Joy Thru Movement

Carmen L. Brocklehurst, Albuquerque, New Mexico

The first time I saw our T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) textbook I was surprised by the subtitle: T’ai Chi Chih, Joy Thru Movement. What was this “Joy Thru Movement” business? I had been taught, as a small child, that life was serious business with joy happening rarely, usually at holidays, Christmas, and weddings. Thank goodness I had a Great Aunt who believed that children learned by playing. She took care of us while Dad and Mother worked. Everyone worked hard; it was just after World War II. But then came record players, telephones, TVs, and other electronic devices that helped everyone have access to music and a softer view of life.

People danced and sang, and if they were fortunate, played an instrument or a piano or an organ. But somehow it didn’t seem connected to the joy of life. It was just a thing they learned to do. Singing was only done in church and not for dancing and carrying on. But a wonderful thing happened when we sang in church. It seemed to connect us in a special way, perhaps because we all did it at the same time; our voices blended and connected.

My first spiritual teacher, Helen Brungardt Pope, taught us how to do TCC several years after I graduated from college. She was in the second TCC teacher training class in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1975. She told us that she was teaching us this discipline so that we could stay healthy as we went through our spiritual training. She also told us that we were not to teach this discipline, as per Justin Stone the originator, without taking the course to become a teacher. Honoring Mr. Stone’s request, I learned the movements well enough to take the TCC teacher course in 1980 with Justin.

Several years later, Justin flew to Albuquerque and was staying with the Shilsons. Virginia Shilson was my student and became a TCC teacher; her husband, Doug, helped me set up my program for teaching TCC. I offered to take Justin on errands, including to the cleaners to pick up his laundry. There was nothing special about laundry day. But when I saw him emerge from the building with his bundle of clothes, I saw joy walking towards me. He was not doing anything special except being his True Self. I saw and felt it.

In our journey through life, experiences tell us who and what we are. But not every one of us is ready to pay attention to the clues given over and over again. These clues can help us let go and learn about the joy of life that each one of us is. By learning the TCC movements we can feel a connection to the joy of all of life. Perhaps for the first time, we feel connected and complete. This knowledge is not restricted to a limited number of people. All we need is an open heart. This is what Caroline Guillot and the team offered for the 49th annual TCC conference in 2023, sharing Justin Stone and his connection to the worldwide TCC family. Many of us are speechless with gratitude at what was documented about Justin Stone and how he loved and shared the Chi. We continue this loving and sharing, this joy, through our commitment to practice.

Pyramids

feel

grounded

to the earth

fully alert

energized

starting

fresh

set

daily

regimen

affirmations

manifest

future

goals

gaze

inward

busy mind

focused breathing

settled in

relaxed

space

sit

searching

emptiness

drifting inward

words appear

flowing

free

look

upward

wonderment

vast universe

connecting

oneness

see

flow

birdlike

precision

softly gliding

effortless

motion

ease

sit

erect

deep breath in

slowly outward

relaxing

letting

be

—John Marquez

try

to find

forgiveness

through perfection?

not. softness

beckons

Chi

green

are we

bananas

on the tree. let

us ripen

become

sweet

—Beverly Miles