Growth Of Community In Texas

Amazing, the spread of T’ai Chi Chih in San Antonio and Austin. There was only one teacher in l992, when I arrived from St. Louis, Missouri. That teacher inspired a group of TCC practitioners to meet at the Leon Valley Library on a weekly basis. And the group is still meeting every Saturday morning. In 2000 we had a TCC teacher training for 15 people. Some of those certified left town and are spreading TCC elsewhere. Four remained and in 2002 assisted me to direct the first TCC conference in San Antonio. It was a marvelous experience. This three-fold pyramid poem sums it up:

our

hosting

conference

2-oh-oh-2

deepened our

inner

growth.

our

founder

Justin Stone

was with us there

in spirit

and

word.

he

inspires

by absence

or by presence

t’ai chi chih

letting

go.

Renza Baker, one of the first to be certified, started an on-going TCC class, which still continues. She and I directed the Asian Festival at the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW), in which several TCC teachers and students did a complete practice. A local artist, Terry Gay Puckett, was certified in Albuquerque. Terry used her gift of art to make the logo. She often teaches TCC as a complement to her art classes in Guatemala. This year, one of her students, Olive Gaskins, 91, helped demonstrate many of the movements. They particularly enjoyed practicing TCC while overlooking the volcanoes at Lake Atitlan.

learn

from the

outside in

digest the change

now turn the

inside

out – Terry Gay

Our second TCC teacher training took place in 2009 with four local students, alongside others from around the country. All four local teachers have remained in the area and are busy teaching and promoting this practice. We meet monthly to review, support and encourage each other. Linda Holder discovered TCC after cancer surgery and treatments. Her daily practice enables her to sustain mobility. During some of her therapy, Linda discovered that a simple rocking movement was recommended the same as she was learning in TCC. Linda shares TCC with teachers and teenagers at the school in which she works. Students appreciate the quiet movements that prepare them to be attentive in the classroom. One of the comments she recently received was that TCC helped a student calm down and be less quick to get angry.

Carol Payne has set up her own business, Alamo TCC. She is a frequent participant in trainings given by our teacher trainers. Before Carol and her TCC-student-husband travel, they look in the TCC Teacher Directory to determine what TCC groups they might attend along the way. They’ve had some interesting practices with teachers in Hawaii, Libertyville, IL, Lake Charles, LA, and even with the three TCC teachers in France.

Cecilia Perezwas asked to teach TCC at her workplace, where she is a translator. She is also teaching a group of Spanish-speaking workers at UIW. I hold classes at the SPARKS/CHISPAS’ new center, which is located at the UIW Retreat and Conference Center, and Cecilia Perez assists me. In April, we invited Antonia Cooper to San Antonio to meet and practice with TCC teachers and students.

All TCC teachers and students in the San Antonio area express sincere gratitude to Justin Stone for originating this unique form of TCC and appreciate those who, over the years, have supported its growth. We are also grateful to Antonia Cooper for her leadership in bringing the TCC community forward.