Community Reflections: “There is Only One Thing Going On”

Inspirations, questions, a-ha’s from our community

Through the lens of the overarching “There is Only One Thing Going On” theme of this year’s conference, small groups met periodically throughout the weekend. Five different gatherings responded to the following session themes: Worthiness, Unity (on Thursday evening); Beginning, Not Here by Accident (on Friday morning); Justin Stone’s “Have Courage, the Courage to Doubt your Own Doubts” (on Friday afternoon); and Opening, Joy (on Friday evening).

Courage

“Courage: When unforeseen events or circumstances occurred, whether broken bones, hip surgeries, fires or storms, there was the realization that the years of practice of T’ai Chi Chih (TCC) contributed to a refusal to be kept down, a discovery of resilience and an ability to stay calm, and even be a light to others. Also, the comforting message: ‘I am OK. I can do this, I am supported,’ blossoming from our TCC experience.”

“Courage to choose happiness.”

“Taking action takes courage.”

“Courage to be my authentic self. Courage to not be afraid of the energy. TCC would serve me as I needed to deal with the energy in a Psych Ward.”

“TCC gives me the courage to come out of my ‘rabbit hole.’”

“Courage to tell my story.”

“It takes courage to let go and go with the flow of life.”

“It takes courage to not be judgmental.”

“Courage is overcoming fear. Must accept your moments as your true self.”

“Courage expressing as relates to practice: leaving a long-term marriage, starting a new business, I realize it gave me courage to manifest. TCC “created” this. Teaching by Zoom, challenging, a whole different animal.”

“Courage to talk to people about TCC. How it has helped me through difficult times and obstacles. The Chi flows with me and I get breakthroughs; it leads me to where I need to go.”

“Why am I not encouraging my students to become teachers? It’s a great way to encourage students to keep going.”

“Kidnapped by Chi: First class ‘something happened.’ I went home and researched TCC, began to practice every day … Very sensitive to energy that was not grounded … Courage to ‘go on.’ Chronic pain was so severe. TCC was the gift of life for me. ‘I found my tribe.’ The ‘give and receive’ of TCC is so lifesaving. ‘Who could ask for anything more.’“

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Joy

“Trust the energy. It will quickly settle down my ‘joy buzz.’”

“Allowed me to find my tribe. To relish the joy of being in the now. Go on a different frequency to understanding others.”

“Get out of head and just feel/be universal Chi. ‘Joy of not moving.’”

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“Discontent and doubt awaken you as part of searching for the Truth.”

“Quote by Justin: ‘Don’t doubt your own experiences.’”

“If you really doubted everything, you’d be enlightened.”

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Worthiness

Group M: “Are we more ‘in control’ when giving? … Being ‘selfish’ so we can be ‘self-less’ … TCC as gift: can struggle with worthiness to receive the gifts that would come with own daily practice … We learn from our students the spirituality of imperfections and non-judgmentalism … We are not in charge; TCC is in charge.”

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Unity

“A-ha from April’s work with Rocking Motion: As we became more united in our movement and April began to send ‘bad’ Chi-mail to some of our group, it felt that our unity (energy) could protect them, could deflect that bad energy. Wow. We can empower, protect, ourselves and each other, by being in unison.” — Molly Grady

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Opening

“Receive from TCC: Awareness/Choice … Gift of energy, patience … Calmness, being in the body, awareness … Completely change physical, internal, and spiritual opening.”

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“We must be ready to open the door or close the door … we are not here by accident.”

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The following are more inspirations, questions, a-ha moments that emerged from the first and second days of the conference.

“TCC gave clarity to the transformational path of looking at the deepest part of our being.”

“What if you don’t feel Chi after many years?”

“How to allow fluttering without forcing hands to shake?”

“This present moment in time is all we have. We don’t have the past or the future. This perspective helps me to stay grounded here and now, with my heart and soul where my feet are.”

“TCC meets you where you are.”

“When you sense and feel energy it can be overwhelming.”

“We can ground ourselves.”

“TCC has nothing to do with religion. Everything to do with spirituality.”

“What you put out, you get back: ‘Chi-Mails’”

“You are the most authentic person here — I want what you have.”

“Give them a little sprinkle of TCC.”

“Change in how meditation gets taught. More gratitude to let whatever needs to happen, happen.”

“TCC helps us feel authentic.”

“Dealing with a life/light.”

“You can’t do it wrong. You can only do it better.”

“Strength to pursue all I treasure in life. More to life than what you thought.”

“No ‘shouldn’t’ on yourself reveals compassion in oneself. Can live outside the ‘box.’”

“Peacefulness in the now.”

“Realizing life is more than what I had experienced in working life.”

“I found my tribe. Reason to continue.”

“Everything blooms in its own time.”

“Enlightenment — letting things be whether you agree or not.”

“I reread Abandon Hope before conference this year. I reread his books often. But this year when I read Abandon Hope, I thought, ‘my goodness, Justin is getting smarter every year.’” — NWA

“I like TCC because it doesn’t break my nose.”

“’You are a lot less crazy,’ observed a co-worker after six months.”

“Living outside of ego.”

“Taught at a detention center (at first trepidation). After the first group continued for seven years, one participant wrote for The Vital Force, ‘I have a freedom inside myself.’”

