Zen Meditation

All Beings are primarily Buddhas:
It is like water and ice.
There is no ice apart from water:
There are no Buddhas apart from Beings.
Not knowing how close the truth is to them,
Beings seek for it afar – What a pity.

If one can chant from the depths of the diaphragm and with the whole heart and body, without emphasizing individual words or sounds, he or she will feel an overpowering rhythm that has a life of its own, and there will be a steady flow of deep sound from this serious practice, engulfing the chanter and causing that person to die the great Zen Death.

One’s objective is nothing less than Total Enlightenment. Let the corollary benefits come, if they will. Let the psychic experiences multiply, if they do – we will ignore them. After all, they are products of one’s own mind and just represent ignorance.

Having broken my foot a week ago, I have been struggling with patience and self-pity. Today, March 28th, feeling very stiff and in a very low space, I could hear Justin’s voice saying, “Practice when you want and practice when you don’t want.” I had no choice but to pull up a chair and bingo! I felt the old familiar release of tension and clarity just as I usually do when in a standing position. It had been some time since my last practice, and I felt like a huge weight had lifted from my body. To hear of his passing today after this experience validates the power of my “connectedness” with him as well as with the greater T’ai Chi Chih community. There is no separation in true love. Justin and I had never met in the physical realm but yet his hand-written note acknowledging my teacher accreditation and his wisdom will sustain me, as well as his gift of T’ai Chi Chih. I tingle all over when I read the quotation [on the TCC website homepage], which I heard inwardly before the news. My condolences to all those who worked with and supported Justin these last few years.

– Beth Preston, Shohomish, WA

With sadness and yet with hope I have heard of the passing of Justin via Sr. Kay Morrell who was my teacher and mentor in Toronto. I moved in 2009 to Israel and am trying to spread T’ai Chi Chih here. I would like to share an experience I had regarding Justin’s passing. I am practicing TCC every morning before heading out to the “war” out in the streets. In the past month or so, for no apparent reason, I have been thinking of Justin and his wonderful gift of TCC. However, the thoughts went beyond just thought, and I felt a presence when I was practicing – very calming and reassuring presence.

I picked up his book with the photos and it came alive. I even told someone that the founder is well over 90 years old and still practices, although I said that according to him you can practice it in your head too … I think it’s remarkable that Justin would be in my thoughts especially so close to his passing. I never had the privilege to meet with him, but I always thought that he was a remarkable human being who made his mark on the universe. TCC for me is not only the connection with Divine Order; it is my way to inner peace and health and to my being. Thank you all in the TCC community for continuing to pass Justin’s torch of light to the world. Peace and blessings.

– Dina Ajlenberg, Hadera, Israel

Thank you, Justin, for saying “yes” and following where it took you so that I and so many others can do the same. May you eternally enjoy the jazz tunes the angels sing.

– Deborah Massey, Malvern, PA

The February 2012 issue of The Vital Force arrived in Costa Rica late (which is not unusual). I had just picked it up from my mailbox in San Isidro and skimmed it, thinking about Justin, whose picture was on the cover. Actually I could not get him out of my mind that day or the next. I thought of the last letter I received from Justin — after I had sent him a magazine article with photos of a course I was offering in Florida. It included a photo of someone who knew him well as a young man. Justin’s letter was warm and intimate, handwritten at his advanced age. It touched me. The next day, March 28th, I received the notice of his death.

– Anita Vestal, Poinciana, FL