Discussion on the Great Circle Meditation

Since August 2021, Sandy McAlister has led a monthly Zoom practice for teachers followed by a discussion of relevant topics. After our practice on Saturday, October 9, Sandy read from the foreword in the first edition of the T’ai Chi Chih photo text (1974). This was written by Justin’s T’ai Chi Ch’uan teacher, Huang Wen-Shan. He writes about Inner Schools of exercise, such as TCC, and how externally they train the sinews, bones, and skin, and internally train the Chi. He goes on to explain a process for training the Chi. He does not name it but the direction is much the same as Justin’s directions for the Great Circle Meditation found at the back the photo text and at .

We then silently practiced the meditation for three to four breaths. Since everyone’s capacity and breathing rhythms are different, Sandy suggested explaining the process first and then allowing each person to do the meditation in their own timing. Further enhancements can be added such as moving the energy with the breath and the eyes, letting them act as levers to move the energy.

Sandy said that the Great Circle Meditation is not TCC and that generally we don’t do meditation in conjunction with teaching TCC. It is an enhancement to our practice, working with and training the Chi. Other teachers had learned this practice under other names, such as the “Microcosmic Orbit,” and emphasized the importance of placing the tip of the tongue at the roof of the mouth behind the teeth to connect the front and back channels of energy movement.

Although the initial description of the practice in the photo text begins and ends the movement of the energy current at the tan t’ien, starting the movement at the soles of the feet creates a larger circle of energy movement. Ev Florin-Hanson teaches it starting and ending at the soles of the feet. She noted that this is the way the Great Circle Meditation is described in Justin’s Heightened Awareness (Chapter 8). Her students said it was grounding and calming to end at the soles of the feet.

Justin also describes the practice in Meditation for Healing (Chapter 5). In all three versions — whether in the TCC Joy Thru Movement photo text, Heightened Awareness, or Meditation for Healing — there are slight variations, and each are worth exploring. One teacher asked if this meditation could be taught standing if chairs weren’t readily available. Sandy pointed out that standing with the eyes closed could be challenging for some to maintain their balance. Justin’s descriptions suggest sitting down.

Sandy indicated that Justin said to move the energy “just under the skin when coming down the front” when a teacher reported having difficulty while bringing the energy ball down her face (as it seemed the energy ball bounced on her nose).

The Great Circle Meditation is a practice to help us explore, feel, and become more aware of the Chi. What are your experiences practicing or teaching this method of training the Chi?

air
enough
to be me
imperfectly
softening
hurt spots
breathe

— Lynn Hinkle Roberts

Author’s Note: “In writing poetry, I sometimes get too involved in the structure and loose the essence. With the pyramid format, the structure is already there for me to pour into it the spirit or essence of the poem.”