The Vital Force Archive

Noel Altman interviews Jim Burns, who began studying T'ai Chi Ch'uan with Justin Stone in Albuquerque around 1971, served as sounding board as the new form took shape, and returned after 27 years.

RuthAnne Plourde's fax interview with Justin Stone, reprinted from Twin Cities Wellness to promote the 1999 International Teachers' Conference, covers his 1962 departure from Wall Street, Professor Huang's three hand movements, and the circulation of chi.

Carmen Brocklehurst recounts attending Lois Mahaney's retirement dinner in San Francisco and the trial-and-error years Lois spent building the Vital Force database and Teacher Directory after turning 70.

Carrie Kinsey profiles Tara Stiles, accredited in 1979 at Green Gulch Zen Center, who teaches full time, works with the Old Folsom Prison meditation group, and has hosted about 40 outdoor retreats.

Carrie Kinsey interviews Theda Gillespie, accredited in 1983 and teaching in New Zealand's Hawke Bay for eight years, who at 81 calls herself "youthing," credits yoga, reflexology and vision exercises, and laments video conversion costs.

Steve Ridley recounts resigning as head of T'ai Chi Chih after Justin Stone objected that two versions of the practice were being taught, and his attempts by letter, phone and videotape to resolve it failed.

R. Taggart and Liz Salada report on the City of Hayward naming Lois Mahaney a STAR volunteer in October 1996, cataloguing her work as longtime Vital Force editor, Resource Correspondent, Teachers' Directory compiler and host of Sunday Practice in the Park.

After ten years as editor of The Vital Force, Lois Mahaney steps back to make room for others, staying on to handle database updates, the Teacher Directory and teacher referrals.

Carolyn P. Shaw, accredited since 1979, has taught T'ai Chi Chih to New Mexico school counselors and students, faculty wives in Singapore, colleagues in Madrid, and friends in Belgium and Holland, calling it a "grace note" rather than a business.

Carmen Brocklehurst recalls first meeting T'ai Chi Chih through her teacher Helen Brungardt Pope, the calm it brought her class, and the career change that made her a full-time teacher.

Justin Stone traces T'ai Chi Chih's spread from a single class at Albuquerque's Open Mind Bookstore to more than 500 accredited teachers, recalling the Indian renunciate who secretly bought cigarettes.

An excerpt from Taoist Master Ni Hua Ching's book "The Story of Two Kingdoms" defines Tao, T'ai Chi, God-in-self, soul, mind and body, and likens society and religion to fish ponds one must leave for the ocean of spiritual independence.