The Vital Force Archive

Paula Weiner recounts her 1995 accreditation and volunteer teaching at Sunrise Assisted Living, where prima ballerina Maria Tallchief became a devoted student who practiced Six Healing Sounds daily until her death at 88.

Maxime Wan recalls meeting Justin Stone in Edmonton in 1989, staying with him in Pacific Grove and Albuquerque, and being called out in 2006 after three years practicing Falun Gong instead of TCC.

Judy Hendricks marks the first anniversary of Justin Stone's death with a joyful teacher-led practice in Albuquerque, lunch at India Palace, a Ruth Fuller Sasaki quote, and a dream invitation into oneness.

Sky Young-Wick admits he avoided Justin Stone out of fear of his blunt feedback, then describes sensing his presence during practices in Kansas City, including one his student Jack felt too.

Judy Hendricks recalls Justin Stone through his books and paintings, from his answer to a schoolboy's question about Daughter on the Mountaintop to his advice to meditate every day.

Carolyn Apt Feigal signed up for a community education T'ai Chi Chih class 90 miles from home and learned that her teacher Bonnie was a TCC descendant of her late father, Joe Apt.

Linda Braga recalls a five-day meditation retreat Justin Stone led at Green Gulch Farm nineteen years ago, when the zendo proved so cold he ended the first sitting early.

Judy Hendricks recounts a vivid dream in which Justin Stone motioned her to sit beside him and said, "Come join me in the oneness," words she now hears when practicing or meditating.

Jerry Granok recalls the five-day meditation retreat Justin Stone led at Green Gulch Farm Zen Center in April 1993, from the nail-free Japanese guesthouse to the cliff paths above the Pacific.

Margery Erickson describes returning from the 2012 teacher conference and re-reading booklets of Justin Stone's talks published by the Albuquerque center, hearing his voice again in the words.

Jami Morgan recalls finding TCC through Carmen Brocklehurst's PBS broadcasts and writing "Embracing the Moon" for Justin's 85th birthday, including the Zen master's line that the moon gives light too.

Dan Pienciak plays on Justin Stone's name in a word-collage of his teachings, from feet solid on the ground to the effort of no effort, followed by ten Pyramid Poems written to Justin by readers.

Carmen L. Brocklehurst thanks the TCC community for the messages of love sent to New Mexico after Justin's death, and quotes a summer student who feels close to him through his DVD.

Joe Michaud's poem sets moment-to-moment dying and reviving beside Master Chang's butterfly dream and two fish chasing tails, followed by five Pyramid Poems written in thanks to Justin Stone.

Students and teachers from Humboldt to Las Cruces send short messages after Justin Stone's death, recalling accreditation week meetings, dedicated morning practices, healing from scoliosis, and a line from Spiritual Odyssey about letting go.

Gail Terriff recounts her November 2010 trip to Albuquerque, meeting Justin Stone at an intensive, sitting in his home meditation space, and hearing him urge teachers to practice daily; followed by Pyramid Poems honoring him.

Linda Watson recounts Justin Stone's visit to a November 2010 intensive in Albuquerque, where he arrived frail behind a walker, watched the students move, then trotted back through the classroom grinning like Coyote.

Albuquerque students remember Justin Stone: Amy Tyksinski was present for his final quiet, effortless breath, Judy Hendricks recounts his last days under hospice care, and Mary White, Guy Kent, Kathy Grassel and others add memories, poems and thanks.

A memorial page marking Justin Stone's dates of birth and death, with his words on gratitude, a verse from Climb the Joyous Mountain, and his three requests: cremation, his ashes spread in New Mexico by attorney Steve Vogel, and no memorial service.

Minnesota teachers including Judy George, Deb Bertelsen, Leslie Keith, Laurie Jacobi, Ron Barker and Sue Bitney recall Justin Stone's corrections to their wrists and waist, and quote lines from Spiritual Odyssey.

Justin Stone's welcome from his instructional DVD, on flowing softly through heavy air, concentration in the Bubbling Spring of the soles and storing chi below the navel, followed by tributes from Corine Reeber, Pete Gregory and Catherine Boillot.

Justin Stone explains mantras, one-pointed mind and a Shinran verse, followed by memories from Pam Towne of her 1984 Santa Barbara accreditation and Donna McElhose of corrections on Daughter in the Valley and Joyous Breath.

Passages from Justin Stone on intuitive living, sentience in plants and rocks and the drone beneath Indian music, followed by memorial tributes from Alice Holden, Terry Slaney, Rose Alvarez-Diosdado and May Swanson.

Teachers and students from Alberta to Hawaii send memorial tributes to Justin Stone, including Julie Heryet's account of bringing news of his death to her T'ai Chi Chih class inside Folsom Prison.

Justin Stone's advice to move as if slowly swimming through heavy air opens a page of memorial notes from Margot Fish, James Hecker, Patricia Strand, Christeen McLain, Linda Watson and Judith Schwartz.

Justin Stone, drawing on Professor Wen-Shan Huang, distinguishes the chi you are born with from the chi accumulated in this life and stored below the navel or in the bones, followed by tributes from teachers in North Carolina, Houston, New York and Ontario.

Short tributes gathered after Justin Stone's death, with Mary J Case quoting Guru Nanak on death as a gateway, Amy Hackenberg recalling his advice that she would teach well once she settled down, and Sr Francis Kay tracing TCC groups from Minnesota to Harare.

Justin Stone's words on renunciation and the joy of the Now are joined by memorial notes from Pete Gregory, Jerry Granok's Pyramid Poem, Jerry Bumbalough's call to teach Alzheimer's and homebound students, Neal Roy and David White.

KG remembers Justin Stone as the love of her life, whose unconditional encouragement always pushed her toward practice, meditation and Awareness, and pledges that Good Karma Publishing and The Vital Force will keep his words alive.

Passages from the Lotus Sutra, a Nasrudin joke, the story of the old woman breaking her broom over Hakuin's head, and Hakuin's Song of Enlightenment, followed by memorial notes to Justin Stone from teachers across the country.