The Vital Force Archive

Carmen Brocklehurst answers the question of purpose through the words T'ai Chi Chih themselves, knowledge of the Supreme Ultimate, and describes the state of emptiness the movements and Justin Stone's example open up.

Charles Hintz poses a one-line riddle about kesa, zafu, zazen and na fu, then glosses each term, from the Ganges cremation sheets behind the robe to na fu as comfortable retirement.

May Young Chin took up T'ai Chi Chih in early retirement for balance and coordination, and draws on her Chinese roots and Feng Shui's wind and water to explain why she keeps attending group classes.

Larry Bloom recounts Carmen Brocklehurst's Atlanta workshop, listing the questions and corrections that stayed with him, and the morning days later when he stopped planning his day, practiced, and felt gratitude bubble up.

Chris Norkus draws on Norman Cousins, Bill Moyers and Jim Rohn's apple-a-day analogy to argue that TCC's cumulative circulation of energy builds health rather than repairing illness after the fact.

Justin Stone tells the story of Chuang Tsu, who drummed and sang after his wife's funeral, answering horrified friends that she came when it was time and left when it was time.

David Sakry retells a Tao Te Ching story about a monk who paints a symbol on a dream spider's abdomen, then lists four traits of indecision and how TCC practice restores clarity.

Sandy McAlister argues against shortening T'ai Chi Chih to TCC, recalling a New Jersey spring intensive where an article's initials were read aloud, and showing how precise wording like "soften the knees" teaches better.

Roman Obara connects the Taoist idea of wu-wei to his own years of trying too hard, from learning the 19 movements in six weeks with Bill Moore to practising without attachment to results.

Quotations drawn from Justin Stone's CD on balancing yin and yang, the reciprocal character of habit and Chi, Chang San Feng's instruction on moving lightly, and Seijaku as serenity amid activity.

At Justin's Life Celebration, Sr. Antonia interviewed Justin Stone, who recalled Professor Wang's three warm-ups, the week the TCC movements came to him named and complete, and refusing teachers' tithing checks.

Direct quotations compiled by Pauline Quimson-Tong from Justin Stone's 2006 CD, in which he defines chi through Lao Tzu and the Lotus Sutra and insists that words and passive listening cannot substitute for practice.