
Clarkdale became the center of the Tai Chi universe for three days this March when teachers from all over Arizona came together to become better teachers.
We were all there for certification, skill building and recertification by the Tai Chi Institute for Health's TCAFP, TCA 2 and TCA 73. Rather than unravel all that, just know that if you live to be 150 we can keep training you in Sun Style Tai Chi.
Writing this on day-three after the training I'm not sure my feet have touched the ground yet. I learned so much. From Arizona's Master Teacher for the Institute, Heather Chalon. She's the REAL DEAL and what a privilege to be in the same room soaking up her Tai Chi knowledge and watching how she teaches. And the same goes for everything I gained from the other teachers. What a joy.
A quick story...
There's quite a bit of preparation required to attend a training like this. You need to demonstrate via questionnaire and video that you understand and can perform the Tai Chi form you are attempting to be certified for. In fact, the teachers from Cottonwood, Prescott, and Flagstaff met weekly for the month prior to prepare.
The night before the training it occurred to me I didn't have any new yellow notepads for ALL THE NOTES I assumed I'd be taking. I dug out a pocket notebook and thought that would take me through the first morning, and I'd sneak out to Office Max during lunch for notepads.
It turns out I didn't have a notepad problem. Here are all the notes I took over three days:
"Take your time!"
Tai Chi teaches to be present and aware. To absorb incoming forces and respond appropriately. Tai Chi is never in a hurry. And there's always more depth if you slow down and be present. Said another way, perhaps, it's okay to prepare. But don't make too many assumptions about what something will bring (or what your note-taking requirements will be).
Take your time. Those three words have impacted everything about how I teach now. They fuel my learning going forward.
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