TCC Practice Saved my Sanity on a Long Trip

Student of Georgann (G’an) Wright

My husband & I recently took a 7000-mile road trip. Some was business and some was visiting relatives who lived in the general areas where we were traveling. We covered 12 states and were on the road or in meetings for the entire two weeks. I felt lousy about missing my twice a week T’ai Chi Chih class & was determined to continue to practice on my own each day of the trip. Unlike some of my resolutions of the past, I not only accomplished this, but found myself eagerly looking forward to those precious moments. Each evening I took the time to go through as much as I could remember (which grew as the days went on — “Oh, I remember now…it goes like this…”) T’ai Chi Chih practice allowed me to unwind, forget the day’s frantic pace & even manage to forget the next day’s anticipated regime that was truly an endurance contest! Added bonus: I slept better every night in all those strange beds than I usually do at home!

I also used any rest stops, no matter how brief sometimes, to do at least a little T’ai Chi Chih practice. And in the car, when my husband drove, I intermittently found myself doing the arm & hand movements & deep breathing. I’ve done yoga for years & haven’t cared if people notice I’m doing some “strange” things in public, so I certainly wasn’t self-conscious. Taking care of myself is a lot more important than wondering what some people I will never see again think about me!

I had been taking T’ai Chi Chih classes for about four months & heard my teacher and others in the class speak of “tingling” in the fingers & the lightness of being totally absorbed. Well, that sure hadn’t happened yet for me & I sort of wondered if maybe that was either an imagined state or if I was just incapable of attaining it. So when I found these things happening to me consistently on this trip, I was peacefully thrilled. I sure hadn’t tried & I remember looking around me to see if I was still really in this world! I sensed a “floaty” sensation, a lightness…so incredibly delightful I cannot explain the release of tension & relief of those seemingly endless ruminations that tend to take over my mind after a day of overwhelming details.

I was so happy to get home & return to my T’ai Chi Chih classes — wanted to tell my teacher all about my T’ai Chi Chih “trip.” It was also great to be back in class as a part of a beautiful whole that was missing on my own. Being a part with others in such a mindful way brings a beauty that is truly art.

My thanks to all the friends in my class, to Priscilla who suggested last summer in the locker room that I come to the class (I didn’t know her at all…she just began talking to me about how wonderful T’ai Chi Chih practice was for her!), and my heartfelt gratitude to my teacher G’an.

With all that has been happening in our world since September 11, finding the T’ai Chi Chih discipline has brought some much needed calming into my life. I have two sons in the military — T’ai Chi Chih practice continues to give me chance to find some tranquillity in the chaos.