The Vital Force Archive

Carmen L. Brocklehurst recounts how Justin Stone received T'ai Chi Chih without knowing its effects, from the woman whose narcolepsy eased to his own cure for writer's block.

Shelley Nielsen's letter to her library foundation recounts joining Marie Dotts's weekly class in January 2022, easing arthritis pain and hearing strangers stop their cars to say she looked at peace.

Annie Braudy spent two weeks in Piraeus with a friend in deep grief, and her daily practice overlooking the city and the ocean kept returning her to grounding and flow.

Chris McLain credits her daughter Carrie's recovery from an unexpected heart attack to more than 400 days of solo daily practice, and traces three generations of accredited teachers in her family.

Silvia Coffey sets her own habit of self-criticism, learned in middle school, against a passage from Justin Stone's Climb the Joyous Mountain on how self-pity and gratitude cannot share a breath.

Thirteen accredited teachers, among them Michelle Sarubbi, Pam Towne, Barbara Kristoff and Shirley Cross, name what teaching T'ai Chi Chih has given them: grounding, community, patience, creativity and companionship through grief.

Guy Kent announces the TCC Association's move to a larger Osuna Road center in Albuquerque, recalling the counsel that Chi follows community and the first center's 1995 opening.

Christian Gunning, accredited in November 2024, traces 25 years of practice from Athens, Georgia through a midlife reckoning to the Colorado accreditation week with Sandy McAlister, where a long-carried sense of not deserving to be lifted.

Gail Terriff describes the self-care habits that keep her replenished, from journaling and singing aloud to her morning T'ai Chi Chih practice, and quotes Thich Nhat Hanh's book Anger on mindfulness as the energy of being present.

Beverly J. Miles recounts an eight-day trip to Corozal, Belize, where visiting teachers held morning and bayside practices, opened The T'an Tien platform, and won Mayor Rigo Vellos's pledge to promote TCC.

April Leffler recounts practicing T'ai Chi Chih abroad, from the 2003 Banff teacher conference to workshops in England and Italy and supporting Beverly Miles, Belize's only teacher, at her new open-air platform.

Reprinted from November 2006, Justin Stone describes Chi as the Cosmic life principle vibrating through all things, and credits consistent T'ai Chi Chih practice for his undiminished health at nearly 86.

Sandy McAlister pairs a Rick Hanson quotation found in her filing pile with Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World" to reframe moral outrage over humanitarian and planetary crises as a form of love.

Christian E. Gunning's poem, written out of the November 2024 teacher accreditation course, moves through circle sharing, magpies and mule deer, snow past a west-facing window, and pealing bells.

Marie Dotts gathers reflections from the fifteen candidates accredited with Sandy McAlister at the Franciscan Retreat Center in Colorado Springs, on inner sincerity, finding the t'an t'ien, and community during a divided pre-election week.

A short poem by Lorel Maple, written at the 50th T'ai Chi Chih Teacher Conference, counting the joy of that sacred gathering place and asking to carry it home.

Diana Bahn's few lines from the 50th T'ai Chi Chih Teacher Conference name the joy of seeing old friends, meeting new ones, and sharing time together.

Gail Nieto strings a few words together from the 50th Teacher Conference: joy, being together, old and new friends as companions on the way, and Albuquerque red and green chile.

Two short pyramid poems from the 50th teacher conference, one by Jungmin Lee on eating and being hungry again tomorrow, one by Benjamin Brisjar on tea with friends.

Jo Brinkman's brief haiku-like lines from the 50th Teacher Conference, about flying back home to the garden, birds flitting by and keeping her grounded, and the calm and joy felt there.

Two short untitled poems by Anon from the 50th Teacher Conference, one on light, gratitude and expanding joy, the other on brown leaves and holding the hose in a rainless heat.

A brief fragment of praise from the 50th T'ai Chi Chih Teacher Conference, thanking Guy for leading the conference team and Linda, and recalling the food and love the family shared.

Holly Hershman passes along a student's note crediting T'ai Chi Chih with a 30% gain in movement and flexibility after hip and sciatic trouble, plus thank-you messages from JustinStoneTCC.com newsletter readers, including an opera singer who practices daily to warm up her breath support.

Mary Wichmann rereads years of notes from Justin Stone before the Albuquerque conference, recalling his congratulatory letters to new teachers, Turiya meditation at his home, Tuesday practice and "Second Breakfast."

A few lines from the 50th Teacher Conference by BM, praising good fresh food, the nourishment of T'ai Chi Chih friendships, and chi inside and all around, infinitely loving.

An unsigned fragment from the 50th TCC Teacher Conference strings together feeling the feet, joy, listening and truth, closing with a blessing for the true family gathered there.

Guy Kent and Judy Hendricks report on the July 25-28, 2024 Teacher Conference in Albuquerque marking 50 years of T'ai Chi Chih, where 134 of 150 registered teachers attended, and point to online conference artifacts.

Lisa Stroyan gathers her notes from the 2024 50th anniversary conference, quoting April, Sandy, Carmen, Daniel, Tina and Justin, and closes with a pyramid poem built from the daily themes.

Nancy Jo Bleier took "There is only One Thing going on" as her mantra from the 50th Teacher Conference, praising its organization, small-group sessions, and remembrance of Justin and Connie Hyde.

Sue Johnson's account of her first TCC teacher conference, from breakout groups where she described how practice helps her play the piano to April's dog walker image for the t'an t'ien and meeting Carmen Brocklehurst.