Y’all Come & See Us, You Hear

Streaming south from Austin, Texas, through the velvety darkness, my eyes swimming with the after-images of a thousand red taillights and my nostrils inflamed by the allergens released by rain on drought-parched fields of Central Texas, I focus instead on converting my anxiety to energy – in anticipation of the week of teacher training ahead in San Antonio. Knowing that I faced mental letting go and physical challenges, I struggled to offset my attachment at becoming an accredited T’ai Chi Chih instructor with the knowledge that I would be among loving instructors like Alice Holden, Terry Gay Puckett, and Renza Baker (all of whom had already exchanged so much patience for my ego-fueled impatience and tolerance for my insecure obsession on “correct” movements). Now, as the week comes to a welcome close, I am deeply grateful to Pam Towne’s sensitivity for who I was and her few (but well-chosen) words for who I might become. In equal measure, auditor Stephen Thompson shares my heartfelt thanks for his penetrating insight and ability to communicate needed refinements that left me eager to embrace them. I hope to know Lucky Elliott better as I really enjoyed the teaching exercise she participated in and her way of explaining movements.

In preparation for the teacher training, I focused on the movements. At the training, I hadn’t anticipated how much I would appreciate reading Justin’s words and hearing them on CD and seeing him on video. Their substance became much more real. As the practice continues to reveal itself, I am confident that when TCC is doing TCC, the wisdom in Justin’s words will have even greater significance. What was my overall lasting impression? Love.

News Flash: T’ai Chi Chih gains toe hold in Austin, Texas. Certified by Pam Towne in San Antonio at the Teacher Training there in May, Richard Cutler, PhD, is the first accredited teacher in Central Texas where, putting his left foot forward, he has already lined up classes for the fall through Austin’s Parks and Recreation Division and Austin Community College’s Continuing Education. An informal group meets with Richard for practice and instruction every Saturday morning at 9am in Eastwoods Park, near the University of Texas. Y’all come and see us.