Q&A with Senior TCC Teacher Janet Oussaty

Hillsborough, New Jersey | Accredited 1999

When and where you accredited? Paint a picture of the experience.

I was accredited in 1999 at the Carmel Retreat Center in Mahwah, New Jersey. There were 16 candidates and approximately two rows of returning teachers behind us; all from different parts of the U.S. Ed Altman, Head of T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) at the time, was the trainer and Sr. Antonia Cooper was the host. I felt held and supported by this instant community or family. Ed demonstrated such love and respect for the practice and for Justin and wanted to keep the practice “pure” as Justin intended. I believe this container gave me what I needed to do the deep work of letting go. When I returned home, I did not recognize myself while practicing in front of a mirror; the person I knew gave way to someone quite different. It was more than refinement of the TCC practice.

How did you learn originally about TCC?

By “accident?” During a phone conversation, my Japanese friend, Junko, told me she was studying “ki” (the Japanese word for Chi) during the summer. I asked what it was, not understanding the explanation. Yet, it sounded fascinating to me and I replied, “I want to learn that.” She said her friend Endo would teach me while we were attending a professional conference in Canada. Even with the language barriers, he taught me how to literally throw him, without using any physical contact — just directing my ki or Chi. Now, I was really fascinated, how can this be?

I decided to explore this phenomenon by looking for a Ki Master in the U.S. Not having much luck, Junko told me that when she doesn’t have time to work with the Ki Master in Tokyo each week, she does a “moving meditation” at home. Not long after, I received a brochure in the mail advertising a course, “T’ai Chi Chih: a Moving Meditation” with Sr. Antonia Cooper in 1996.

I thought I would practice this form until I could find a Ki Master. Well, the subtleties of the movements “caught” me the first day and subsequent days. I attended the twice monthly practice groups that Sr. Antonia offered and eventually the Teacher Preparation Workshops. When someone asked me about my background of becoming a TCC teacher, I realized I forgot all about looking for a Ki Master.

Why did you become accredited?

Like many TCC teachers, I did not originally intend on becoming an instructor. As a professor of Physical Education and Health and coordinator of Teacher Education, I wanted to offer the course at the university with Sr. Antonia as the instructor. It seems like the Chi had something else in mind. People kept asking me at practice groups and other TCC gatherings such as Justin’s visit to New Jersey after speaking at the United Nations, “When will you become an instructor?” I replied without really thinking, “When TCC becomes a way of life.” The questions continued and I realized, “Oh, if I become a teacher, it will become a way of life.” Something inside of me knew that I could not be an effective instructor without this.

Why teach TCC? I was always searching for something missing. As a result, I developed a wholistic approach to curricula and research in my career in education. TCC fills that void, the longing for an inner life. As Justin has said, “The interior landscape is far more vast than anything on the exterior.”

Share an “aha” moment from your teaching.

Two experiences occurred soon after accreditation. The first — I was teaching a class at the university and the aha hit with a bang, “This is the kind of teacher I always wanted to be.” It still brings tears today. I had wonderful teaching experiences for decades, why was TCC so special? Possibly, TCC afforded an intimate connection with teacher and student, student and teacher.

The second — I was presenting TCC at a professional convention in Cincinnati. Thousands of people attended these conventions, and I was assigned to a huge ballroom at the convention center for a 90-minute session. The room was full; I did not know exactly how many attended. It was well-received, and many were sitting on the floor afterwards, looking through the TCC teacher directory for teachers in their areas.

As I walked through the convention center attending other programs, I was often stopped by people asking me, “Are you the TCC teacher?” Some attended the TCC presentation, others heard about it. How could this be? There were so many people, it is not likely one would see the same person twice. As I stood in line waiting to get into a restaurant, again I was approached, “Are you the TCC teacher?” Even as I walked into the lobby of my hotel far away from convention hotels, I was asked the question.

I was amazed witnessing the power and intelligence of the Chi to bring so many “strangers” together with curiosity, joy, and excitement.

What lasting lesson(s) have you learned from Justin and his teachings/First person story about Justin.

I was always impressed with how Justin lived the principles of TCC in his everyday life; his teaching and his living were the same. He did not consider himself special, always the first to send in his registration form and payment to our annual TCC teacher conferences, when he was able to travel. At our gatherings — conferences, his meditation retreats, Tuesday teacher practices followed by second breakfasts, meditations at his home — there was no VIP seating for Justin. Anyone could walk up to him, to talk, to sit for a meal. He lived a life of simplicity, balance, and truth. He lived T’ai Chi Chih. TCC is not a 40-minute practice. It is a 24/7 practice.

How do you incorporate instruction/lessons learned from Justin?

By sharing quotations, excerpts from his writings, articles, and life stories. Two examples are when introducing a principle during class and while sitting quietly at the end of a practice. During summer sessions with returning students, we study one of his books, Abandon Hope or Heightened Awareness, with our practice. At the university, students choose a Reflection Paper or Oral Presentation with various topics such as Justin Stone, a Justin Stone article, Chi, yin and yang, mindfulness, etc. They research the topic, offer its relationship to TCC, and what it means to them and how it may relate to their everyday lives. I also distribute copies of The Vital Force journal to my classes and invite students to select an article that speaks to them and then share it with a fellow student. Each student presents their partner’s article to the class and how it resonates with/for each.