Teacher News (March 1992)

Sr. Alice Holden shares:

I would like to tell you what has been going on in St. Louis. I am the only T’ai Chi Chih instructor and have begun to set up classes. People have been very interested. However, I believe I have a lot more PR to do and many more demonstrations before the people really know that it’s here.

I began teaching the classes one hour a day, twice a week, mainly because I was looking for another job and didn’t know how long I’d be in the city. When I got discouraged with job-hunting, I decided to go into teaching TCC full time and, after consulting with a continuing education person at a local university, changed the class format to fit six one and a half hour classes. I then advertised for three such classes and am teaching them now. I’ve nine in two of them and only five in the third, but it’s a beginning.

In the afternoon I have a class at a retirement center. The folks love the movements, though most are done in a sitting position. I am also scheduled to have classes at the Jewish Community Center and at Maryville University in their spring session.

Although churches are often very busy with their own agendas, I have found some quite eager to have me teach TCC as moving meditation. I had 22 sign up after a Sunday demonstration. Fourteen came to classes. Other churches also responded favorably. I believe the program is very helpful to people involved in twelve step programs, also.

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Lisette Tingesdahl, Janesville, WI recently finished a PRENATAL CLASS with TCC as main theme. She noted, “It was very interesting and helpful to the couples granting both personal understanding and a coping mechanism–relaxation tools for all.”

Lisette Tingesdahl’s flyer reads: T’ai Chi Chih keeps one in the “Here & Now”, which brings concentration, innercalm, increased energy, creativity and better health.

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Rashelle O’Cullmain, Syracuse, NY is teaching TCC at Unity Center, Delphi Healing Art Center, and three classes for ambulatory-terminally ill, those with progressive diseases.

Barbara Lefforge, Long Beach, CA writes: I had a booth at Chevron’s “Think Tank” location in Brea where all the R & D nationally takes place. It was at their “Wellness Fair” and I showed the video passed out literature and showed employees some movements. I am hoping to get a contract to teach TCC at a clinic in their Fitness Center.

Kanta Lipsky, Arlington, MA (formerly Karen Kanta Shigley) writes to reconnect to the TCC organization/family: I am on the faculty of Interface in Cambridge and of Lesley College, where I have taught T’ai Chi Chih to augment my massage classes for the past seven years.

Barbara Joy shares this: I recently taught a seven hour day of T’ai Chi Chih: Serenity in the Midst of Activity” for the University of California Santa Barbara Personnel Office’s Training and Development Division, to staff and faculty. By the end of the day, practicing with this group was heavenly! I was riding high the next day! In January and February I will be teaching three TCC courses for Santa Barbara Recreation Department. I scheduled a morning course, and two evening courses. Because they want their classes to be monthly, I set it up with a four week course, “Level 1”: ten movements and another four week course, “Level 2,” the remaining ten movements. Corinn Codye taught at the Rec. Dept. a few years ago. She is well-remembered and highly thought of there. I will also be teaching a course for cancer patients and others with severe illnesses called “Dance Alive! A Healing Experience.” In a beautiful room with a view of the ocean, we will begin each evening with a T’ai Chi Chih movement. We will then do creative movement with guided imagery meditations and music. Thank you, Justin and Corinn! March 17-20, I will be leading a daily early morning TCC practice at the American Holistic Nurses’ Southwest Regional Conference, “Whirling Rainbow: Celebrating Unity and Diversity,” in Sedona. A great excuse for me to go to Sedona! In April I will be teaching a four hour course to the staff on Stress Reduction using guided imagery, sitting meditation, breathing and several T’ai Chi Chih movements. I’d be happy to share the proposal I made if you want to try it at your university.