Teachers on the San Francisco Conference

Best Aspects Of The Conference

“Beginning each session with a quote from Justin … Being able to do T’ai Chi Chih under the guide and trainers; refining movements and making necessary corrections; dividing teachers into groups and letting the trainers make corrections by showing us how to move … Connecting to essence … Sandy’s talk on mindfulness was the meat of the conference; the gift of TCC was tied with a gracious, secure bow and anchor … Interacting with all the teachers; I enjoyed seeing so many different beings come together for a common cause – TCC practice … Teaching tips … Refining moves; sessions when people gave their perspective from personal experience … Group breakout sessions with Sandy, Pam and Antonia when they guided us through specific movements … The positive attitude … A heartfelt experience … Picking up new teaching ideas and sharing ideas with other teachers.”

Why Others Should Attend Conference

“It demonstrates through action our devotion to the community … To feel and learn from our community … If we want to grow as a group, we need to be connected with each other … It’s the place to learn more about teaching; the more teachers that attend, the more the community can grow and sustain itself … For the strong connection; having so many people flow as one is truly wondrous … We need the wisdom and energy of all teachers … The bigger the pot we stir and the more energy we create that percolates in the world … To improve their TCC practice and get teaching tips from others in breakout groups … To be humbled.”

“It’s amazing how much we teachers have in common. We are cut from the same piece of cloth. You don’t realize (or you forget) until a conference experience brings it all back to you. We need each other.”

What You’ll Remember Most About Conference

“Group Chi and the individual flow of ideas and warmth … The session on mindfulness; the idea that the restful pose is a time for sinking into silence and being mindful of the ever increasing stillness within and then bringing that stillness and silence into the next moment … Connection with other teachers … Glow and enthusiasm of new teachers … How courteous the organizers were; the entire atmosphere was conducive to concentrating on deepening into the essence of TCC … Some activities are good for the body, some for the mind, and some for the soul; TCC nourishes all three … I’ve sunk deeper into my personal practice and am able honor my limitless essence … Hearing that stillness is part of the movement – the stillness of “stopping” ever so slightly … Reaching within allows softness … Openness … The best information often is shared after the formal discussion is over, and we’ve had the chance to digest the ideas; these hallway seminars stay in the mind … Sr. Antonia’s sharing of her experience on the N.J. highway and her recognition of perhaps her own dark side peeping out; she clearly stayed grounded in her meeting with her angry driving neighbor … Carmen explained the oval T’an T’ien very well during a breakout session … The camaraderie … Jean Katus’ poem … We moved together like wind through the South Dakota prairie.”

What You’ll Take Away From Conference For Your Classes

“The silence after each movement; finding the T’an T’ien more; really appreciating where I am in the movement … More confidence and self-worth as a teacher; I have something to share for those ready to take it in … Work in class with fewer words … Softness, continuity, stronger sense of purpose … The essence of TCC; to remind my students to move from the center, swivel the hips, turn the waist, yin and yang; remembering softness and continuity … Turning the wrists which Carmen so clearly explained in a session … Face your students when you speak, as some may be hard of hearing … If many students wore TCC shirts, the awareness of TCC may explode … Community flowed like a river … Keep thoughts that should be treasured; let go of those that need to be buried.”

More Conference Comments

Essence holds limitless freedom. Attending conference is the icing on the cake of our practice. Feeling the group energy, sharing ideas, and contributing to community is vital. Re-spiriting will carry us further, giving us courage, affirming that we are in the right place to share with others.

– Terry Slaney

Several teachers agreed at the conference to promote outreach to inactive teachers. Our powerful TCC family would be immeasurably strengthened if each Vital Force subscriber reached out to one former teacher, teacher candidate, or beloved TCC practitioner. Meet with them locally, or even better, come together at the 2009 conference in Nebraska.

– Hannah Hedrick

The conference has always been revitalizing since I’m the only teacher in my area. I appreciate hearing different ideas and catching everyone’s enthusiasm. It’s important to have this tangible community experience, to more viscerally experience the widespread movement. This year I also had the chance to interact with teachers who have drop-in groups and teach cancer patients, two new forthcoming areas for me.

– Catherine Fedewa

I’ve been accredited for eight years and this was my eighth conference. Just as my TCC practice deepens each year, so do my connections with other teachers. The relationships widen to encompass more people and deepen with those I already know.

– April Leffler

It’s evident how the conference provides an opportunity to share as a community of teachers. Intensives and retreats provide time to focus on improving and refining our personal practice. Both are distinct and worthwhile goals.

– Linda Williams

We’ll leave our hearts in San Francisco, but we’ll take Chi home to spread around.

– Rodney Anderson

Settling into a room full of like-minded travelers takes me to a pool of joyous silence and depth. Together we move; together we ground; together we heal ourselves and the world with light, softness, and expanding energy. I have gratitude for Justin Stone’s unfolding wisdom and to all my teachers opening the way.

– Linda Robinson

There are conference times for movement together, but also blocks of time dedicated to improvement of specific moves. This has helped me become a better teacher. There are also opportunities at meals, between sessions, and at evening socials to meet other teachers and establish lasting friendships. The final ceremony always gives me a sense of belonging to something much greater than myself. And it is true: I belong to the TCC community of certified teachers.

– Alice Holden

By the wintertime, I tend to forget the importance and fun of the conference, and I think, “Why attend conference when we practice together weekly in Albuquerque?” Yet converging and conferring is vital to the well being of TCC.

– Connie Hyde

I wait, holding my flute, until my heart and breath and fingers feel connected to essence. What happens then? What music flows through? I never know beforehand. The magic of the moment creates the melody. Listen. Listen. What do you hear?

– Joanna Woodrow

I came not knowing what to expect but bringing as open a mind as possible. I wanted to learn from others, especially how to schedule classes, charge for services, and market classes. And I received great input and insight in those areas. I also discovered that belong to a unique association. I was greatly strengthened and impressed by the dedication to purpose, originality, and the power of so many wonderful people. I waited too long to attend my first conference. I’ll be back. I leave the conference with greater understanding of TCC and my potential for service.

– Chris Norkus

How can you honestly say you practice the best possible TCC and not go to the conference? That’s like saying you want to be the best possible nurse or engineer and never going to seminars to fine tune your skills. We need to require some form of CEU’s to keep accreditation: workshops, conferences, or retreats.

– Ann Rutherford

Each of my classes has a theme like softness and continuity or Chi, circularity, and polarity. And at the end of each class, when rest in the Chi, I read something from Justin’s Spiritual Odyssey. In that way, my students get to know Justin and often ask for his books and DVDs.

– Stan Corwin