Letting Go as Part of 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. 

“Trust your inherent, intuitive wisdom.” – Justin F. Stone, TCC Originator

From a recent issue of The Vital Force:

“I just found a note written to myself months ago after practice. ‘It’s not about solving all the problems in my head, or whether or not I’m perfect. What’s real (the present moment) is what matters. Trust is a big part of letting go, and coming home to myself.’ Sometimes I get ahead of myself when moving; I’m not with myself. It might be getting into my head, anticipating the next movement and rushing the close, my hands getting ahead of the weight shift. Do you know the feeling of being ready for action, queued up and ready to jump at a moment’s notice? We let that go in T’ai Chi Chih, which is a subtle but very important shift. Getting ahead of ourselves or over-extending causes effort and tension. If your shoulders are ahead of your waist, for example, that will probably cause tension somewhere in the backside of the body, as it holds you up…. When I’m with myself, all of me moves and arrives at the same time. I can let go and trust my body and the Chi to hold me up.” – LS, Fort Collins, CO

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

“After several years of using the tool of thinking about what I was grateful for when in Cosmic Consciousness Pose, I observed that there was a direct effect on my brain and the content of my consciousness. Other thoughts came to a full stop, and gradually ‘I’ became quiet; the mind quiescent. Over years of practice there have been intervals where the content of consciousness was empty – empty of all but Light – the ‘Uncarved Block’ of consciousness. Justin assigned the name to this pose – Cosmic Consciousness Pose. I do not make it happen. It is attained immediately when I understand intuitively what it is – the mind’s great action, acquiescence. The paradox is only verbal.” – JR, Oxnard, CA

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

“Zen Master Danxia said: ‘In the “function which is identical to essence,” holding still and letting go rest completely in one’s self. In the “Essence which is identical to Function,” bringing forth and throwing away depend on no one else.’ He is saying that it is all there with you, in your actions and your thoughts. You are complete. T’ai Chi Chih is helping you uncover that completeness. I say learn to live with and in that completeness and have absolute faith in it.” – Justin F. Stone

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

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.