Gliding Through the Flies to the Perfect Moment

Black Mountain, North Carolina, was a serene setting to experience the flies in our lives that seem to create disharmony and distraction. Conference presenters gave us words and experience to recognize how we respond when a fly gets in our face, and how to make the intention to glide through it and arrive at the perfect moment.

The theme of conference, Peace and Harmony, was skillfully woven into every aspect of the four days. The conference host team, Steve, Vicki, Colleen and Adabelle, lovingly laid the foundation over the past twelve months so we could all experience the peace, support and love that our amazing community of practitioners offers to one another. The fabulous four (Vicki, Steve, Colleen and Adabelle) attended to every need and request that arose, and we know there were numerous, with respect and love and creativity.

Newly accredited teacher, Susan Quinn from Florida, gave us some insight on achieving inner peace by intentionally finding the perfect moment during T’ai Chi Chih practice. She helped us experience the perfect moment in a couple of ways: through our minds and through our senses with chocolate and hard candy. (I wish you all had been there for that.) We remembered that we can find that perfect moment of inner peace simply by asking, intending and putting our mind to rest. Thank you Susan.

The next day we followed April Leffler down the rabbit hole of her mind where she invited us to notice the flies on our lives who stir up feelings of bitterness, anger and resentment. Through her story of a fly landing on her nose, we experienced the metaphor of our own flies and noticed how we respond to those flies that unsettle us and elicit feelings of disharmony. We were reminded that we may choose our response to those people (flies); if we surrender and let go, there’s a good chance the fly will eventually leave. Thank you April.

To bridge the two concepts of noticing flies and coming to the inner peace of the perfect moment, we acknowledge Sandy McAlister for showing us how we can glide through the weight shift and feel when we arrive at a full and complete weight shift. Encouraging us to focus on the soles of the feet during practice of Push Pull and Bass Drum, we were invited to experience how we feel the weight gliding forward until the weight arrives fully forward on the substantial leg. It was a powerful feeling, sort of a letting go. She used the words “glide and arrive” to help us feel the soles of the feet and experience a full and perfect weight shift.

I felt peace and harmony throughout the four days. For this gift, I bow to the conference team gifting us long hours of tireless service. I admire the generosity of the conference participants, who contributed an average of $35 each in ticket sales for a raffle of over 100 items. Gracias, Merci, Danke, Grazie, Děkuji, Thank you.