Releasing Childhood Trauma Through TCC practice

“Chris, you aren’t transferring your weight completely when you move forward in Around The Platter,” instructor Lisa Otero told me this morning. As I continued the movement, I made a conscious effort to bend my forward knee and get the weight where it should be. The result shocked me. I felt a wash of a distant memory combined with fear. When I was about eight years old, I climbed up an earthen dam. When I reached the top I slipped and tumbled head over heels about 30 feet to the bottom. I escaped with only a few bruises but I was terribly frightened by the experience.

As these feelings came to the surface, I realized that I was actually afraid of falling if I bent my forward knee to the proper position for many T’ai Chi Chih movements. I immediately shared this with the class and Lisa, who told me to continue to transfer my weight completely and that the fearful feelings would dissipate. She also said to keep my attention in the soles of my feet and trust my strength.

As I continued the practice session with the full weight shift, my confidence strengthened. When I have a breakthrough like this I feel encouraged that at 66 years of age, I am growing emotionally and trusting my body’s ability to balance through TCC. Thanks to my teacher for being so perceptive.