Teaching a T’ai Chi Chih Course in Hertford, NC

Words from our Guide

By Sr. Antonia Cooper, OSF

What a surprise it was to receive an invitation to conduct a T’ai Chi Chih Retreat in Hertford, NC. It was extended by a woman who had been a student with me in a training course for Spiritual Direction in 1986-88. She and her husband had taken an early retirement, built a lovely home in a retirement community complete with an 18-hole golf course, pools, tennis courts, and a club house. We decided on January 16 – 19 and she put out the invitation with 15 persons responding from the retirement community and her church. None of the participants were familiar with the T’ai Chi Chih form, but all were open and eager to learn. The retreat totaled about 16 hours; learning “how to move,” viewing parts of Justin’s video and the Teachers Practice, Pam’s video, using quotes of Justin taken from various sources; we laughed and experienced the “joy thru movement” as well as some frustration with the taffies. When we got to Passing Clouds, I was getting frustrated myself because no matter what was said, or what image was used, they just were not getting it. Not knowing what else to do, I invited them to find a partner, and directed them to do “Partner Practice.” A few said it would be like the blind leading the blind, but I said that would be okay. So with great attentiveness to one another, they gave in to the process. I walked around the room and to my great surprise, something happened, and, for the most part, they were moving quite well. Thank you, Linda Braga, for sharing this process with us during the past couple Conferences. I may be traveling back to North Carolina in six months to do a one-day workshop to further deepen their understanding and experience of TCC.