The Vital Force Archive

Attendees of the 16th International Teachers' Conference at Saint Mary's College, many of them first-timers, describe Ed Altman's emphasis on alignment, Sandy McAlister's correction of waist turning in Carry the Ball to the Side, Justin's talk on vashanas, and the candlelight ceremony.

Letters in which Sher Dano corrects a typo so her grandson's line reads "graceful confusion," Carmen Brocklehurst thanks editor Noel Altobello, and Judy Tretheway asks for smaller type and fewer accolades.

Twenty pyramid poems in Justin Stone's form, by writers including April Leffler, Sharon Sirkis, Terri Lease and Eddie Roberts, on chi, fear, group practice, autumn and a fly in the ear.

Justin Stone insists the benefit of practice depends on how you move: flowing effortlessly from the T'an T'ien rather than using shoulders and arms, with correct yinning and yanging, as shown on his latest videotape led by Suni McHenry.

Loretta Schaeffer and Linda Joy's rhyming tribute to their teacher Karen Roewade Houser, walking through the movements of an hour's practice from deepened breath to Passing Clouds.

Ed Altman describes how teacher training candidates release fixed concepts about the movements, including one who said the week "was like dying," and warns that copying someone else's motions is sheer mimicry.

A pyramid poem by NJ Carroll, a student of Vida Wackerling, written after only four classes, moving from raising a hand and letting it fall to shaping sea, sky and self into one.

Noel Altman interviews Jim Burns, who began studying T'ai Chi Ch'uan with Justin Stone in Albuquerque around 1971, served as sounding board as the new form took shape, and returned after 27 years.

Two short poems: Ed Altman on mirrors of every shape and clarity reflecting the boundless sky, and Hannah Pysto, a student of Donna McElhose, on a breeze whispering to dozing trees.

KG waited 18 months after accreditation before teaching, then led an eight-day class for Lonely Planet authors at a conference in Australia, which led to classes in Boston health clubs.

Nancy Vermond practiced on Sunday mornings beside the Little Falls of the Thames River in St. Marys, Ontario, one morning joined by a Great Blue Heron wading in the churning water.

Dale Buchanan drives rush-hour traffic from Herndon into Washington, DC, staying centered on his T'an T'ien, and recounts how an artist's email found through his website led to four weekly classes in a downtown gallery and a first class at AOL.

Two short near-pyramid poems: Jan Linthorst on how softness, gentleness and continuity melt the heart, and Robin Parker on a last rivulet finding its way downhill after the deluge.

Susan Roth, a student of Sharon Sirkis, recounts a year of chronic pain flareups, surgery, bereavement, menopause and suicidal thoughts, and how a newspaper ad for class changed her outlook.

Five classroom anecdotes from Sharon Sirkis, Nancy Vermond, Ann Sollars, Debbie Cole and Kat York, including a reluctant husband's "T'ai Chi - Cha Cha Cha," Toronto nonagenarians, and a student asking whether TCC is sold in health food stores.

Saralyn Garcia, a skeptical student taking the class for PE credit, gave up trying to feel chi and then felt heat and tingling during Daughter in the Valley, prompting her to cut back punishing work hours.

Dale Buchanan describes how he uses the photo-text book, Justin's instruction video, the 'Justin Speaks' cassette, and the Brocklehurst and Towne practice tapes in beginner and intermediate classes.

Rosalind L. Braga distinguishes passive from active learners and, citing William Glasser's figures on retention, recommends partner practice so students check each other's posture, foot position and weight shift.

Lois Arrigotti thanks her trainer for a powerful week and the image of ripples and splashes, then offers a fill-in-the-blanks press release headlined "Reduce Stress with T'ai Chi Chih" for other new teachers to adapt.

Carmen Brocklehurst names the let-down new teachers feel when their first class lacks the energy of Teachers Training, and argues that chi is still there in every student, waiting to be accessed.

Wendy Howard recounts the eight-month wait for her June 2001 accreditation, the Twin Cities pre-accreditation classes that prepared 16 candidates, and the sponsoring teachers whose smiles steadied her during her presentation.

Judy George and Marie Dotts describe the two full-day sessions, held in February and April 2001, in which six Minnesota teachers rotated among small groups of accreditation candidates, with Mary Taylor modeling the required presentation.

Dick Detert's account of the June 2001 Minneapolis accreditation, where 18 candidates and 23 auditing teachers worked with Ed Altman on alignment, stance and weight shift until comfortable movements came apart and then flowed again.