Remembering Justin – Wednesday, March 28, 2012
I received word from Dan Penciak, T’ai Chi Chih teacher, mentor and friend this afternoon regarding Justin Stone’s passing after a lengthy illness. A special greeting to you all now as we remember and celebrate Justin with joy and with profound gratitude for his life and for his gift of T’ai Chi Chih/Seijaku to us and to our world, and for all that he was and all he taught us.
Below are notes from both Antonia, our T’ai Chi Chih Guide at the time, and Kim Grant, Editor of the Vital Force, our quarterly T’ai Chi Chih journal.
Justin is quoted on the cover of each VFJ as maintaining, “T’ai Chi Chih is a service to humanity. It is a form of love.” May we continue to bear witness to that in our lives.
Click here for a special NL Thank You and Remembrance submitted to our Vital Force Journal April 2012.
Here are two photos from our practice at The Lantern remembering and honouring Justin …
Justin thanks you for your life and your service to T’ai Chi Chih. And he reminds us to “Practice when you want to and practice when you don’t” and that “T’ai Chi Chih is a service to mankind”.
In gratitude, The Vital Force
Top photo above was sent by Kim Grant/Vital Force Journal Editor …Thank you, Kim.
Dear fellow T’ai Chi Chih Teachers and Students, (from Sister Antonia, T’ai Chi Chih Guide at the time)
We received the sad news today of the passing of Justin F. Stone, the Originator of the T’ai Chi Chih form. I greet each of you with a heavy heart at the death of a man who has given so much to the world. Justin led a very full life of 95 years, and left a great legacy to us as teachers and practitioners. We surely will miss Justin’s physical presence, his personal teachings, and guidance of the T’ai Chi Chih community.
Justin was unconscious for the last 3 days or so. When he passed, several teachers were there with him, meditating and doing T’ai Chi Chih. They say Justin took his last breath, let it out, and peacefully passed on. This happened shortly after noon today at 12:45p.m. Albuquerque time.
We, you and I, are the future that will enable Justin’s gift to be handed onto the next generation. One of my personal goals has been to include Justin and his words in all my communications, and I encourage you to do the same, as well as always refer to it as T’ai Chi Chih. Otherwise T’ai Chi Chih will simply be seen as another form of T’ai Chi Ch’uan, (which it is not). By being Accredited as T’ai Chi Chih teachers, we have proven our worthiness to continue to bring this form to the world so that everyone who wishes can have this moving meditation in their lives and experience the power of the Chi.
Some of you have voiced your concern to me over the past year or so about the future of T’ai Chi Chih after Justin’s death. I want to put your heart and mind at ease by telling you there is no need to worry. You are Justin’s legacy and we will all continue his work. As he often said, “The jewel of T’ai Chi Chih is in its teachers”. As Justin requested, I will continue as Guide of the T’ai Chi Chih community, and I always welcome you to contact me any time atantoniatcc9@aol.com . Prior to accepting Justin’s request that I become Guide, I asked him specifically to detail the job of Guide. His response was concise: 1. Unite the Teachers; 2. Lead the Conferences; 3. Bring T’ai Chi Chih into the future. This has been my heart’s intention since accepting the job in October of 2003.
In closing, I’d like to quote one of Justin’s statements, which I ask each of you to hold in your hearts and intentions as we move into the future: “…I can only see the future (of T’ai Chi Chih) as extremely bright, and I believe it will be accomplished by serious teachers.” You are those “serious teachers.” We do have an extremely bright future. Let’s move into it together, flowing softly, with joy and harmony.
Wishing you peace and all good,
Sr. Antonia Cooper, OSF
Guide of T’ai Chi Chih and the Community