Energy in TCC practice
T’ai Chi Chih is a mindfulness moving meditation practice that’s easy to learn. The series of 19 movements and one pose helps circulate the Vital Energy, the Chi. Practitioners experience peace, improved health and many more benefits. Our free monthly e-newsletter offers inspiration between issues of the TCC quarterly journal, The Vital Force, in which teachers and students tell stories about ways they’ve benefitted from the practice.
“The circulation of the Chi, and the balancing of the yin and yang, are the primary goals of T’ai Chi Chih.” – Justin F. Stone, TCC Originator
Quotations from the most recent issue of The Vital Force
Waking up to truth: “At home reflecting, I read about yin-yang energies, habit energies and about how to ground. Often when searching a topic, I was led to the TCC website to read an article or blog. Then, it happened, I felt a shift. Not like an earthquake, but a subtle shift. I struggled to put it into words but I felt it. I sat with the shift. I let myself be, went to bed, and slept deeply and peacefully. Awakening Sunday morning, I knew – not from my head but from my tan t’ien – that I had found the true path to healing if I wanted to be healed.” – CK, Fort Collins, CO
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Renewing energy: “Sinking lower and plugging in (while practicing Anchor Taffy) anchors me in my body and allows my center to be the engine, the power source. When I engage the tan t’ien, it’s like running on electricity, on Chi. It’s quieter, more efficient, with fewer fumes. It’s regenerative. I get better mileage and can go farther. However, batteries for electric engines need recharging or the power source will run empty. To plug in, I need to practice with attention.” – LS, Fort Collins, CO
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Returning lost joy: “Another saw TCC as a ‘path to mental wellness, a path to reintegration capable of restoring pieces of ourselves we’ve lost.’ She said, ‘The practice can be part of who we are.’ One of us observed the deepening she saw taking place “one step at a time” and described being connected to the tan t’ien as ‘richer than breath.’ Another reflected on her belief that individual and group practice each have equal merit, both having helped her ‘find the place of joy and stillness inside.’ She has come to appreciate Justin’s awareness that the inner landscape is richer than the outer. One group member said her retreat experience convinced her TCC is the proper vehicle for reclaiming what’s been lost. She sees how, with regular practice, the Chi will illuminate her path and lost joy will return. ‘That’s the magic of TCC.'” – MP, Santa Barbara, CA
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Which world are you living in? “So the quality of our Chi, which makes us what we are, determines our world. There is no reason to think any two of us see the same world any more than to think that any two of us share the same fate. What we see and what we experience is determined by what we are; that is the law of Karma. Isn’t it true that one person sees the world as being filled with darkness and misery, while another person experiences it as joyous and purposeful? Are there two worlds? The difference is subjective.” – Justin F. Stone
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Where in the World? Visit our website for photos of TCC practice around the globe. Submit your own.
Want more inspiration? Want connection with the global TCC community? Want tips for a better practice? Join us:
1) Subscribe to The Vital Force. Our quarterly journal offers engaging stories, hints and insights from TCC teachers and students. We also highlight wisdom by, and photos rarely seen of, originator Justin Stone.
2) Subscribe to this monthly e-newsletter by sending an email.