A Gentle Day in St. Louis with Ed Altman

Course Host

“Allow…discover…go deeper… pay attention to” — these were some of the phrases Ed used over and over as he led an intensive day-long workshop here on October 7, 2000. Although most of the participants were from the metropolitan St. Louis area (including a number of Bobbie and Andy Anderson’s students from the East Side), we were delighted that 11 people joined us from Indianapolis, Chicago, Kansas City, and Cincinnati.

About two-thirds of the 53 participants were students with widely-varied experience of TCC; the rest of us were accredited teachers. We were fortunate to be able to use Mercy Center, both as lodging for many of the out-of-town people, and for the workshop itself. Mercy Center is the Catholic retreat house where Kathy Vieth Albers has hosted the two Teachers’ Trainings held in St. Louis in the past three and a half years, and its exceptionally beautiful setting (including an outdoor labyrinth) is the perfect physical embodiment of the grace so many of us find in our TCC practice.

My fellow teacher Donna McElhose arrived on Thursday from the Chicago area to help me with the final preparations; we had such fun blowing up purple and blue balloons, and getting my contact sheet in order, and putting large signs all over Mercy Center. Just before Donna left on Sunday she described our group of participants as “sincere” and that’s exactly what it felt like to me too. All during the day Ed helped us to deepen our practice, emphasizing the principles, talking to us about Justin and the preparation of students for Teachers’ Training. But above all, he moved there in front of us, modeling the softness and continuity and moving-from-the-center that is the very heart of TCC. After the Intensive Workshop, about 20 of us gathered at my house for an informal potluck supper. We carried our eagerness and our questions for Ed over into the dinner hour, much to the enjoyment of all.

A gentle day indeed.

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An Attending Teacher’s Perspective

This (Saturday, October 7th in St. Louis) is the first time I have attended one of Ed Altman’s intensive workshops. I have known the Altmans for many years and have always admired them, yet this day was a revelation for me. Ed was sharing the subtleties, the nuances of practicing T’ai Chi Chih; Ed was demonstrating how these principles help each and every student (and I fit that category) to discover how TCC adapts, perfectly, to him/her individually. These principles were presented to us in a manner so easy to understand and grasp. I couldn’t believe it! I have been teaching TCC since 1986 and today, in the year 2000, this young man was giving me fresh, new teaching gifts; gifts to have and to hold and to share with hungry students.

During our break I approached Ed with the purpose of letting him know what a wonderful TCC teacher he is and how proud I am of him for sharing his talents with us in such a simple yet beautiful way. I wanted to share the joy I was feeling in my heart because I was so happy for each one of us who was in attendance, to receive the gifts he offers. My heart was so full of thanksgiving I could only look into his eyes and share a moment of silent understanding.

Thank you, Ed.

– Virginia Shilson