Eighteen auditors attend all week at Minneapolis training with candidates

June 18-23, 2001

By Dick Detert

“Softness means letting go”
“T’ai Chi Chih doesn’t cultivate physical strength but internal strength”
“It is possible to sense all of it without holding on to any of it”
“Why are you in a hurry not to be patient?”
“It’s going to be hard — that’s what makes it (T’ai Chi Chih) so great!”
“Every part of the body needs to be fluid”
“T’ai Chi Chih is very simple, but if we are willing to really work hard at it, it can become complex”
“Making corrections in your practice is a matter of NOT adding something but examining it and REMOVING something”

Eighteen teacher candidates and 23 auditing teachers (18 of whom came every day) heard these and other insightful phrases during the week-long teacher accreditation in Minneapolis. At any given time during the week the ratio of teacher candidate to auditor was 1:1. Teacher candidates were surrounded by chi the entire week. Pam Towne, Sandy McAlister, Sister Eleanor Stockert and Connie Mack brought it from the west (California and North Dakota); Kathy Albers, Robin Kidd, and Bill Mishler brought it from the south (Missouri, Illinois and Ohio); and the rest brought it from the Twin Cities area where the chi flows freely. It was a week of strong chi, strong memories, and strong relationships. We were grateful to have Ed Altman enhance our movement, provide insights, and share reflections.

The first two and one-half days were spent in examining the 19 movements according to the three basic principles of proper alignment, stance, and shifting the weight fully on each leg. As teacher candidates focused on these principles, their “comfort” with many of the movements diminished. Several felt disintegrated. Most noticed a freer movement with less tension or awkwardness in their movements. By Thursday morning most candidates “sensed” a new and more fluid movement, or as Ed says “a diminished splash,” as they once again experienced a flowing from the center of the body with softness and continuity. Teacher candidate and auditors alike were grateful for the opportunity to delve deeper into the movements and their practice. And although we use teacher candidate and auditor to identify accredited teachers from those seeking accreditation, we all experienced the same week. We really got to know one another, make new friendships, and renew old ones. As one teacher candidate stated, “it was awesome.”

Among the many highlights of the week were the intense, gripping, and sometimes humorous presentations. Each personal experience with T’ai Chi Chih reminded all of us of the wonderful gift that Justin has afforded us. We became more aware of the awesome responsibility of being an accredited T’ai Chi Chih teacher, to practice and teach with integrity, so that those we teach might experience their own benefits. The laughter among the tears was special in that it provided a nice balance, yin-yang if you will, a reminder of what our lives are really like, and that we need not get too attached to either.

Many individuals contributed to the success of this teacher accreditation. The T’ai Chi Chih community in the Twin Cities was most helpful in special preparation days for the candidates, and in working with Sister Rita Foster, course host, on the many details before and during the accreditation process. Thanks to the auditors who gave of their time, especially those who traveled some distance. Congratulations to the 16 newly accredited teachers and to the two who were deferred. We were all richly blessed by our experiences in Minneapolis.