Teaching TCC, a Maiden Voyage

Teaching is familiar territory. As a 21-year-old faculty member, I was quite green. More than 50 years later, some of the same anxiousness and uncertainty arose before teaching my first T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) classes. I knew that TCC was a discipline I would focus on and commit to for the remainder of my years. The first classes after my accreditation solidified this commitment.

As I had surmised, sharing informational flyers with my massage therapy clients would fill my classes. These folks were well versed in my practices of qigong, T’ai Chi Ch’uan, and TCC. Most had been given articles, movements, and videos over the 25 years they had been with me. What occurred with the TCC information was unique. My belief in TCC as a practice anyone could do created an enthusiasm in me that created a curiosity for clients. Many had tried some qigong or attended my T’ai Chi Ch’uan classes, yet they didn’t resonate or were too difficult.

The first few TCC classes were challenging for the students; their ages ranged from 18 to 80. This neither deterred them or me. They all returned, and some brought a friend as well. If someone missed a class, they made it up or came early to the next class to catch up. The commitment was energizing. This was what I had envisioned during all my years of teaching other disciplines.

When I discovered TCC, I knew immediately this was “the way” for me. After teaching the first class, the feeling of joy filled me, and the students had a path for their joy to blossom. As a newbie teacher of TCC, sharing videos of teachers on YouTube and Justin’s writings greatly enriches the students and me. I often highlight something I learn from these, helping students know that TCC is a “practice,” not something with a final outcome.