Observations

After teaching for 15 years, I thought I was beyond being surprised by my students. Last quarter, one of my repeat students said she’d started to sleep better, to feel more relaxed and less on edge. I asked her if she was taking any new medications, and she responded, “Just T’ai Chi Chih.” Other students also chimed in that they were sleeping better.

A few years ago, when I was visiting old friends in New Jersey, I started doing my TCC practice on their backyard porch that faced five adjoining houses. As I let myself sink into the practice and feel the fluidity of the movements, I saw animals and people walk by – as if I was invisible. A squirrel on a nearby fence appeared to watch and seemed to feel the Chi. Some birds flew to nearby branches, adding their own joy through my movements.

I’m reminded of many times over many years when Lois Mahaney and I did our TCC practice in a park near our houses. We met on Sunday mornings and practiced with our students in the cold, amidst the trees, while squirrels, birds, dogs, and cats would scamper by. Once, right in the middle of Basic Pulling Taffy, a hawk landed in an adjacent tree to share our space. I’m not sure what the hawk felt, but it gave us an unforgettable sense of joy.