Life Giving Communion

Healing Experiences

By Nancy Kennedy, North Plainfield, NJ

In May of this year I was proud to be empowered as a new T’ai Chi Chih teacher. Since then I’ve been working at a local nursing home with much success. In a book I was reading the author was referring to Centering Prayer when she said, “When I don’t do it, I miss missing it.” That is exactly how I feel about my T’ai Chi Chih practices. In doing my practice I really feel a communion with a Presence that nourishes my being. I shall be eternally grateful to Sr. Antonia….And further heartfelt gratitude to Justin and Steve for nurturing TCC for all of us!

I was encouraged to share these two experiences with the TCC family through The Vital Force. In March of this year I was to take an MRI test for possible gallbladder obstruction. As I was being prepared to take this hour long test I decided to do a complete TCC practice in my mind. Actually I was able to complete two full TCC practices before the voice of the nurse invited me to sit up. The surprising moment came when the nurse asked me if I had been meditating during the hour. I told her I was, I explained briefly that I was doing my TCC practice mentally. She said that she could always tell when patients were meditating because the screen showed a marked difference in the readings…..It was sufficient for me to know that there was scientific validation for the rhythm of the body to actually be detected on some sort of instrument….That was a wonderful confirmation of the reality of things invisible made visible….something I’ve believed in for a very long time from a theological base but now it was there from the scientific community. Exciting!

My second experience came at the nursing home when a patient who was suffering from senile dementia had the habit of being in non-stop conversation from the time she would awaken until she went to sleep. This patient was sitting in front of me during the TCC class and from the moment I began playing the TCC music I use to practice with and do the movements until we were finished this lady was absolutely quiet. As a matter of fact she seemed to be very peaceful. The aide who sat beside her during the practice session also noted the difference. I would have thought this a unique incident if I hadn’t experienced something very similar later in a visit to my mother who lives in Florida and is suffering from the same illness. This was a difficult visit for me to witness my mother….not knowing even who I was during my visits. I began my visits to her each day, in her home by doing my TCC morning practice. Mom would sit in front of me watching quietly and saying her rosary. The tone of the day would be set by this practice. On the two days we didn’t begin this way there was a marked difference in Mom’s peaceful posture throughout the day. On these days she seemed much more irritable. I left a tape of the music, along with Justin’s video for my sister, who at this point had learned the TCC moves from me. Recently, my sister called to thank me for everything– the visit continues to be life-giving for each of them……