Real Change
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 benefited from the practice.
“Live fully in the ‘Now.’” – Justin F. Stone, TCC Originator
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From the February issue of The Vital Force:
Energy: “The news is filled with examples of how our world is broken. It can feel overwhelming like everything is spinning out of control. What can we do? Through his writings, Justin tells us to use our TCC practice when we need healing. As we do, we circulate and balance the Chi, the Vital Force, the Intrinsic Energy. The positive yang Chi and the negative yin Chi separate as we move, coming back together when we return to stillness. Justin tells us that when we do our TCC practice, we’re changing ourselves and the world. The positive energy of the Chi moves through us to those around us and out into the world, sending the healing Chi.” – SB, Minneapolis, MN
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Editor’s Note: Read more experiences that teachers and students have with T’ai Chi Chih
in the February issue of The Vital Force.
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Flow: “Lessons (at a recent intensive) made me realize just how important the tan t’ien truly is. Our energy centre plays a huge role in our health, and it’s vital to learn to feel the extension and contraction of the tan t’ien to let the Chi expand. By controlling the Chi, the body and the water within remain warm. The whole pelvic girdle is like a big ball of energy embracing the tan t’ien, its core. Feeling it, gliding with a loose waist and loose wrists strengthens our centre and improves our balance. The wonderful flow of Chi that follows is the essence of TCC and helps us feel bliss. I’d like to become a TCC teacher in the future, to help others heal through joy.” – VP, student of LN, Banbury, Oxfordshire, UK
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Practice: “TCC is a life-changing practice for me. The first semester was done standing and I was baffled at first – a lot of things were going on. The biggest challenge was physically keeping up, as I have crappy knees. I wore braces but it was still very painful. (Then I took a seated TCC class and learned that) TCC can be done seated or standing. No matter which path you choose, though, you have to commit. Practice, practice, and, yep, practice. Even 10 minutes a day pays dividends. Doing TCC seated, I’m more in tune with the arm movements. I’ve learned much more and entering a meditative state is much easier. Best of luck on your journey.” – GS, student of DM, Wildwood, IL
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Now: “Abandon the past and the future, live fully in the ‘Now’ with no hope of anything, and the ‘Now’ reveals itself, containing in itself both the past and the future. This is true renunciation, and this is Ananda, Joy, the Bliss of what is, not the hope of what might be. Pleasure is reaction; joy is without cause.” – Justin F. Stone
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Where in the World have you been doing T’ai Chi Chih? Share your images for our gallery.
Want more inspiration? Want a connection with the global TCC community? Want tips for a better practice? Join us:
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.
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