Teacher trainer leads first T’ai Chi Chih workshop in CA in two years

May 4, 2002

By Athene Mantle, Event Host

A bright light was shining from the Oakland hills on May 4th as 44 T’ai Chi Chih teachers and students gathered for an all-day workshop in Northern California. Participants arrived with open hearts and all smiles ready to sink into the theme “Going Deeper and Building Community”. Our workshop instructor, new Teacher Trainer Pam Towne, skillfully led us with her gentle and flowing manner to a new level of awareness both with each other and in our practices. Pam had everyone ground, focus in the soles of the feet, soften the knees, and carefully get their balance each time before stepping out. For new teacher Bev Geiger, this lesson really sank in. New teacher Lois Arrigotti was grateful for a deeper sense of connectedness between hands and feet learned from Pam’s lesson on synchronicity. Kendelyn Beck, one of the 25 students and one of five future teacher candidates, said, “Pam is an excellent teacher. I certainly came away with much to incorporate into my practice…” Everyone also felt fortunate to have new Teacher Trainer Sandy McAlister join us in the afternoon and assist us with her expertise.

An amazing energy accumulated in the room as the day progressed. “Intense, wonderful and full of wonder” was how student Maureen Murphy described the day. It is certain that teacher Judith Schwartz was not alone in her “experiential knowing of JOY” as the day unfolded. It’s no wonder that our closing practice was extraordinary as we silently came to a gentle conclusion — 44 people moving as one. Teacher Virginia Cepeda expressed it beautifully when she said that as the workshop concluded, “Many of us were filled with wonderful and varied feelings, but LOVE touched us all”.

We are truly blessed and wish to give thanks to Justin for this beautiful gift to us all. For the T’ai Chi Chih Community a new era has begun as Ed Altman, along with Pam Towne, Sandy McAlister and the many dedicated T’ai Chi Chih teachers gently guide us into the new millenium.

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Exploring old boundaries, discovering new ways to be, and expanding consciousness is what the workshop was all about.

– Roberta Taggart
Instructor

Pam told us to begin each movement by sinking our weight into one foot and then waiting until we felt balanced before stepping out, to avoid having to rush to catch our balance…. I’ve surely read or heard this before, but this time, I was really ready to hear it. Sandy mentioned that people are only able to absorb a certain amount of information at one time, that learning is a process of adding small amounts of information to what’s been learned before. Both concepts were expressed in the context of practicing and teaching the TCC form. Yet they apply to the inner practice which for me involves an ongoing struggle with patience and self-acceptance. Many thanks to you Athene, for making the workshop learning opportunity possible.

– Bev Geiger
Instructor

I have a deep sense of gratefulness — to Pam for taking the time to lead this workshop; it was wonderful working with her to refine my movements, to Athene for all of her efforts to put together such a successful, enjoyable day, to my fellow attendees for coming together to learn and share how T’ai Chi Chih practice has benefited their lives, and to my instructor, Sandy McAlister, who has helped me refine my practice on a weekly basis. Their enthusiasm for this form of moving meditation is truly contagious!

– Lisa Thorburn
Future Teacher Candidate

What I didn’t know before this workshop: That the first two movements are considered warm-ups and there is no need for a physical warm-up before starting.

– Mary Jane Holmes
Student of Sandy McAlister

It was nice to see everybody doing the same thing. I could concentrate on refinement because everyone knew the movements.

– Gail Thistle
Student of Ilse “Joy” Meyer

Saturday was my first introduction to the TCC community, and it was marvelous. My gratitude to you for all that you did to make it all happen. I continue to feel the gentle, connecting, opening energy of the day.

– Susan Kenney
Future Teacher Candidate