Being Open, Standing In Gratitude

Unlike most Memorial Day weekends in Minnesota, the weather for our late May T’ai Chi Chih intensive was breathtaking – as was the intensive. It began with each participant receiving a pottery bowl, on which Sandy asked us to focus. The bowl sat empty, waiting to receive whatever we were ready to give. That was to be our posture for the next four days. Standing ready in emptiness to receive all that TCC was ready to give us. Sandy asked us to reflect on the obstacles in our lives that hold us back and keep us from opening to deeper experiences in life and in our practice. She asked us to keep the bowl in a prominent place so we would be fully conscious of receiving gifts and being grateful for all that we would be given.

Nancy Werner-Azarski made every participant a quilted bookmark with different thoughts to let us know that we were supported by the wider TCC community. By the end, all of the enthusiastic and hard-working students wanted to become teachers. Students and teachers worked together, sharing what they heard from Sandy and incorporating new understandings into their practice. The time went by so fast; there was much laugher. As a teacher I felt blessed to work with Sandy and the students. The TCC community will be blessed to have these eager, new teachers.

go

with the

rivers flow

when you want to

completely

let go

ah !

soft

grounded

T’ai Chi Chih

keeps on flowing

centering

yin and

yang

no

one can

be alone

when connecting

the inner

outer

Chi