The Last of the Deferred

In the course of becoming an accredited T’ai Chi Chih teacher (as of November 11, 2002), I have the distinction of holding two records.

The first distinction is a dubious one. I was not the last of the Mohicans, but I was the last of the deferred.

At the October 2002 accreditation weekend in Ringwood, New Jersey, I was the only candidate to be deferred. No other candidate was deferred locally and nationally thereafter because of the new policy concerning deferred status.

As we know, it had been determined by the T’ai Chi Chih community that deferred status was undesirable. It proved to be burdensome to administer as well as too anxiety-provoking and frustrating for the deferred.

The second distinction is a more heartening one. Fifteen days after, November 11, 2002, I became accredited!

How did this happen?

Prior to my accreditation training in October, I had registered to participate in an early November weekend workshop in Washington, D.C. for both teachers and candidates. It was led by Pam Towne, one of the two newly appointed teacher trainers.

Saturday morning was the opening of the workshop. Pam, having heard about my freshly deferred status, offered to give me special attention in the group and individually. My mind was then boggled when she told me that if I learned how to move better it might be possible for her to recommend accreditation by the end of the weekend!

I was truly excited about the unexpected possibility of achieving accreditation on the spot. But, on the other hand, I wondered how I found myself so suddenly thrust into another challenging time of being closely evaluated so soon after the accreditation week. After all, I had resigned myself to “deferredhood” and a lengthy testing period. I had come to Washington, after all, merely to relax and enjoy the serenity of movement. Suppose I didn’t make it? Could I handle two disappointments within such a short period of time?

In any event, at the end of the weekend, Pam had decided to recommend my accreditation, which was finally approved by Ed.

I heaved a sigh of relief, which soon turned to joy. Aha! I finally had a glimpse of the true joy of movement!

Was my swift transition from the scarlet letter of deferred status to the prize of accreditation purely accidental and circumstantial? Or was it the accumulation, circulation, balance of the chi energy, together with my teh that dictated the flow of events? Who knows? All I know is that in January of 2003 I began teaching my first class. Now I am teaching three classes and love it.

I greatly appreciate the love, support, and guidance from various teachers who each helped me on my path in their own unique way. Thank you, Justin, Ed, Noel, Pam, Paula, Dan, Antonia, Valerie, Nancy, Lucia, April, and Sharon.