The Vital Force Archive

Dorene Krause, asked to speak to the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia Support Group of Bergen County, passes on student Maryann Gottdenker's account of finding a pain-free refuge through practice.

Nancy Werner-Azarski reports on the 2006 Minnesota teachers' conference themed Encircled in Chi, compiling twenty-two pages of breakout notes on building classes, supporting teachers and reshaping the Vital Force.

Four pyramid poems from Derek Simms, Derek Neser and their teacher Sharon Sirkis, on noticing the miracle of life, a flying sky monkey, feeling chi in falling rain, and taking risks.

Sharon Sirkis recounts a student raising his hand for Working the Pulley and declaring "I solemnly swear," plus a UMBC student whose watch-free assignment coincided with a bank robbery.

Holly Sanders reports on the August 2006 Seijaku Teacher's Training Course in Minneapolis, where Pam Towne led sixteen students to accreditation alongside nine auditors, with participants' own comments on resistance, breath and softness.

Justin Stone describes T'ai Chi Chih as working on both inside and outside, citing letters reporting release from smoking, alcohol and narcotics, relief from arthritis and migraine, and the 'effort of no effort'.

Cristina Minelli hosts the first European teacher accreditation course, where Sandy McAlister and Dan Pienciak led eleven Italian candidates and two from France, and reads the week as spirituality through matter.

Sr. Antonia Cooper lists why teachers attend the annual International T'ai Chi Chih Conference, from Justin's DVD message on basics and teacher sharing time to international camaraderie, with details for the 2007 gathering.

Nancy Beck recounts Carmen Brocklehurst's September 2006 workshop at the SAS Wellness Center, where Return to Basics, the Seijaku massages and sounds, and meditation drew enthusiastic comments from students and the wellness director.

Ann Rutheford describes teaching two Seijaku classes using Justin Stone's Heightened Awareness book, reporting his answers on pushing with Chi rather than body, audible breath and letting students design their own resistance.

Carmen L. Brocklehurst recalls the handmade sweetgrass soap in the welcome packet at the 2006 Minnesota Teachers Conference, and the practice sessions, teaching reports and publicity advice from Good Karma Publishing.

Linda Braga names inertia as the two-fold pitfall of teaching in assisted living residences, poses the hard questions teachers face about lowering standards, and offers six posted guidelines for resident participation.

KG notes that the journal is reprinting the handouts from his conference talk on publicizing TCC, asks teachers to email high resolution photos for a press image library, and mentions the GKP product catalog.

KG outlines how to approach newspaper, magazine, television and radio reporters plus local newsletters, noting that TV crews need a visual event like a demonstration to cover.

KG gives nine practical steps for following up a press release with a phone call to a reporter, including a 30-second script, timing the call before a demonstration, and insisting it is T'ai Chi Chih, not T'ai chi.

KG supplies nine talking points for teachers speaking to reporters, covering the 19 movements, the difference from T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Justin Stone's 1974 origins, and research from UCLA and Wisconsin.

A participant's thanks to the Minnesota teachers whose planning made the 2006 conference feel effortless, leaving the writer honored, filled with joy, and in awe of the TCC community.

Pam Towne Duncan thanks the Minnesota TCC community for the Conference and describes being Encircled in Chi with her fiance Ted, whose blessing ribbons later draped their Encinitas wedding church.