Softness
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.
The teachers’ teh (inner sincerity) is our jewel.– Justin F. Stone, TCC Originator
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From the recent issue of The Vital Force:
Tan t’ien: “Each TCC movement begins in the tan t’ien. If the body were a pond, it would be as if a stone dropped into the center. The ripples move out from the center towards the shore at an even pace, hitting the extremes at the same time. In the same way, TCC starts in the center of the body and then radiates out, moving the elbows with the knees, then the wrists with the ankles, and the hands with the feet.” – BF, Wildwood, IL
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Editor’s Note: Learn more from TCC teachers with more than 25 years of experience in the May issue of The Vital Force.
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Soft gaze: “The Chi gave me a great gift today during the weight shift of Around the Platter. Our extraordinary TCC teacher recently has been emphasizing engaging the Chi/practice with ‘soft eyes, soft gaze.’ Today she encouraged us to pay attention to what the Chi was beckoning us to do, which is essentially ‘serving’ the Chi, rather than habitually moving into and through our customary, maybe even automatic, practice. Now the awareness dawns: This is what it feels like when the Chi is doing me, rather than me forcing the Chi to bend to my human will. This is truly mindful versus mindless practice.” – CS, Johnstown, CO
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Mental practice: “I had a hard time coming out from under the anesthesia of my five-hour hip surgery. In one of my semi-lucid moments, I started a mental TCC practice, feeling and imagining each movement. Halfway through Rocking Motion, I felt myself relax. I could feel the Chi circulating. I did this twice every day during my 11-day hospital stay. This healing practice centered and grounded me. The pain was insignificant and the healing was ahead of the 14-day estimated discharge date. I believe the silent practice was the major factor.” – PR, Strongsville, OH
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Inner Sincerity: Emotionalism and sentimentality have little use in the practice of the discipline. My own consideration has always been for the welfare of the teachers, not my own, because I feel deeply the power of the teachers’ teh. It is our jewel, and I fully expect this great power to bring TCC to deserving people all over the planet. Never underrate TCC or feel that it exists only for our own benefit. – Justin F. Stone
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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.
