Joy Through Movement

Why do I appreciate T’ai Chi Chih “Joy Through Movement?” As a child, adolescent and adult I was not blessed with the physical strength or flexibility of an athlete. But I was active, perhaps hyper. I sat only to eat and to read.

In my early twenties, sugary foods made me tired and fuzzy-brained, so I eliminated sugar from my diet. I committed to a lifelong goal of living a healthy life. Then I came across a booklet “Why Grow Old,“ with exercises to be done at home. I liked that idea. During my busy days as mother, teacher and wife, I always found time to walk run, bike, swim, dance, do aerobics and exercise at home.

At about the age of sixty I had the opportunity to take a TCC Joy Through Movement class. It was wonderful. I enjoyed the relaxing, rhythmic and gentle movements. Besides being good for my body, they created a meditative state, good for my mental health. Since then I have practiced T’ai Chi Chih in many places – on a hike, in an airport, a doctor’s office, even standing in line. I can rock heel to toe rather unobtrusively. Once I finished the entire set of movements twice while waiting at airport for someone. The movements get my blood flowing, quiet my mind and encourage healthy breathing. The movements energize me.

Over the years I have recommended TCC to many friends and acquaintances. I am now 76 years old. My health is good. All my yearly blood panels are very positive. But I do have nerve damage affecting my lower extremities, causing pain and diminishing mobility and ability to exercise. Though it’s a bummer, I can still practice Joy Through Movement to keep me as flexible and as strong as possible. Carmen’s voice on her videos soothes me. I appreciate that she reminds me to smile. TCC Joy Through Movement is a no-nonsense program for all ages and genders. It works. And it deserves all the accolades bestowed upon it.

Letting Go

By a Student in the West

Of all the wonderful lessons T’ai Chi Chih has taught me, let go is the one that has really changed my life. We know the mind alters Chi, and Chi alters the mind. As we learn to let go physically during our TCC and Seijaku practices, our minds are learning to let go too.

During my second year of practicing TCC, I was introduced to Justin Stone’s Abandon Hope, that book with the grim-sounding title. I believe the let-go moments in TCC allowed my mind to open to the book’s lesson – a lesson anything but grim.

While reading it I saw clearly for the first time, the futility of trying to change someone else’s life. A friend had been making me party to her problems for many years, yet she never took steps that could have helped. I spent many sleepless nights worrying about how to help her, until Abandon Hope told me to let go of the hope that I could change her situation. Only she could do that, and she would have to change herself first. Suddenly I was free of more than ten years of worry. What joy I felt.

Shortly after finishing Abandon Hope, I attended a Learn Seijaku retreat. In Seijaku I learned to let go even more, and my fingers began moving with Chi for the first time. My teacher must have intuited that I would need Seijaku because a few months later, I was diagnosed with a dire cancer prognosis. But after the initial reaction of “I’m going to die” I thought about Abandon Hope and let go of fear and dread.

Justin talks about this in Spiritual Odyssey: “Grateful for being alive, enjoying the beauty of each new day, we can be ready to let go when our time has come.” I am grateful to Justin Stone, TCC and to my wonderful, caring teacher for this lesson. Thanks to them I do find joy and beauty in every day.