The Vital Force Archive

Athene Mantle reports on the June 2004 week-long teacher training at San Francisco Theological Seminary in San Anselmo, where Sandy McAlister led twelve candidates and eighteen auditors, and all twelve were accredited.

Carmen L. Brocklehurst thanks the St. Louis team for the 2004 Conference and describes leading the final morning practice with 115 teachers who moved as "one sea of energy."

Nine 2004 candidates, among them Glenna Dockery, Carol Wong and Denise Singerline, describe teacher prep classes, the auditors' support, hip-rolling waist-turn warmups, and one candidate's emotional release about her legs.

Dorene Krause's pyramid poem builds from a single candle flame to three circles of practitioners moving as one, then returns to silence that is no longer solitary.

Linda Braga, Roberta Taggart and Donna McElhose describe auditing the June 2004 accreditation week, praising partner practice, Northern California teachers' support, and the strain on candidates who arrive without prep courses.

Linda Braga's rhyming parody of the Snow White mirror, written at 3 a.m. and performed at the St. Louis conference, asks a partner to spot incomplete weight shifts, raised heels and showing ego.

Pilar Triggs recounts the final morning of her teacher training, waking before dawn with her week-long cough and wheezing suddenly gone, then receiving her certificate and driving home elated.

Catherine Brieussel travelled from France to the St Louis conference through lost luggage, missed connections and a hotel fire alarm, then felt the community's chi transform a windowless room and rode to the top of the Gateway Arch.

Cathy Dalton's account of the St. Paul Intensive led by Pam and Sr. Antonia, where handmade quilt squares, Justin Stone quote cards and the phrase "not too big, not too little" guided participants toward letting go.