In The Name of Love

He had finally found a place and people – in Japan – who touched his heart and mind in a way that only love can do. His intention was to stay there. But something within him called him back to the United States. Justin had to come home. T’ai Chi Chih needed to come into the world. His students were waiting for him, eager and hungry for the blessing that wanted to come into the world.

One of his first stops was Taos, New Mexico. But one morning after dropping off his laundry at the cleaners, it occurred to him that it was time to go to Albuquerque. There was no reason; it was just time. He asked a friend to mail his laundry; there was no time to wait a couple of days for it.

In Albuquerque he dropped into a bookstore (one of his favorite haunts) and was asked, “What is it that you do?” The only answer that came to him was, “I guess I teach T’ai Chi.” (TCC had not been born yet.) Two students jumped up from behind a row of books and said, “It’s about time; we’ve been waiting for you.” So had we all. One could say that was the beginning of TCC. But the true beginning was when Justin said “yes” to life. Yes to leaving a lucrative career in the stock market for parts unknown. Yes to entering a world that would include Paul Reps, Swami Krishnanand, Roshi Joshu Sasaki, and so many more who had also left regular lives for bigger lives of service.

A life of service usually requires a turnaround in the road of life – a turn towards something unknown but needed, something important to the greater whole. Sometimes illness brings this about; sometimes financial changes or changes in personal relationships bring this about. But there is always a change. Many TCC teachers can relate to this. They often say or write that, “TCC has changed my life.” This change isn’t usually a one-time event. Once it begins, change becomes the most important thing we do. We grow and we prosper as we swim in the flow of life. Each time we say “no” to life, our life feels small and constricted. Life makes sure that we’re aware that the most important thing we can do is to stay open to experience. As we do this we learn to love and share the Chi.

Giving & Receiving The Gift

By Catherine Fedewa, Pittsburgh, PA

From the time I began learning T’ai Chi Chih, my goal was to share the practice with others. It was too good to keep just for myself. This continued to be my intention when I went through teacher accreditation. How can I use this to help others? I knew I needed to start simply – by teaching whatever classes I could organize. I needed enough experience with different students to know how they would respond to the movements. My full time ministry, though, kept me too busy to teach more than the two or three classes a year. I was a bit frustrated at not being able to do more – until I started getting feedback from students telling me what a wonderful gift TCC practice has been for them.

Those gifts ranged from maintaining balance when getting dressed in the morning to being more comfortable conducting staff meetings; from being able to fall asleep when a mind was racing to the gift of new life through pregnancy (which the student attributed to an increased flow of Chi).

I had always felt that for a TCC class to be of service, I would need to volunteer or teach at a very minimal charge. I have and will continue do both of those, but I have also found that regular classes are also a service to everyone who attends. Even the smallest benefit that a student receives is a gift, and my teaching ministry has helped them access that gift.

Personally, I am also gifted every time I share the movements with someone, whether formally or informally. Knowing that I am opening a student to the gifts of TCC practice and to new possibilities is my service to them and a gift to myself.