Q&A with Senior TCC Teacher Caroline Guilott

Lake Charles, Louisiana | Accredited 1999

When and where were you accredited?

In June 1999 in Albuquerque, and Justin was there, of course. That first morning Carmen looked at me and said, “You need to come out of your shell.” Fifteen minutes into our first practice, Justin appeared and went to the back of the room to observe. He said very loudly, “This is not T’ai Chi Chih” (TCC). He woke us up; when you think you know something, there is still a lot to learn. After the second day there was definitely a change in me. A joy came over me and everything appeared brighter. Everything was limitless. Everything was great despite my apprehension about the presentation I still needed to make.

When did you start coming to Albuquerque to practice with Justin?

The following year after accreditation, every time there was a retreat. One night I couldn’t sleep so I went outside very early in the morning looking for a secluded place to do a few movements. Justin was outside, too, watching a reflection in the water. He nodded good morning, just stood there, watched the water for a while, and left.

Whenever I was in Albuquerque, we would practice with Justin in the morning. I was watching him — looking for the essence of what he was doing. It was so fluid in a less is more way. He incorporated the principles so seamlessly that they were practically invisible; he embodied them rather than doing them.

How did you learn about TCC? Why did you become accredited?

I was on my way somewhere, with a purpose. But I saw a little open house sign on the side of the road, so I made a U-turn. The woman giving the demo invited us to stand and do Bass Drum with her. I was the first to put my name on sign-up sheet for a class that was starting. I think it was not by accident. After a year and a half, she asked if I would like to become a teacher. Absolutely not. But I wanted to learn more. And the only way was to go to accreditation. So, she prepared us.

How has your teaching changed over the years?

I did a lot of TCC in front of the mirror, to learn what I was doing when I was feeling something. I realized it was totally about letting go. At my first conference I saw and thought, “Oh, you have to be soft.” My movements had fallen to the level of the mind, meaning my platter had fallen way low, not the heart level. Then I saw Justin running across the room; he stopped in front of me and said, “Higher dear, higher.” So, my hands came back higher, and I thought, “Oh, I can still relax at that level? Got it.” That was an acknowledged experience; and then he went on to somebody else. What you see on the outside is important. Then you work more and more with what’s happening on the inside. But first, you have to know where to place the hands and feet, and you have to move in accord with the principles.

How do you incorporate instruction/lessons learned from Justin?

Justin said it better than anybody else, so I go back to his books all the time. Spiritual Odyssey is wonderful and easy to dip into. I always share quotations from Justin, never really from others. I love to listen to his CDs. Justin would always ask me: Are you teaching? Are you doing your practice? He always said that good teachers have to repeat themselves all the time. If you listen to his audio recordings, it’s all there. All my students have the books because we read them together. In the beginning, the students are attracted to TCC because there is something concrete about the practice. But then it becomes something more.

I watch Justin all the time on video recordings. There is still more to learn, more to let go of, more to discover. That’s what I love about this practice. I have so much fun with it.

Once we were doing the practice in Albuquerque, and I was next to him in the circle, and he turned to me, and said, “There is nothing to do.” I was trying really hard, and Justin must have seen it on my puzzled face. Now I laugh about it. Yes, I can see that. Everything will be done. It doesn’t mean you sit on your chair, forget the world, and do nothing. It’s about accepting everything that is. Justin would always talk about negative and positive, rather than good and bad. There was no judgment involved. So that’s what I’m working with in my practice, which mirrors my life.