Aha Teaching Moments

Everyone enjoys a good “aha” moment – one of clarity or awareness when the light dawns, when the pieces come together and you “get it.” One of my favorite of these moments is on the KNME DVD with Carmen Brocklehurst interviewing Justin Stone. He is talking about T’ai Chi Chih teachers who repeatedly stress the importance of “softness and continuity.” Then, he smiles and goes on to explain that after several lessons the student says, “Oh, you want softness and continuity! Why didn’t you say so?” I use portions of this interview in class and his story always connects and everyone smiles.

A student’s first TCC aha moment is usually when they realize they are holding tension in their bodies. The movements quickly teach us where we are stiff and rigid. “If it bends, it can hold tension.” Another key aha moment happens when a student discovers that s/he can actually affect and release the tightness in their bodies. I am forever grateful for Justin’s wisdom in having each movement done in repetitions. Each repetition invites us to release the stress and tension in our lives and sink deeper into the Essence.

For me, the aha teaching moments begin when students come to a “graceful conclusion.” In this posture one can clearly see where tension is being held. I try to trigger an aha moment by showing the contrast between tension and no tension. I stiffen my knees and say tension, and I then release the tension and with knees slightly bent say no tension, but softness. This is also a good time to look at wrists, hands and fingers. I demonstrate the differences between limp and soft. If I notice a student holding tension in his or her shoulders, rather than singling out that one student, I have everyone raise their shoulders and then let them hang loose and relaxed – and then feel the difference.

Before we begin practice, I make the most of the quiet moment and review: “head and spine in alignment, soft shoulders, soft wrists, hands and fingers, soft waist, soft knees, ‘energy follows thought’ and our thought is grounded in the soles of our feet.” When a student discovers how to allow the TCC movements to flow effortlessly with softness, a door opens for their first feeling of the Chi circulating through their body. It is a great joy to help a fellow student discover and experience this “joy through movement.”

By Chris Norkus, Whispering Pines, NC

When I think of T’ai Chi Chih community, I think of the blind men and the elephant … that there are many ways to view the elephant depending on where you are and what you feel. I learned TCC from a teacher in a remote setting, and I practiced alone prior to teacher certification. I mentally reached out to others who may have been practicing at the same time somewhere on the planet, concluding practice with a bow to the northwest in the imagined direction of my first teacher. Over the years my narrow connection to the TCC community was supported by The Vital Force and the original VHS tapes bought in 1989. I can count on one hand the times I have been around other teachers in a joint learning/teaching experience: my certification week, two teachers’ conferences and one retreat. As I prepared for certification in 2001, two Florida teachers (Lila Margolis and Lynn Welch) gave me a stronger sense of connection to the community.

Making contacts at conferences has been a great boost for my students and me. Gaining insight into thoughts, attitudes and perspectives, and especially working with one another to improve our practice and teaching have helped me realize that TCC practice has a strong and dedicated community of teachers. These positive experiences and contacts are expanded by what arrives in the mailbox (electronic and roadside): books, writings and teaching aid DVD’s. Many times I’ve fired up Carmen’s DVD just to hear her encouraging words as I practiced. Now I have a broader circle of teacher contacts. I can reach out around the country via e-mail, phone or letter. I don’t see the other North Carolina teachers regularly, but some of us do communicate. Attending the Hendersonville retreat last March was enriching.

I have two concepts that support my practice and teaching: the first is “just do the movements.” We know it’s not important for beginners to understand the practice too deeply. Just do the movements and watch/feel benefits flow. I got that from Justin. I do not delve too deeply as I teach. I describe some potential benefits, share a few stories and get students involved quickly and gently. I encourage them to explore their feelings, the changes the practice brings and to practice regularly. I realize that “regularly” may mean whenever they attend my sessions.

The second concept is to encourage the big hermit attitude. I paraphrase the advice Justin was given in Japan not to be the small hermit, but to take what is learned and use it in whatever dealings you have with others. TCC benefits everyone, not just our students. I remember Florida groups with whom I no longer have contact. How many have continued, have taken their practice deeper? I feel that everyone whocame and practiced, even for a little while, received benefits. My approach to teaching is to “put it out there” and let the seekers do the finding. I teach, we practice together, we learn, we are all students and we follow our own paths.

My student community has shifted as my approach to teaching has changed. I worked for a while as a independent contractor, holding classes for specific periods of time, splitting fees, seeing people come and go. For now, I conduct two sessions per week, at same time at a wonderfully supportive health facility. I teach and we practice (with more teaching on Tuesday and more practice on Thursday). Some students I’ve known for years, some for months, and some are new arrivals. It’s a comfortable format. The more experienced students are quieter, patient with everyone’s questions and observations. The energy is strong, supportive, and joyful. I thank them for coming. I am thanked for being there. This is my closest TCC community. I don’t have to stretch, to imagine, to conceive. I just show up and they show up. We do the TCC. They take it with them. I love it.