“Comment after Carmen’s Seated TCC: It would be wonderful to do the rest of Carmen’s seated TCC practice over the next few days. I’d miss lunch to be with Carmen longer. (Frankly I’d miss other break times and lunches to be with her and this practice.) Wonderful, Carmen.” — Gail Terriff, Canada

“What came to mind reading about keeping TCC pure is that the longer I practice, the more I realize how much I don’t yet know. We have to let TCC in, not ‘do’ TCC. But let it show and teach us. That is the pureness of the practice, not what my mind ‘knows.’“ — Lisa Stroyan

“It’s okay to shine.“ (in response to Justin’s quotation that teachers are the jewel of TCC) —Holly

“Everyone at our table came to TCC because of something: grief, physical pain, stress. Everyone at our table said that TCC has been a huge influence in their lives. Takeaways: ‘Teacher holding student accountable (or mentor/support) … Support of other students/community … Strong desire to feel more/experience more TCC (going deeper).’”

“Carmen, thank you so much for your seated TCC presentation. You improved my Chi circulation to my fingers, to my feet, and to the top of the head. You are awesome.” — Bonnie S.

“Kidnapped by the Chi.”

“Realizing I can’t do this myself. (Getting people to finally try TCC.) Push Pull: Who are we sending this energy to today?”

“There is a place for every ‘teacher’ — we all find our niche to contribute. We don’t have to be active teachers.”

“Listen/Hear/Do (active) | Choices (too many) vs. Decisions (it is done).”

“Teaching at a health club — realize that I have more men than women in classes.”

“The mind body spirit connection and health benefits of TCC.”

“Is the tan t’ien the same as core? Hmm? Is it?”

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The following are community inspirations, questions, a-ha’s from our third and fourth day of conference. Five different gatherings responded to the following session themes: Giving & Receiving (on Saturday morning); Willingness, Inclusion (on Saturday afternoon); Trust, Rededicate inwardly & outwardly (on Saturday evening); and Love, Gratitude (on Sunday morning).

“The TCC community: Last sharing of our time together: Not judgmental. Generous and open. The fellowship is precious. Letting go (wisdom flowing, inspiration) assurance and integrity, ‘Teh,’ sincerity, authenticity, appreciation, and unique living experience.”

“Giver/Receiver into balance … Give/Receive … Pushing the negative out and receiving the positive, welcoming … Exchange of energy, back and forth from students and teachers … Sharing love.”

“You say, ‘Like attracts like.’ I say, ‘Light attracts light.’”

“Are we still doing TCC research?”

K-Table: “TCC provided continuity. Movement and energy brought framework. Balance in life. … Prison riot lunchroom calmed by inmate doing the ‘Lights.’ Bring into balance, open to all experiences. … Observe the group experience and find the balance.”

“Gratitude: To all that brought me/us to this very moment.”

“There is no gain or loss of energy; it simply changes.” — Paul

“Question: Teaching TCC to babies, i.e., mothers holding babies? … Gift: patience … Needs: teaching young children.”

“Finding my inner home. The Chi is love. Teaches me self-love, let go of judgment. Spiritual aspect is so full. My heart keeps growing.”

“No intentions of learning/teaching TCC. Hips went out; then flowed into TCC. Felt the Chi halfway through class. Never had this feeling with TCC. I realized so much more to life, sharing TCC is the most important gift of my life. TCC became a way of life for me.”

“Ask yourself: ‘I wonder what my next thought will be?’ And then wait for it to come.”

“To Be Seen … The art of letting go … Learning how to live in the Now. … As I am teaching the classes, I am learning flow, like the ocean (continuity) … Surrender to the mystery of Chi. What does it offer? The movement listening, quieting the mind. Feel the healing. Surrender to the love … Learning to be responsive vs. reactive … Learning to be quiet (tan t’ien voice becomes louder, quiet, clear wisdom). The tan t’ien has a voice, impeccable guidance. Allow myself to act on that guidance, respond to it … Getting out of your own way.”

“Ground and breathe, and then move into life.”

“Remember to give to myself as well as to others. Open myself to receive.”

“Giving and receiving is the same in the flow; allow the balance.” — KG

“TCC helped with several people’s vertigo.”

“Justin took all of his knowledge and wisdom of Eastern ways and philosophy and encapsulated it all into TCC. That’s why it is so powerful.”

“Instead of focusing on the mechanics of the movements with students, focus on the feeling they get.”

“How do we differentiate TCC from the ‘easy’ kinds of T’ai Chi and Qi Gong that seem to have saturated the market. [In these ‘easy’ brands] some ‘teachers’ have a weekend course to be certified.”

“Releasing the tan t’ien — that focus, physical feeling, of the connection between the tan t’ien and the rest of the body.”

“If the fingers are not moving, it may just mean the meridian channels are open, there is not ‘cavitation,’ the energy just flows freely.”

“Gift: Ability to intuit the importance of TCC.”

“When the hips break free, the movements become easier. Try a hula hoop. Or do the twist.”

“Gift: Basin of water helps.”

“Ability to focus on an area of the body.”

“The gift of seeing the effect TCC had on a Parkinson’s patient gave me the confidence to expand the teaching of TCC. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t a ‘good’ teacher.”

“What keeps those that lose their mobility happy with life (inner life): they are cheerful. Is it mental TCC? A meditation that is able to keep neurological channels open? If there are benefits from mental TCC, why do we focus on the movement of wrists, waist, hands, weight? Is mental TCC a form of mantra?”

“Movements allow me to concentrate, focus the mind on something to let the mind get out of the way and allow the Chi to do what it needs to do.”

“The mind-body connection — the beauty of TCC.”

“Parallels of Rocking Motion and rocking a baby; yinning and yanging equals rocking the baby.”

“As teachers we both give and receive (a cycle of yin and yang) — oftentimes receiving much more than we give.”

“It’s okay to not be perfect.”

“Every flower blooms at its own time.”