TCC leaders announce their retirements during teachers’ conference

To the Accredited Teachers of the T’ai Chi Chih Community,

I am writing this letter to let you know that I have chosen to retire from my current position as Head of the T’ai Chi Chih Community. This change will take effect on September 30th, 2003, and I am making arrangements to return all responsibilities of the position back to Justin Stone, the Originator of T’ai Chi Chih, Joy Thru Movement. In an effort to create the smoothest possible transition, I will honor my event commitments and lead all courses I have been scheduled to teach through January, 2004 unless Justin chooses to have someone else lead them.

I was very flattered in 1996 when Justin asked me to take this position. In essence, he was asking me to do him a favor, and since I cared for him and for our community I accepted his offer. I had no idea at that time how much work the job would eventually entail, nor how much satisfaction I would receive from working with all of you. I have grown and found moments of incredible inspiration and truth, and I am grateful.

The last year of my life has brought many changes, and I’ve done a lot of re-examining of my choices and priorities. While I’ve enjoyed this position and gained a great deal from it, I have also felt a lack of balance in my personal and professional life. No one asked me to make sacrifices in these areas, but I did what I felt was necessary to serve the highest needs of the community. I now realize that I am unwilling to continue making those sacrifices in the future, and see that I cannot serve the needs of the community without them.

I also acknowledge that the original need for taking this job no longer applies. It has become increasingly clear from Justin’s personal letters and published articles that he is uncomfortable with the direction I am leading our community. I do not agree with his perspective, but as the Originator of T’ai Chi Chih, Joy Thru Movement, he has his own concerns and opinions. Justin has never formally asked me to step down, but his lack of support is a confirming sign that it is time for me to leave the title behind.

As Head of the T’ai Chi Chih Community, I have emphasized the importance of teaching and living with sincerity, balance and integrity. I have also worked to develop unity and respect within the community and know that by doing so I have served you to the best of my abilities.

I wish to thank Justin for the opportunity to serve the community, and to express my gratitude to all the course hosts I have worked with to offer events. I would also like to express my tremendous thanks to my wife Noel for her support through these years. She has shared my passion for the community and worked with me every step of the way since the day I agreed to Justin’s request to lead the community. She has been generous with her time and input, and respectful of Justin’s demand that I make decisions alone. She has helped me explore many options when facing tough choices and always encouraged me to make them based solely on what was best for the community. I know that I would not have been nearly as successful without her help and support, and I am forever grateful that she stuck with me through these years.

I look forward to having more time to devote to my personal practice, and to teaching T’ai Chi Chih Joy Thru Movement on Kauai. I wish you all well in your practice and send my best wishes to your students as well.

Noel Altman

Fellow T’ai Chi Chih Teachers,

I am announcing my retirement from my position as the editor of The Vital Force, effective after the publication of the next issue in October of this year.

I want to thank the many wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure to get to know on a more intimate basis over the last five years — since I’ve held this position. Every person who reached down inside and pulled out their personal story, and then put pen to paper to share it — I salute each of you for stretching yourselves, and absolutely giving something back to this community.

Now in its 20th year of publication, I believe the quality of this enduring journal has very definitely improved due to the efforts of those who have submitted articles in recent years. As even one of you fully applied yourself, others read your writing and became inspired to push themselves as well — to examine how they felt about a topic and then send in their comments, or story, or to try your idea in their classes or practice.

The whole point of The Vital Force is to provide a connecting link for the entire world community of T’ai Chi Chih practitioners, a means for all of you to connect with one another, to educate, inform and inspire one another — at least that’s the way I see its purpose, and have worked to promote.

Thank you all for your past support of this worthy endeavor. I hope that you will continue to support it as it moves forward once again into new hands.

It’s very definitely time now for me to move on as a very distinct phase of my life comes to an end. I am an accredited T’ai Chi Chih teacher, and I greatly value my own practice as well as acknowledge the great good that this practice can effect in people’s lives. Those are unchanging facts. My outward expression of gratitude for T’ai Chi Chih Joy Thru Movement — my method of “giving back” — is what is changing.

I cannot end without expressing my deep thanks to The Vital Force staff: to Ed, who from Day One has been absolutely critical to the success of getting an issue out each quarter, on time. He’s had his hand in so many functions over the last five years — technical advice and repair, database entry and management, website design and maintenance, production of the annual Teachers’ Directory each year, training of other VFJ staff members, scanning and doctoring photos for every issue, even a final proofreading of recent issues, following my own proofreading. He’s been absolutely essential! Thank you, Ed!

Doug Harned has been a committed staff member whose duties have increased over the four years he’s been involved. We’ve greatly appreciated his efforts. Thank you, Doug!

Kathy Albers, Ted Fleischman and Marjie Bassler have each served in their positions with a selfless attitude of service to the community, and each took pressure off of Ed & I at critical times by assuming their respective roles. We acknowledge and value their efforts! Thank you Kathy, Ted, and Marjie!

Lastly, thanks to both sets of VFJ Volunteers with whom I’ve worked over the last five years: in both the Bay Area, CA & in Albuquerque, NM. They volunteer each quarter in assembling the issues for mailing, and play an important role in helping keep costs down. Thank you, VFJ Volunteers!

And, once again, to the entire TCC teaching and student community: Thank you all for your support of The Vital Force!

Jean Katus

After serving the T’ai Chi Chih community for over 15 years as the head of Good Karma Publishing, I have decided to retire. One of my greatest joys in promoting Justin’s work is the unique relationships I have had with many of you teachers here and others who are not here today. I intend to remain involved in T’ai Chi Chih activities and with my fellow teachers. Thank you for your support.