Conference a Blast

The August conference was the best that I can remember. Everything went smoothly, thanks to the 17-person planning committee, and to attendees who seemed better prepared than previously. Nevertheless, I did have to come down hard on the group for one point: most seemed to be copping out on the Yinning and the Yanging, shifting of the weight, not merely rocking back and forth. The knees must be well bent as they sink down under the shifted weight. I have often declared that TCC is done from the waist down, though most people concentrate on the hands and arms, with some shoulder thrown in. This tension of the arms and shoulders causes the meridian channels to tighten and close up. It is through the meridian channels that the Chi flows, with the Yinning and Yanging responsible for balancing the positive and negative.

There are several reasons for this careless Yinning and Yanging. It can be just laziness. It can be due to excess weight carried by the teacher. If this is so, lose the weight. A good teacher is one who wants to excel. Lastly, there is the possibility that the teacher has some physical handicap and can’t do the bending of the knees. This is a difficult problem, and perhaps makes it impossible for the person to teach. That might sound hard-hearted, but Tai Chi Chih must be performed and taught correctly by teachers.

I want to compliment the Albuquerque teachers on the planning committee, and wish next year’s conference in Minnesota much success, perhaps exceeding this year’s enrollment of about 175. There were close to 250 in the room when Saturday’s guests arrived, and everybody felt the Chi.

Lastly, I want to compliment our Guide, Sister Antonia Cooper (who was born for this job) and her able assistants, Sandy McAlister and Pam Towne.