The Vital Force Archive

Meg Scinto lays out her step-by-step method for teaching the Around the Platter Variation, from rubbing palms to feel energy, through arms-only practice, to carrying and releasing the ball at center.

Ev Hanson walks through the forward and backward weight shift and the polarity of the ball in Around the Platter Variation, while Ron Richardson explains why students open their hands and how he demonstrates cupping the energy.

Detailed refinement notes from a retreat, covering hand angle and wrist release in Rocking Motion, the Chi between the palms in Bird Flaps Its Wings, and letting the T'an T'ien initiate Around the Platter and its Variation.

Anne Perkins expected to teach a handful of after-school students at Central Catholic St. Nicholas School, but Sr. Gail Tippett wanted the whole school, and Perkins ended up leading thirteen groups from kindergarten through eighth grade.

At Justin's Life Celebration, Sr. Antonia interviewed Justin Stone, who recalled Professor Wang's three warm-ups, the week the TCC movements came to him named and complete, and refusing teachers' tithing checks.

Ginny Morgan describes Justin Stone's November 17th Celebration of Life for his 91st birthday, with two group practices, a piano concert of his original songs, his paintings, a potluck dinner, and the new narrated DVD/CD of his life.

Julie Buffalo's poem written after teaching her first classes, paired with Lucinda Kutsko's account of a dance teacher on the Today Show whose words about persistence carried her through November teacher training.

Diane See recounts thirteen years of teaching at YMCAs, senior centers and adult day health centers, where interruptions and mixed-ability classes became chances to teach Seijaku, serenity amid activity.

Sixteen candidates were accredited at the November 2007 Albuquerque training, with Justin Stone's instruction on flowing without muscular effort and reactions from new teachers Sara Nelson, Pat Moseley and others on feedback that felt like kisses.

Justin Stone argues that attitude and motivation decide the outcome of any undertaking, from piano practice to a foreign language, citing Hitler's anti-Semitism, Southern slavery, karma, and a defiant sweatshirt slogan.

Alice Holden recounts hosting Sandy's four-day intensive in San Antonio for fourteen participants, with their comments on softening and effortlessness and a closing poem, followed by Lisa Thorburn and Athene Mantle's reasons to attend Conference 2008.

Editor KG announces the launch of taichichih.org with monthly updates, thanks web mistress Lisa Thorburn, explains why some submissions were held over, and lists upcoming deadlines and themes.

Co-hosts Jim Shorr and Roberta and John Taggart gather participant comments from the Columbia River Gorge retreat with Sandy, where twenty-two practitioners refined weight shifts, plus Paula Shanks' woven ode from Columbus.

Malinda Menke traces the decisions that led her to T'ai Chi Chih and the moment at an Albuquerque red light when she heard "You are all one," with Carmen Brocklehurst's companion note on openness at teacher training.

Four short reports: Debbie Cole builds a basement studio funded by six students, Ann Rutherford previews Antonia's brush painting retreat, Sheila Leonard's class airs on CBC, and Sr. Carletta LaCour coaches high school basketball players.

Peter Gregory traces how obsessive/compulsive rituals crowded out openness until TCC practice let him move from the T'an T'ien, with Margery Erickson describing daily practice steadying her switch to teaching high school algebra.

Sr. Patty Campbell resigns from public teaching after 13 years and a posture brace; Stephen Thompson credits Mississippi workshops with filling classes, and Lorraine Lepine seeks 1,000 student questionnaire responses.

Ron Richardson describes losing some of the joy when conferences, retreats and five eager new Mississippi teachers all pushed refinement, while Stephen Thompson argues openness softens habit energies and vashanas.

Hope Hadley's blinding headache drained away when she practiced in her chiropractor's waiting room, and Myra Goldberg found her fibromyalgia pain gone after starting classes in 2003.

Sr. Antonia Cooper marks the Year of the Rat with news of Justin Stone's November 17th Life Celebration, the new 17-minute DVD biography and poetry CD, and a planned international teacher training scholarship fund.

Nadine Burge began T'ai Chi Chih the same month her 14-year-old cat Spike was diagnosed with cancer, and practiced daily beside him, adding Six Healing Sounds at her instructor's suggestion.

Sandy McAlister has students play Around the Platter deliberately too large, then too small, then let go into the effortless middle, with focus dropping to the soles of the feet; Pam Towne urges learning or rededicating to Seijaku.