Justin Stone’s teaching on new video resonates after viewing

To do justice to Justin Stone’s new T’ai Chi Chih video, I would have to write this review as a perfect haiku, where nothing is extraneous and yet everything is present, where the whole world is contained but in a most spare, elegant, and “empty” manner. Alas, I am not a poet. Justin’s teaching in this video is like a fine distillate, communicating the essential essence of T’ai Chi Chih. After I viewed his instruction and practiced with the four teachers in the practice session, his teaching continued to resonate like the sound of a bell. It still echoes in and around me, days later.

The structure of the video consists of three parts: a short introduction by Justin; his thorough teaching of the movements; and a full practice session with four smooth and flowing teachers, Victor Berg, Connie Hyde, Suni McHenry, and Rhonda St. Martin. This three part structure provides a unique balance between spoken instruction and demonstration; the viewer hears Justin’s wise words alone at the very beginning, when Justin is seated. Then Justin’s expert oral instruction mingles with his fluid demonstration of the movements. Finally, in the practice session, there are no words, and no words necessary: The teaching comes through the wave-like flow of the teachers’ movements.

The production visuals are also pleasing and professional. A gentle montage of leaves with a brief overlaid image of the practicing teachers leads into Justin’s introduction. A soft lighting design graces the back wall of the set, producing an effect similar to dappled leaves on a sunny day. The colors—mostly muted grays, light olive greens, and tans—complement the soothing mood created by the warm orange glows of the Japanese screens and lantern. Clear on-screen text signals the beginning of each section. Most helpfully, as Justin demonstrates each movement, its title appears clearly across the bottom of the screen. Similarly, during Six Healing Sounds, the word for each sound is displayed in large print in the lower right corner of the screen to accompany Justin’s demonstration.

In the introduction Justin comments on what T’ai Chi Chih is (and is not), how to move, how to tell if you’re making progress, and how to achieve benefits (through practice, of course!) He covers everything a beginning student needs to know, and everything a continuing student needs to be reminded about. I was particularly struck by his efficiency—in a short introduction he addresses all the points it takes me eight full classes to touch upon with beginning students. He focuses on the all-important principles of softness and weight shift, stating that we move softly, “almost as though we don’t care.” He explains that the fingers are spread and the wrists are loose. He cautions that learning three or four movements at a time is plenty for beginners. His only request is that students practice, both when they feel like it and when they don’t.

Once he begins teaching the movements, not surprisingly, his flow and pace reflect the clarity of T’ai Chi Chih movements. He describes the movements precisely, thoroughly, and efficiently, reinforcing what his body so expertly shows. For example, his wrists on Variation on Around the Platter display a fluidity like gently flowing water, so smoothly is his ball integrated into the movement. The softness of his knees in the yinning and yanging, the looseness of his waist in the Taffy’s, the softness and strength of his aspirated sounds in Six Healing Sounds—well, if you have ever seen Justin in action, you know what strong teaching is contained in his movements, which have been expertly captured on this video.

As is to be expected, Justin intersperses his teaching of the movements with comments and brief stories, all essential to convey the utter simplicity of T’ai Chi Chih—a simplicity that is as complex to master as the effort of no effort. He reminds his audience that there is no need to rush. “The more slowly you do it, the more you may get out of it,” he says. Justin comments on the joyous nature of doing T’ai Chi Chih, explaining that it is not work; his relaxed manner reflects the joy that comes from doing the movements. Some students, he says, tell him they don’t have time to practice in the morning. He gives the simplest, the only real reply: “Get up earlier, that’s all.” His brief stories, familiar to many teachers, illustrate the power of T’ai Chi Chih, allowing the beginning student to gain a glimpse of the possibilities, the advanced student to nod as he understands some of the implications. With a twinkle in his eye, Justin gives out a koan (or perhaps several.) I’ll leave those for viewers to discover!

Justin also anticipates difficulties students will have. He points out two common mistakes in yinning and yanging. He addresses subtle details of Daughter in the Valley and Perpetual Motion Taffy in order to direct students carefully. “Let’s take it apart again,” he says while teaching Working the Pulley, to augment students’ understanding of the movement. His teaching of Passing Clouds was very enlightening for me. Despite several years of experience teaching T’ai Chi Chih, I had not found a satisfactory way to communicate this movement. A few words from Justin about circularity, and the teaching is so simple! Not surprisingly, there is always more to uncover, no matter the level of experience.

One of my favorite parts of the video comes near the end of the instruction session. “What am I thinking about?” Justin asks, after teaching Passing Clouds. “Nothing, because my concentration is in the soles of my feet. That is my thought.” He notes that it is better not to have any thoughts, just to concentrate on what you are doing. Could any words of advice be simpler? And yet, they contain so much wisdom. At the end of the instruction session, again he urges viewers to practice in order to receive the benefits T’ai Chi Chih has to give.

The 40-minute practice session, in repetitions of nine, proceeds with smoothness and fluidity, accompanied by lovely music Justin composed, which sounds like T’ai Chi Chih rendered in notes. How can I describe the serene flow of the four teachers? Words cannot adequately describe their softness, rootedness, and fluid shifting of weight. As I practiced with them, I felt a lightness in my legs I don’t always experience on my own. Water sliding up the beach and receding back down, delicate plants swaying in the ocean, and moving slow motion in a dream are images that come to mind but even these metaphors do not adequately capture what must be experienced. Different camera angles allow for close-ups on wrists, hands, legs, and feet without breaking the rhythm of the movements. The session is valuable as a teaching tool for students, but also as a learning tool for every teacher of T’ai Chi Chih. I plan to practice with the tape periodically, between conferences or teacher renewal sessions; it is like having a mini-conference in my own living room to enhance my understanding.

The video ends with Justin thanking the four demonstrating teachers and the viewers. Of course what this viewer felt is thanks to Justin, for this complete and beautifully done video. We are all Justin’s students, and what more could a student want than to learn from him, the originator? The best way to “say” thank you is to follow his request, to practice. A way to make that a deeper experience is to practice with this video.