Retreatants Respond

Retreat with Carmen Brocklehurst in Albuquerque, NM; September 27-30

– You can’t receive without giving. Regardless of where we come from individually, in essence, we come from one creator.

– The retreat has rekindled the flame of TCC in me. For the first time during the resting pose, I felt myself completely let go – it was the movement of no movement.

– Carmen: Without the feeling awareness of TCC, you can’t do TCC mentally. To do TCC mentally, you must feel it.

– I felt I had more time this weekend to do TCC below the waist. I felt more awareness of my body and connection to everybody. I feel I’ve grown immensely and opened more to people. Someone said “Welcome to the family!” to me the first night, and at the time, I kind of dismissed it, but now I feel a part of the family.

– When I arrived on Thursday night I was so stressed, and now it’s all gone in just two days. When I sunk down into my knees just a little more, everything started working better. And I finally felt the swiveling of the hips.

– This was my first introduction to the TCC community and it was wonderful. It hasn’t scared me off.

Carmen: Part of the reason we’re sharing is because it’s good to know what is possible. It can be really helpful to hear what other people are feeling. And the bottom line is: if it’s possible for one person, it’s possible for everyone.

– My yin side finally started to participate. In the close, my hands were jumping around, but Carmen suggested to “close deeper,” and when I did, the hands quieted immediately.

– I gained the ability to trust again in what I know but don’t always know I know. To feel TCC all the way from the beginning to the end of a movement was very powerful.

– Finally, I had the realization that if I let go, I wouldn’t explode.

Seijaku Training

With Pam Towne at Xavier Retreat Center, NJ; August 13-15

Compiled by Judy Mirczak, Host

My practice now feels like it truly belongs in my life rather than being something I have to think about and work at. I’m now saying things from a heart-centered place without thinking. Another big change is clarity: I know what I need to do next, what to eliminate. About a week after I arrived home, I awoke with full awareness of a new direction towards a lifetime dream. And everything is unfolding to make it happen. … It’s as though locked doors swung open with new insights; life directions suddenly became very apparent. No other variable in my life could have been the cause. ” – Donna Tiroly

Justin has said that we can remake ourselves through the practice of Seijaku – that we are the product of the Chi, our Life Force – and if you change the quality of the Chi you will change. By practicing Seijaku we become more available for the Chi to work and flow through us. We become larger vessels for the Chi. – Judy Mirczak

I’d been looking forward to learning Seijaku for four years after being introduced to it in an intermediate class. Thanks to Bonnie Sokolov for being such a wonderful teacher. I have incorporated Seijaku movements into my T’ai Chi Chih practice recently and am enjoying increased energy and joyfulness. – Anna Gunderson

Just as your T’ai Chi Chih practice

helps the mind-body

to move better outside of T’ai Chi Chih practice,

Seijaku practice

informs the mind-body

as to how it can move better

within the T’ai Chi Chih practice itself.

– Stephen Thompson

The Seijaku training opened a whole new world to me. I’m finding that Seijaku practice is taking me even deeper into myself and that I am learning who I really am. I cannot imagine not having Seijaku in my life. I am amazed at how Seijaku makes me feel the Chi even stronger than with my T’ai Chi Chih practice. – Vicki Schroeder

I learned techniques that I either hadn’t heard in my earlier Seijaku accreditation or that more emphasis was placed there this time. – Jerry Bumbalough

Did we really want to audit this Seijaku accreditation training, we mused. We finally decided that since we were there for the conference, why not? It was one of the best decisions we’ve made. We were first certified to teach Seijaku in 2002. Afterward we practiced Seijaku for several weeks and dropped the habit. We then audited a Seijaku course and again only practiced for a few weeks. This time, we’re still practicing Seijaku almost daily and we even have a Seijaku class scheduled.

We were concerned that taking Seijaku immediately following the TCC conference would be too intense. Not true; instead it was a wonderful way to complete our TCC.” – Bobbie and Andy Anderson