The Vital Force Archive

Justin Stone defines Karma as action and its motivation rather than blind destiny, and argues that circulating and balancing the Chi fades habit energies, burning the Karmic seeds.

Seven teachers report on the New Jersey conference and its serenity theme, from Diana Bahn's planning-committee whirl and Linda Riska Williams practicing in an airport after a cancelled flight to Caroline Guilott's soft-hands demonstration.

Three conference talks, by Ann Rutherford, Dan Pienciak and Carmen Brocklehurst, on teaching from Justin Stone's Heightened Awareness, Spiritual Odyssey and the CD Justin Stone Speaks on T'ai Chi Chih.

Ann Rutherford recounts Sandy and Justin's Albuquerque Intensive, where letting go brought tears and her own ego loomed like Jabba the Hutt, plus Sheila Leonard's Newfoundland retreats with Dan Pienciak.

A case for teachers staying connected to Justin Stone through his books and instructional DVD, a tour of the new Good Karma Publishing web site, and Sue Bitney's interview with student Kathy Sullivan about Sr. Antonia Cooper's July workshop.

Justin Stone answers teachers' questions about T'ai Chi Chih after he passes away, confirming Sister Antonia as Guide, Sandy and Pam as the only Intensive teachers, and a proposed scholarship fund for candidates.

Editor KG announces the rebranding of taichichih.org, new Wikipedia entries, a YouTube clip of Justin Stone teaching Bird Flaps Its Wings, Ken Gray's Google Alerts instructions, and reader donations.

Four teaching approaches to Around the Platter: Alice Holden's student brought a cardboard pizza plate to class, Anna Gunderson and Pat Flynn break down the yin/yang step, and Carmen Brocklehurst adds thumb and t'an t'ien refinements.

Lorraine Lepine describes three teacher tools from the 2005 survey and 2007 Conference: an online Teacher Resource List, a 12-question student questionnaire being piloted, and guidelines for special populations.

Sr. Antonia Cooper finds in the bamboo tree a union of yang strength and yin surrender, followed by Dorene Krause's poem on returning to the Ringwood intensive among unfamiliar faces.

Sandy McAlister explains why the second signature on a candidate's referral form requires sustained work with two teachers over time, not a few hours grabbed at a retreat or intensive.

Pam Towne counts 23 years of practice in terms of balance: skating and tree climbing at 53, low blood pressure normalized within six months, thyroid and hormone shifts, and steadier grief after her parents' deaths and her divorce.

Three writers on harmony: Renza Baker regains mind-body connection after cancer when her rigid knees finally soften, Becky Watkins opens classes with a struck brass bowl, and Nancy Werner-Azarski's colleagues notice she is less angry at work.

Participants at Carmen Brocklehurst's Albuquerque retreat and Pam Towne's Seijaku training in New Jersey report letting go in the resting pose, feeling the hips swivel, and returning to daily Seijaku practice.

Kathy Hubble describes nearly quitting six weeks before accreditation until a Sr. Antonia workshop renewed her resolve, and Diana Welsh Durkin reports on the Warrenville teacher training, where candidates kept journals before crossing the Cenacle Center's Bridge of Hope.

Excerpts from the foreword and introduction of Justin Stone's 1988 book Heightened Awareness, where he distinguishes bare attention from deeper awareness, cites Krishnamurti's choiceless awareness, and notes concentration must be constantly renewed.