Practical Tips for Starting a Mindful Movement Practice at Home
Start Tai Chi Chih at home by creating a peaceful space, practicing basic movements daily for 10-15 minutes, and connecting with community to improve physical, emotional, and spiritual health.
Gentle Energy Flow: How Mindful Movement Enhances Your Emotional Balance
Tai Chi Chih uses gentle, mindful movements to promote smooth Chi energy flow, reducing stress and enhancing emotional balance, physical wellness, spiritual growth, and community connection.
T’ai Chi Chih: Community, Wisdom, and Teacher Growth
From the Editor Each issue of The Vital Force is woven from the voices, experiences, and insights of our global T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) community. As you’ll see in the pages ahead, this August issue brings a wonderful blend of practical tips, inspiring stories, and gentle reminders about why we practice. Grounded in Connection In “Libraries & Community,” Shelley Nielsen shares how a simple weekly class, supported by her local library, became a source of healing, belonging, and joy — [...]
Conference 2025
T’ai Chi Chih International Teacher Conference July 26, 2025 Zoom
Global Expansion and Legacy of T’ai Chi Chih
Spreading TCC Globally This May issue contains dispatches from teachers making an impact in Belize, Costa Rica, the UK, the Netherlands, and Canada. It is inspiring to read about the growth of T'ai Chi Chih (TCC) in pockets around the world. And it's a testimony to the power of the practice and sincerity. Locally here in the US, the Cape Cod community has shared a blueprint for how they are growing their regional presence. Through each gentle movement, we are [...]
The Vital Force: Updates and New Teachers Insights
New Teachers in November During the recent teacher accreditation in late 2024, candidates jotted down observations towards the end of their training, as they are asked to do. But for this February issue, seven of the 15 have also shared their experiences of teaching their first classes. The writing reflects a special metamorphosis. Hope all readers enjoy the new teachers and teaching. See pages 8 through 11 for individual sharing and then page 21 for the event summary. Special Projects: [...]
Taking Action to Grow the T’ai Chi Chih Community
“Do Something!” As Michelle Obama said in a different context in August, when confronted with change you want to see, ‘Do something.’ As the former Speaker of the House says, “Don’t agonize, organize.” What am I referring to? As T’ai Chi Chih teachers grow older and retire, many think that the Chi will step up and all will be well with the community and the number of classes offered around the country and world. Maybe. I certainly know from experience [...]
Celebrating Community Support and Project Announcements
From There to Here In honor of the 50th anniversary teacher conference, I shared a timeline at the conference of all the teachers who preceded my tenure at The Vital Force journal and JustinStoneTCC.com. Here is a heartfelt appreciation to all. Community Generosity Thank you to an anonymous, generous donor whose funding helped The Vital Force Board of Directors take a leap of faith to bring Dora Wiemann’s vision for the “How to Move Deck” to life. Upon hearing that [...]
Conference 2024
50th Anniversary of the origination of T’ai Chi Chih practice July 25-28, 2024 Albuquerque, New Mexico Conference summary: 150 teachers registered for the Conference 134 attended The T’ai Chi Chih International Foundation scholarship fund helped 39 teachers attend. Four countries (UK, Canada, Belize, and the US) were represented, including 32 states and 3 provinces Accreditation statistics: 11 teachers from the 1980s 22 from the 1990s 42 from the 2000s 55 from the 2010s 20 from the 2020s The fundraising [...]
T’ai Chi Chih Teachers Unite for 50th Anniversary Conference
Senior Teachers Speak This May issue has three amazing Q&As from longtime T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) teachers: Paul Ciske (accredited in 1991), Christina Tillotson (1993), and Kathy Grassel (1994). Their stories are inspirational, personal, and universal. These are the lights of our TCC community. These are the people whom other teachers can meet in July and students can learn from in classes. Speaking of the 50th Anniversary Conference Please jump to page 14 article by Lauren Marble, accredited in 1991. [...]
