TCC Originator responds to leadership retirements

Transcribed from Justin Stone’s typewritten letter; his original spelling has been kept.

The day before the beginning of the recent Conference I received a letter from Ed. Altman saying he was resigning as Head of T’ai Chi Chih, effective September 30th. I was surprised and sorry to hear it, though I can understand that working a full-time job and heading TCC would be difficult to do, particularly when one lives in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, requiring frequent long and expensive flights to the mainland.

Here is the first paragraph of Ed’s resignation letter to me:

Dear Justin.

“Thank you for the teachings I have learned over the years I studied with you. They have been invaluable in helping me examine and transcend many of the fears and insecurities that have held me back in life. I am grateful to you for the opportunity to develop spiritually and for the lessons I have received while serving the T’ai Chi Chih community.”

Ed. took over TCC at a very difficult time, with little advance notice. We discussed the fact that there was really no way he could earn a living at the job, and that he might face some hostility from followers of the previous Head man. These he surmounted in admirable fashion and established himself firmly in his new position. We got along fine and consulted on most activities. Eventually, however, a difference in our views on the philosophy of TCC, and some distasteful personal incidents interrupted our relationship.

Ed. made many friends in TCC and will be missed, and Noel Altman is to be congratulated on the excellent job she did with the Vital Force. I wish them both luck in whatever they undertake in this life.

Since Jean Katus resigned as head of “Good Karma pub. inc.” at the same time, we are now faced with finding a new editor for the “Vital Force” and a new CEO for Good Karma. We also must determine whether TCC needs an active head since trainers Pam Towne and Sandy McAlister so ably preside over Teachers’ Training Courses, Intensives, Reviews, etc. They will be the people to contact in regard to being a teachers’ candidate or hosting the various groups that come together for study. It is to be hoped that the number of Courses and workshops will now pick up and TCC begin to spread anew.

In answer to many questions, I do not receive any income of any sort from TCC, but have the great satisfaction of knowing the good that TCC is doing for so many people. I believe TCC was Divinely inspired and is Divinely protected because of stories such as the following:

Recently TCC teacher Liz Humphrey startled me by saying that she had had Asthma all her life until she begain to practice TCC, after which the asthma disappeared. Since we hear the same thing about Migraine headache, ostioporosis, Parkinsons, etc., which medicine cannot touch, we have good reason to believe that the medical profession will eventually actively make use of the blessing of TCC. Apparently they already know about it–The American Medican Association wote me a letter of commendation for TCC as an alternative means of treatment, the United Nations invited me to speak about TCC at the Hammersjold auditorium in New York, and the Mayo Clinic recommended my Videotape in it’s Journal that goes to thousands of Doctors around the country. TCC is destined to do great things in the furture and I look forward to the day when TCC teachers find themselves in great demand. Keep the faith and think of TCC as a Service to Mankind.

I want to thank Ed for taking the job on such short notice and pulling the TCC Community together, and I want to thank Noel for the splendid job she did. Kathy Grassel, a very experienced editor, will take over the Vital Force and I have great confidence in her ability. All elements of T’ai Chi Chih will continue to grow, I am sure.

– Justin Stone