The Present

Tonight was the last Thursday Intermediates class of the year before I move South and am just up for every 3rd class or so next term... Students from the various classes have clubbed together and bought me a wonderful leaving gift, and a lovely card. Everyone knows I love to cook... cakes, humous, bread, for instance, and I often use Jim's trusty food mixer for this, which I was going to have to replace somehow. Now I don't have to as they have got me a shiny 'robot culinaire' (everything sounds sexier in French) and I am hoping that all I have to do is say 'please make me some fresh bread' and it'll just do it. Maybe I'd better read the instructions first. Thankyou, everyone, it's just fabulous. I also wanted just a couple of photos of me with the class, as there are very few, but I forgot my camera, and the one that got used went onto the wrong setting, so there are a few random images on the way, which is kind of perfect.

Tonight, and last week too for that matter, there was the most delight-full atmosphere about the group. Wonderful intelligent questions that led to real insights came up from students that were a pleasure for me to investigate, demonstrate and answer. I shall deeply miss being at our four classes a week with all the heartful folk who populate them. I first began to share and teach T'ai Chi so that I had people to do it with, a sangha. Soon returning to study regularly with Mark, so that I could better teach as well as improve my own practice, I began to appreciate the wider T'ai Chi community of his classes in London too. My students started to have 121s and workshops with him, and then John's centre reopened and then there was the opportunity to meet all of his and Steven's students from all over the world. Looked at from this place, life could not be more full of blessings.

I'm looking forward to next term at all the classes North and South. For those I won't see for a few weeks, have a wonderful New Year.