French Teenagers and T’ai Chi Chih

I started a T’ai Chi Chih presentation in front of a new group of teenagers. As I started doing the movements, the room became vey quiet. Had they stopped breathing, focusing on the movements, Rocking Motion in their eyes? They were amazed, just as if I was someone else.

But between watching and practising, there is a big step. I only asked for volunteers. You know teenagers are very much aware of each other. Signing up for T’ai Chi Chih was daring, something unusual and needed courage. Eight of them signed up.

I could see what T’ai Chi Chih could and would bring to some of them but I didn’t want to influence them.

There was that shy boy who sat at the back of the class, his head in his shoulders, having difficulties with his writing, tiny little letters I could hardly read. As I was watching him, I was thinking of a late fall leaf. He had been away from school for a couple of weeks so I asked him why. Without a word, he showed me his notebook and I read that his father had just died. I was very sorry and felt uncomfortable. This is the sort of personal event a teacher should know about but the school is quite big and we are not told about such things. For me, it was another reason to have him in my group but I didn’t feel like insisting. The next day I was starting T’ai Chi Chih and I couldn’t help thinking of that boy and the benefits he could get. And…You must have guessed…He just turned up and said “Would you accept me?”

THE CHI WAS WORKING ON ITS OWN! There must be a pulse!

He has been simply GREAT! After two weeks, he was more relaxed. He could smile and I discovered he had quite a sense of humour!

Maybe you know that most schools in France are rather academic and teachers haven’t got many opportunities to talk to the pupils and really get to know them. With my class of T’ai Chi Chih, I happened to find out more about them—that most of them had problems. A girl was having epilepsy. Another one was wearing a surgical corset to strengthen her back. A third one had to get used to being in a new family with other children after his parents’ divorce. But I also had this girl who has been doing Karate for several years and really enjoyed T’ai Chi Chih and the notion of “letting go.”

Having this group has been a real gift. I don’t know whether they will go on with T’ai Chi Chih on their own but they have become aware of the power of the chi. Thank you Justin, Ed, Florence, Marlène and all of you.