Making the Connection: Integrating Life and TCC

This last year has given many of us time for contemplation and reflection. After a couple of months of staying home and being in isolation, I started to feel frustration and anxiety. Luckily, I have a large yard and garden where I can wander and enjoy nature. On one of my daily forays, I got the strong message of “Let it go!” That afternoon, while practicing with my students on Zoom, I recognized the strong connection between this message as it applies to life and to T’ai Chi Chih (TCC). I mentioned this to my students, and we enjoyed an uplifting discussion of all the things in life where “let it go” applies. How the same message can be applied to TCC by letting go of tension, finding softness, and going with the flow.

After that message, I started to get other inspirational insights, such as “stay grounded,” “accept transitions,” “find connections,” and others. It was fun to talk to my students before and after practice about these ideas – to hear them find relationships in our lives and how they could enhance our TCC practice.

Over the year practicing with my students twice weekly on Zoom, we found a strong connection by delving into ideas connecting TCC to our life experiences. We not only deepened our TCC practices, but we shared inspirational and uplifting discussions that made our personal connections stronger.

When the call went out for presenters for this conference with the theme of connections, I wanted to share this experience. With my 30 minutes I chose five movements and concepts to demonstrate how life and TCC overlap and connect. I am thrilled to have worked closely with amazing and talented people during the planning and implementation of the presentations.