At the recent, very enjoyable teachers’ conference in Albuquerque [in 1989], I was pleased to hear frequent ref- erence to the “T’ai Chi Chih community.” I do not take this as an organizational reference – T’ai Chi Chih does not have an orga- nization – but as a description of a spiritual community that has grown very naturally from T’ai Chi Chih. This would include not only the teachers but their sincere students as well. This wave of the T’ai Chi Chih community is slowly spreading throughout the world, furnishing a constructive force that is badly needed to counter the influence of drugs and violence (all prompted by greed). The peace that emanates from T’ai Chi Chih prac- tice should have a noticeable effect as T’ai Chi Chih continues to spread. It’s obvious in the faces of student and teacher alike as they conclude their practice. T’ai Chi Chih is truly a moving meditation, with spiritual as well as physical benefits.
My most pleasant memory of the conference has to do with the early morning practice, in silence, at the Old Town Plaza – watched by many townspeople – as the sun began to rise over the Sandia mountains. It is interesting to note that the sandias in India are the three periods of the day felt to be most suitable for meditation – sunrise, noon, and midnight. Some would also include dusk in this list.
