What T’ai Chi Chih Has Done for Me

When I attended the sample session of T’ai Chi Chih, I had no idea what it was really about as I hobbled into the class with my right ankle so painful and stiff that I walked with great difficulty with a very serious limp. It was a relief to find that it was a low impact activity. I remember doing the moves with great difficulty because of the pain and stiffness of my ankle. I enrolled for the beginners course because I was fascinated by the moves and that I was learning a series of movements related to a discipline that originated some 4,000 years ago, yet consisted of just 19 moves and one pose, instead of the 108 moves of the original T’ai Chi Ch’uan. I was also fascinated that Justin Stone, an American, had originated the T’ai Chi Chih course.

In about the fourth session it happened! While doing the Push Pull move as I wished that my ankle would improve, the excruciating pain stopped and I found my ankle moving with only slight pain! I could hardly wait until we ended the series of movements so that I could see if my walking had improved. AMAZING! I could walk practically without a limp! I was sold on T’ai Chi Chih! From that moment on, I took T’ai Chi Chih very seriously and began practicing it every morning.

Soon I noticed other benefits from T’ai Chi Chih. I found that not only did it relax me, but I found myself responding positively and staying calm when dealing with people who were arrogant or aggressive. I found myself able to respond in a manner which soothed and calmed them too, so that we could talk rather than argue, and I had more patience in dealing with all kinds of difficult situations. I found myself hugging family members, and eventually friends when we met and when we parted. I found myself even feeling sorry for Timothy McVeigh instead of hating him because I came to understand his frustration with our government and that his ruthless act was caused by his inability to choose a positive and productive means to express it, rather than a destructive one which injured and killed innocent people, and failed to convey the message he sought to communicate. Had he based his actions on love rather than hate, whatever cause he meant to champion would have probably been served more effectively.

Other benefits from my practice have been greater ease in controlling my diabetes and high blood pressure. This has happened more recently as I am in the third year of my T’ai Chi Chih practice. Hopefully sometime soon I will be able to reduce the medications currently used. The first symptom of success is that it is easier to control my ailments as indicated by no need for stronger doses that I see my peers being required to use who have the same ailments.

Needless to say, I realized that the only way I could get more and more positive benefits from T’ai Chi Chih was to become an accredited instructor which I did Sept. 1, 2001. It seems to be working. Thanks Ed Altman, Noel, Dan, Sr. Antonia, and Justin Stone.