Graceful Conclusion, by Caroline Guilott (May 2023)

When we end each movement of the T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) practice, we return to a graceful conclusion or a resting pose. In that instance, we become whole again, Justin said. The yin and yang energy that separated while we moved is getting back together during that powerful pose. We feel our feet rooted on the ground, we pay attention to the connection to the earth, and we release internally around the tan t’ien. The lower we allow our knees to go, the easier this internal release becomes. It’s palpable. We feel a softening in the tan t’ien while solid in the feet. We hold the close until we are done.

Then, we have the freedom to let go totally by coming up to a straight leg with relaxed, soft knees. The wrists soften and let go totally, as do the shoulders. We are rooted in our feet, connected in ourselves and to the world, while we take another breath. We are now ready to start a movement again. Or to simply walk back into the demands of our everyday life, while being totally strong in our feet.

This letting go at the end of the pose has been a transforming journey. It brings the effects of the practice immediately to my regular life. We are reminded to be grounded in our feet while just standing loose. It’s like the hang time after each Seijaku movement, a time of simply being, absorbing, recognizing that there is nothing to do. We are simply grounded. The TCC journey shows us how to stand in life.

Justin gave us many tools to deepen our understanding of the TCC practice. He would say, “It is all continuous.” Yes, it is; we do not have to make it so. It already is. The Chi is. It is as easy as that. Get out of the way, just be, be totally present, fully anchored in your being any time, any day, in any stance. Every moment is new again.

This practice opens us to the way of the Chi. We pay attention to the principles, we pay attention to the form so as to “understand.” We get connected to the formless to know what is going on inside the body. And then we let go (if we can at that moment).

I remember watching Justin a long time ago, as probably some of you did as well, while in a circle practice or at other times. He would straighten up after being so intensely involved with the resting pose. Sometimes, you would even see him go down, palms towards the ground, and simply do it again more intentionally, making sure he was totally rooted. And then he was done. Do any of you remember that?

At first, when I saw him releasing his arms and legs so much earlier than we did, I thought, “Oh! He cannot stay down as long.” Then, I noticed that he would wait for everyone to complete “their resting” before starting the next movement. I even remember thinking that we were not doing what he was doing. Maybe it took him less time to effectively be in his feet, to integrate the Chi.

He would just watch us, probably seeing our struggles in trying too much, and maybe, he had to let go.