Being Aware

I remember going to my first teacher’s conference in Banff in 2003. I was excited and looking forward to doing T’ai Chi Chih with other teachers. I met many and we did lots of TCC in group practices. It was a very broadening experience, but I was surprised that my knees hurt by the end of the conference. 

I returned to Albuquerque and continued my weekly routine that included the teacher’s practice on Tuesday. Justin was there as usual, and greeted me with a smile and sparkle in his eyes. After we finished Rocking Motion and came to a graceful conclusion, Justin stood up, as he always had done between movements. I was very shocked to realize that I had stopped doing this at the conference. I had unknowingly followed the group consciousness and stayed in the closed position, with knees bent, between the movements. After becoming aware of how Justin stood up between the movements, I went back to standing up between movements. My knees have never bothered me again.

Before each class I teach I put in Justin’s DVD and watch him do the movements. I practice mirroring him doing the movements, and then I do the movements while watching myself in the mirror. I also look at the textbook: Around the Platter shows Justin standing up, then bending his knee and putting his foot out. For the Pulling Taffies and Working the Pulley, it also shows Justin standing up, and then beginning the movement. The other photos show him beginning the actual movements. Those of us who were fortunate enough to have practiced with Justin, know that Justin stood up between the movements and did not start from the close position.

My intention is to do the movements as closely as I can to how Justin did them. I want to be aware of how each movement feels and to pay attention to the flow of the Chi. I feel the flow of the Chi much more strongly when I’m doing them the way Justin did. TCC is not hard to do if we follow Justin’s lead. I believe we all want the maximum benefits, the most complete flow of the Chi and the sparkle in our eyes.