The Lighter Side… (June 2000)

1. At the start of Around the Platter (or polish the plate, as one student calls it), an elderly lady and gentleman sitting side by side interlocked fingers, and then continued to move around the circle. (It was so cute!)

– Sharon Sirkis

2. When teaching Push Pull, one senior said, “I’d like to push away all my worries.”

I asked, “What are you worried about?”

Another senior piped in, “I’m worried about how much longer we’re going to be doing this, I’m tired!”

– Sharon Sirkis

3. During his last dental visit, one student found himself doing wrist circles when he realized his arms were too long for the dentist’s chair! (He said this relaxed him, and also gave him something to do).

– Sharon Sirkis

4. I’m often amused at some of the places my students choose to practice TCC (i.e. bathroom stall at work). One student told me he likes to do Pulling Taffy in the car. When he noticed my puzzled look, he explained that when he’s stopped at a red light he’ll pull taffy with his right hand towards the passenger seat, and his left hand sails out the window!

– Sharon Sirkis

5. After emphasizing the importance of moving softly and slowly, one student, Nell, tells me she’s an “AOL.”

“I don’t get it,” I say, “You mean America On Line?”

“No,” she laughs, “I mean Antsy Old Lady!”

– Sharon Sirkis

6. FLOWING WITH FRANK

Twice a month I teach T’ai Chi Chih to about 20 people at the Pine Villa Retirement Residence in Toronto [Canada]. We do sitting T’ai Chi Chih, because the room is very small and because many of the residents would not be able to do standing TCC. I bring my own taped music, usually something classical that is soothing and familiar, like Pachelbel’s Canon in D.

One morning when I arrived, there were several people sitting around in the activities room listening to a Frank Sinatra tape. When I went to change tapes, one of the women asked me not turn off the music that was playing. So we had a half hour of T’ai Chi Chih with Frank Sinatra. It worked and was a most enjoyable session. T’ai Chi Chih teaches us how to flow.

– Nancy Vermond