Dear Vital Force (David Belz)

Dear Vital Force,

The Teacher Accreditation Course was the most intense experience I’ve ever had. The awesome power and polarity of the Chi energy field generated by a group of twenty plus persons doing T’ai Chi Chih movement together was awesome and created a whole new experience for me. I was able to sense and feel both sides of an emotional experience at the same moment. As I said to Steve Ridley, Accreditation week was most definely a capital “E” experience. Looking back I realize it was probably one of the most worthwhile, intense and enlightening adventures I’ve experienced in a long while.

There is no way I could go through Accreditation without experiencing a major positive change in my outlook and attitude. I came away with a reverance and awe for the grace, beauty and power that is T’ai Chi Chih. (Thank you, Steve Ridley.) It felt like a shout within myself, “Behold!!!!, all things are made new.”

There were many moments during Accreditation week when I doubted my competence, and really wondered if I belonged in the group in the first place. Fortunately, that passed. Also, in the back of my mind there was always the horribly sneaky feeling that, just maybe, I wouldn’t graduate. Well, I MADE IT!! I am very proud and honored to say that. I earned it!!! The week was over, I survived, I felt numb to the very core, but I made it!!!

The most valuable part of the workshop from the practical aspect was the chance to spend time with Steve in order to fine tune my expression of the form to a point where I now have something of great value to present to my students.

Since I have returned to Florida, all manner of interesting things have been happening. I’ve schedualed five presentations and have two private students in progress. I also have a Chiropractic Physician definitely interested in instruction. I’ve also received an invitation to present T’ai Chi Chih instruction and practice sessions as a regular part of the Southeastern Unity Ministers Conference in October.

Now that I’ve started actively teaching, I know that the Course was a necessary, worthwhile and effective experience. Coming to my students with the humility and knowledge from Bemidji, I know that I am a better, more compassionate, more effective teacher than I could have ever been without the Accreditation process.

There is a lot of interest in T’ai Chi Chih here in Southwest Florida. All is going really well and I am excited to finally be really involved in spreading the good news of T’ai Chi Chih. Again, thanks to Steve Ridley, it is a pleasure to watch a true professional at work!! And thank you Justin, for T’ai Chi Chih and your good wishes. Best wishes to you also.

Jean Katus was right on, Teacher Accreditation IS A MUST!

It is almost like a rite of passage into the inner circle of the real experience of T’ai Chi Chih.

Sincerely,

– David Belz
Fort Meyers, Florida