Q&A with Senior TCC Teacher Christina Tillotson

Albuquerque, New Mexico | Accredited 1993

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

I first learned about it at the United Church of Religious Science annual retreat at the Asilomar conference grounds from Harriet Henderson in 1983.

At noon on the first day, I ventured into the large grassy circle at the center of the grounds. I was surrounded by wind-blown evergreen trees and grasses and beach-friendly plants. The salty smell of the nearby ocean mingled with the tangy smell of the pines draped over my senses like an invisible cloak. The Universal energy (of the Infinite One) seemed to course through every needle, every blade of grass, and every tree undulating in the breeze. Near that space, I joined Rev. Harriet Hawkins leading a group of people in slow, gentle movements. Harriet said that this set of movements was called T’ai Chi Chih (TCC), Joy Thru Movement. I experienced the calming flow of energy coursing through my body. As we all moved as one; I could feel the rejuvenation of my soul. I was hooked. I have continued to feel that profound energy every day for the past 40 years.

On the first day of my introduction to TCC, I was captivated by the simple, gentle movements with names such as Rocking Motion and Pulling in the Energy. On the second day, I felt an amazing tingling sensation in my hands. Each passing day brought deepened feelings of this same limitless energy and inspired me to continue with daily practice throughout those two weeks.

I loved how TCC kept me in the present moment and how I felt the Divine Presence whenever I practiced it. Unlike the ballet I had studied for many years when I was younger and had only felt the timelessness after I had spent long hours practicing or rehearsing, TCC felt timeless by the third time I tried it. It didn’t matter whether I performed the movements perfectly. I still felt the universal Life Force that the Chinese call Chi, in yoga it is called Prana, in Star Wars it is called The Force, and some of us simply call it “Practicing the Presence of God.”

I was accredited in San Diego by Steve Ridley in 1993.

The story continues.

Since then, I have had the honor of continuously teaching and practicing this profound way of circulating the Chi. It has served me through challenges such as becoming suddenly widowed at the age of 50, navigating career challenges, dealing with three Holmes Institute reaccreditations, and transcending some health challenges. It is one practice that has helped keep me energetic, healthy, and strong all these years and continues to do so now at the age of 76. It is a vital part of my Ministry.

I have shared TCC with hundreds of students over the years at the local senior and community center, fitness clubs, the Chopra Center, businesses, the Camp Pendleton Marine Base in Oceanside, California, and online. Sharing TCC continues to be an honor as I commit to do my part to enhance lives and transform the world through the subtle art of mindfully moving energy in such a life-affirming way. After all that ballet when I was younger, I am grateful to have discovered a way of moving that fits my current body, mind, and spirit and allows me to spread it out into the world. To my students, TCC is a welcome respite from rules and pressure. They’re reminded to just breathe deeply and allow the Chi energy to flow naturally; no force or effort is allowed.

Is there something else you’d like to share?

I’ve had the privilege of teaching TCC classes at the Encinitas Senior Center since 1999. My students are a diverse group, ranging from long-term attendees to fresh faces. One particular student, our “class comedian,” loves to sprinkle humor into our end-of-class discussions. Last week, however, a newer student shared an epiphany that gave us all food for thought.

During our sharing circle, she excitedly expressed that she “finally got it.” She had grasped the idea that the energy we cultivate and circulate in TCC is omnipresent, that it was and is always there. Feeling that energy so tangibly led her to a rather profound realization. She said that if she’d known about this inexhaustible cosmic energy during her “hippie days,” she wouldn’t have felt the need for mind-altering substances.

Her revelation spurred me to ponder: What if we could introduce this idea of circulating and opening to this omnipresent universal energy to today’s young people? Could it serve as a pillar for mental stability, possibly deter substance use, or inspire them to make a positive impact on our world?

And one more thing.

Being one with life makes you a conductor of energy — and being aware that you are one with life makes you a conscious conductor of that energy, determining how it will flow. The result can be a joy that flows from the deepest wellspring of the heart. One practice that countless awakened individuals around the world employ to mindfully conduct that energy is called TCC.

There is not a day that passes when we are not one with Life. The question is, are we aware of it? This is one of the gifts of TCC when practiced mindfully. As you contemplate self-care and ways to reveal the wholeness of your mind, body, and spirit, consider exploring each day with a beginner’s mind — allowing the energy of the One to have its way in, through, and as you.