A Learning That Has No End

Letter from Teacher Candidate:

Rosa Santamaria, Walnut Creek, CA

I have been taking T’ai Chi Chih classes with Liz Salada for about one and a half years. At the beginning, I was just practicing in class, once a week.

I read in Steve Ridley’s article in The Vital Force, I think it was called “Just Do It”, talking about practicing the T’ai Chi without thinking much of the results or without wanting to do it. I started practicing first thing every morning whether I wanted to or not. It has been six months and I’m glad I made that decision.

I’m now preparing for the next teachers’ training that is going to take place in the Bay Area. When I started to try to refine my movements, I felt really funny, out of shape. It was like having to relearn all over again. Now it seems like the movements are settling down–until the next refinement! That is, I’m discovering the challenge of T’ai Chi Chih is not something definitive but something that keeps changing. (My big recent discovery is that touching the heel first on the side to side to movements, especially on Pulling the Taffy, helps me to keep my pelvis tucked.)

I find T’ai Chi Chih is a wonderful tool to help focus, center and balance my life. I want to participate in the Teachers’ Training because I want to learn as much as possible about it. It’s fascinating to discover that this is a learning that has no end. And maybe someday, if I see myself ready, I would be glad to teach (share) that exciting experience.