The Vital Force Archive

Linda Braga's first class at an assisted living residence, where a walker ran over her foot, a leak from upstairs brought in a noisy HAZ-MAT crew, and ten seated beginners stayed anyway.

Carmen Brocklehurst recounts how students return years after a single demonstration, admits her own practice once began as a race, and tells of a heart attack patient at a Science and Consciousness conference who asked to move faster.

Rita Otis describes her weekly hour-long class at JOURNEYS, an adolescent drug and alcohol recovery program, where a reprinted newsletter article quotes an 18-year-old client on learning to relax.

Rosalind Braga's article for Delta Kappa Gamma's international journal The Bulletin, recounting how a stress reduction flyer led her to TCC and to teaching seniors aged 60 to 90.

Michael S. Isaacs sets out twelve keys to moving the Vital Force as seven S's, three C's and two P's, from Soft and Sink to Polarity between the hands and regular Practice.

Justin Stone insists attitude comes first, describing the yinning and yanging, the effort of no effort, and movement below the waist, plus the weight loss and recovery students report.

Janie Dick breaks her practice into its parts in verse, moving from softness through form, rooted feet and the imaginary string, circular movement, breathing at the Bubbling Spring and T'an T'ien, to tingling fingers and well-being.

Ann Rutherford reviews the newly transcribed book of Justin Stone's 1990 Albuquerque Oriental Philosophy lectures, covering Buddhism, the Six Darshanas, Shinto and Kashmir Shaivism, with glossary and bibliography.

Sandi Cannellos retells the Indian parable of the cracked water pot whose leak watered wildflowers along the path, closing with a quote from Norton Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth.

Liz Humphrey, told she had months to live after a brain tumor diagnosis, describes combining chemotherapy, radiation, meditation and T'ai Chi Chih, plus Justin Stone's advice not to accept the prognosis.

Three short pieces: Sheila Leonard names her snow-shovelling moves Passing Snowflakes and Carry the Shovel to the Side, Linda Braga brings a stuffed cat to teach the taffies, and Kathy Grassel lets a Juvenile Detention Center student keep his beach-ball-sized ball.

Daniel Pienciak recounts New Jersey's first half of 2006: an ice-storm Intensive at Villa Maria, a seaside teacher gathering, a renewal day at Ringwood, and a training that accredited 15 teachers.

The accreditation course host observed that the nine candidates who had attended the March Intensive were far better prepared, and argues every future candidate should attend an Intensive first.

Glenna Dockery and Suzanne Roady-Ross report on the 2006 Northern California Intensive at Mercy Center, where Pam Towne and Sandy McAlister led nineteen students and Pam's refrain gave the week its theme.

Anita Vestal recounts a June evening when two dozen practitioners practised outdoors at a York County tea room garden with Hope Spangler and Jean Markey, then shared gratitude, affirmation cards, scones and clotted cream.

Gail Syverson recounts a one-day workshop led by Sister Viola Bens at the Franciscan Forest Sanctuary in April 2006, where twelve students of mixed experience fine-tuned weight shifts, heard readings from Justin Stone and shared bumble berry crisp.

Joan Weaver's account of the April 2006 retreat at Spirit of the Desert in Carefree with Pam Towne and Robin Spencer, including labyrinth practices, a wandering javelina, and sacred circle dancing.

Chery Ann Hoffmeyer reports on the first teaching-focused TCC retreat in Canada, led by Sandy McAlister at Edmonton's Providence Renewal Centre, with participant comments from teachers who travelled from as far as Newfoundland.

Dorene Krause thanks Lorraine Lepine and the 90 responding teachers, announces where the 2005 Teacher Survey results are posted online, and passes along teaching tips for seniors, teens and students with physical challenges.