Student: teacher intensive first TCC event in Canada since 1991

The Canadian side of the Family wants to express their gratitude to Ed Altman.

Ed came to Victoria like the Spring that we are experiencing full of new life and invigorating.

The T’ai Chi Chih Intensive was one of rebirth, renewal, rekindling, and definitely new growth in our practice of the form and our commitment to T’ai Chi Chih and Community. He came not to tell us what to do, but as a teacher and leader, to walk his talk, show us the commitment, dedication, love and respect he has for T’ai Chi Chih, to lead by example. He demonstrated how he does his practice, with an invitation to consider it, check it, try it, and implement the refinements in our daily practice and in our teachings.

And teaching he did! The first thing was the deep respect and love he has for Justin. In listening to him I heard what Justin told us so many times before, “[With] honesty and integrity in your practice and in your life, softness and continuity in the form, no curlicues or added movements — it is complete as it is. Keep it pure and simple as it was taught to you,” and this Ed taught and exemplified in every way. He went on to review and refine one by one the TCC movements, going back to the basics:

* Bend your knees, check your stance

* Check your alignment of the spine; remember it is like a stack of coins

* Make sure you do not lean

* Move from your center (T’an T’ien)

* Relax the waist, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands

* Allow the Chi to raise or move your arms; be patient in the movement — do not rush the arms or the body

* Flow with the flow in softness and continuity

But above all remember this is “JOY THRU MOVEMENT!”………….And JOY it was!!!

For me personally it was a getting reacquainted with an old friend, discovering the teacher and leader. I was reminded that on accepting accreditation I promised myself to keep myself in honesty and integrity, to be a steward of the precious gift with which I was entrusted, to preserve it in its pure form, and to pass it on to future generations in the way it was given to me.

After we did the Jing to store all that joyous Chi, no one wanted to go home and leave this room so filled up with joy and chi. Ed’s first visit to Victoria left us hungry for more. He just whet our appetite for more gatherings like this one, in which we practice together, establish or reaffirm community, remember that we are one family, or rather, that we are One.