Rapid Growth of T’ai Chi Chih Greatly Surprises Originator

Justin Stone, Fall 1991

Nobody has been more surprised than the author, the originator of T’ai Chi Chih, by its rapid spread thruout the world since it was first introduced seventeen years ago at the Open Mind Bookstore in Albuquerque, New Mexico. At that time there was no way of knowing whether there would ever be a second class for beginners, let alone a series of Teacher Training Courses that have accredited worthy teachers numbering more than 500. The success of the first class was a surprise, and the rapid spread, by word of mouth and excellent pioneering efforts by the teachers could not have been foreseen, particularly since there has been no organization, no financial backing, and no hype to convince potential students of the merits of this relatively easy practice.

During the years the author was studying–and practising–in the Orient, he often noticed that many who became ascetics and renunciates did not seem suited for that life and remained miserable and torn by inner dissension. In the Himalayan foothills of India, living with the Yogis, the author made friends with a man in his fifties who had left his family and renounced the world, a man who had been a successful lawyer in Lucknow and was now following the Scriptures literally in leaving his family, distributing his wealth, and, penniless, breaking all connection with the world. He suffered much from never having seen his grandchildren, and while outwardly a renunciate practising Yoga in stringent conditions, was inwardly torn by all the conflicts of the man of civilization. When walking near the village of Laksmanjula, the former lawyer would sneak away to buy and smoke a cigarette, and then resuming our walk, we would pretend it had never happened. Where he got the money to buy the one cigarette, I don’t know. Later the author helped him financially when he was asked to leave the Ashram at which he stayed and wished to make his way, by bus, to Dehra Dun, a place in which quite a few prosperous patrons of Ashrams made their homes.

Such incidents led me to believe that Peace was not found by simply detaching oneself physically from familiar scenes. The Vashanas (habit energies) and Samskaras (long-held tendencies) followed one wherever he went; you cannot get away from yourself.

Like Zen, T’ai Chi Chih points out the way to serenity and fulfillment while living in the midst of busy worldly conditions. Advanced T’ai Chi Chih, the most powerful discipline I have come across, is called “Seijaku”, which can be translated as “Stillness in the Midst of Activity”.

T’ai Chi Chih, working with the principles of the ancient Yin-Yang philosophy, stimulates circulation of the CHI, the so-called Vital Force which is the basic force of Life. We are really the product of this CHI. Sri Auribindo said that, if this Universe were to be abolished, this CHI (known as PRANA in India) would be capable of building a new Universe in its stead! When this Chi is circulated and the positive and negative aspects (the YIN and the YANG) are brought into balance, not only does health improve, but an inner serenity seems to follow naturally. The increased energy (because CHI is energy) brings vast changes in the practitioner’s life, both inner AND outer, if we can judge by past results. At least four of the accredited teachers–all women–are known to be former cancer patients.

T’ai Chi Chih is not a martial art. Not bothering with violence or defense against force it provides the greatest defense, which is inner peace and harmonized CHI. The one who focuses on violence, self-defense, etc. will probably attract violence thru the frame of mind. Like attracts like.

Can enlightenment, that much misused term, be achieved thru sincere practice of T’ai Chi Chih? D. T. Suzuki, the Zen writer, has pointed out that, at the moment of Satori (enlightenment experience) there is a ‘revulsion of the CHI’, a complete change in the character of this Chi energy. Isn’t it logical that a gradual change in the character of the Chi energy thru sincere practice of T’ai Chi Chih, maybe a half hour a day, then can bring about the experience of Satori?

From the beginning, the emphasis of T’ai Chi Chih has not been on organization (the author has seen, all too often, what happens to spiritual organizations when jealousy and greed enter the picture) nor on financial welfare, though the author does believe the working man is worthy of his hire and the teacher worth many times what he or she charges. Many times teachers have proffered checks to the originator saying they believed they should tithe 125% of their earning to him in appreciation. These checks have always been torn up. Neither the author nor any organization has taken one dime from accredited teachers; they keep what they earn.

To enter a Teachers’ Training Course, a candidate must have a letter of recommendation from an accredited teacher, testifying that the candidate does the movements well, has the type of character necessary to make a good teacher, practises faithfully, and understands a bit of the philosophic background of T’ai Chi Chih. Then, having entered the intensive Course, formerly taught by this writer and now taught by Steve Ridley of Denver (who has been training with the author for twelve years to give these Courses and become the Spiritual Head of T’ai Chi Chih), the student is impressed with the fact that more than technical excellence is needed to be a good teacher. The emphasis is on the “TEH”, a Chinese word that can be translated as “the power of inner sincerity”. This may seem simplistic, but how can one explain the rapid spread of T’ai Chi Chih to New Zealand, Switzerland, Mexico, Canada, Chile, etc. etc. without any organized publicity of any organized authority? In a talk the author gave at the 1990 Teachers’ Conference (Convention) the deeper aspects of the Discipline, its place in evolutionary development and help in developing favorable Karma, thus influencing the future, were stressed. This talk was made available to teachers, on cassette, without any charge, thanks to the efforts of long-time T’ai Chi Chih teacher Carmen Brocklehurst of Albuquerque.

Our lives cannot be changed by words. If they could, everyone hearing a sermon in Church on Sunday, or spending time with a psychoanalyst, would be quickly changed; starting Monday there would be no more cheating or lying in business. But is this so? As the basic energy of life, which flows thru us, and, in effect formed us, changes and is balanced, then change takes place, sometimes very radical change. An ill, depressed woman in her early 70’s, not strong enough to take her initial lessons standing up, eight years later is seen dancing in the aisles to music being played. Often people do not remember what they were like before, and do not recall the ‘troubles’ that had bothered them. Remake “your” Chi and you remake yourself. Apparently T’ai Chi Chih can do this quickly and efficiently, and it is easy to learn and easy to do. This author, who lives in Pacific Grove, California, firmly believes this, and sees the benefits in his own life. About to be 75 years of age, this appears to be one of the most energetic and creative periods of his life. So there is much to be grateful for.