others and we became part of the service.

Rosalee: TCC has helped me get through some tough times: my brother’s death, a nephew’s tragic solo motorcycle death, and my son’s six surgeries and eventual amputation of his left leg. Through all these times, I never missed a TCC practice and it has kept me grounded.

Mary: I had done other kinds of movement from ballet to yoga, but TCC resonated with my being. It helped me be more in the moment, which is a good thing for my very busy mind.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

COVID-19 prompted us to use Zoom but one challenge has been to honor the silence. Since we don’t see one another often, we are tempted to catch up on our news. But that robbed the practice of much of its power. Now we gather a few minutes early for conversation and then enter the practice in silence. This balance has allowed us to serve our friendships and the practice.

We enter 2021 knowing that the practice will be with us and we will be with one another. Our longevity as a group confirms that the Chi has a certain and abiding intelligence. What do you think?