Auditing Was Awesome at Edmonton, Alberta CANADA Teacher Training

What an incredible sunset! Four of us stood huddled on the Cooking Lake dock drinking in the changing Canadian sky. Precious moments to again be shared just as we four had that morning when we moved together in a silent T’ai Chi Chih practice to the spectacular rising sun. Look! It’s a moose! How could it get more perfect?

We had only just arrived three days ago to the warm welcomes of our Canadian hosts. The rustic retreat center reflected the nurturing and joyful attitude of the Canadian teachers and candidates. For two days now my eyes and ears had been glued to Ed Altman as he led us through the movements. My notebook was full. My heart was full. I had learned so much. It was good to take a break.

Two of us ventured through the reeds around the lake toward the spot where the moose had disappeared. We moved in silence hoping to see some creatures of the lake as the light faded. We stopped in our tracks, breathless as we watched two great horned owls fly above us and perch on a tree just ahead.

What could top this moment but walking back discussing the two days of T’ai Chi Chih practice all the way? The path was dark but the way was clear. We decided that Ed’s areas of focus for a better practice, that of # 1 Alignment of Spine, # 2 Stepping Out/Stance, and # 3 Weight Shifting could be dubbed the ‘Big Three’ (although he did say they become ONE). He said that an adjustment is probably needed in one of those three areas if we find certain indicators in our practice. His list of some of those indicators — Tension, Awkwardness, Weakness, Fear, Pain, Ego, Strength (equals tension), and Anger proved to be very helpful. I liked his hint that leaving something out is often the answer. We were brought to new levels of awareness to the flow of qi as Ed guided us into softening into the weight shift and finding the “sweet spot.” And of course, what is a T’ai Chi Chih practice without focusing on Flowing Softly from the Center, and Grounding. Ed gave us much to ponder when he told us that Justin Stone’s number one thought about T’ai Chi Chih Joy Thru Movement is “Letting Go”.

I’m out at sunrise Thursday morning for my solitary practice. I’m hidden among the reeds on a little beach where my footprints in the sand tell me much about my stance. As I step out, my front foot points out instead of straight ahead. I move the heel out instead of the toe in to bring the foot straight. Ed had said to adjust the foot alignment at the hips by moving the heel instead of the toe. My hips open and suddenly I realize that for a lifetime I have been moving with my hips closed. All the pieces I had been working on for months suddenly fell into place. My feet were aligned. My over shifting and under shifting had fallen away. Everything was moving in sync and I felt a sense of oneness. This moment was very profound.

There was so much depth to this weeklong experience that it felt like there was a time warp. It was such a privilege to watch the enthusiastic teacher candidates evolve and unfold under Ed’s pointed and skillful tutelage. It was a delight to watch the auditing teachers learning, assisting and sharing their knowledge. I became acutely aware of the immensity of the teacher training process and I was very grateful to be a part of this one. There was much hard work but lots of laughter. There were moments of great joy but still some tears. There were times of frustration and times of deep satisfaction. There were s’mores, sparklers, and bubbles (my favorite). We took long walks and wonderful canoe rides. New friends and special bonds were made. Old friendships and ties were strengthened. It was a chance to go deeper and a chance to give back to our very special community. New visions were formed and dreams were fulfilled. For me, auditing was awesome!