It was an International Workshop!

Today was my first Tai Chi Workshop in Maine.  We were quite fortunate to be able to squeeze the workshop in between dire projections regarding the weather.  There were close to twenty of us who started out in the drizzling rain this morning to start the day at the UU Church in Houlton.   It was quite fun that about one-third of the participants were from Canada.  Throughout the day at breaks and lunch I got to have a real sense of the way that people in "border towns" move back and forth making the border very permeable and a part of daily life.  This was a welcomed surprise of my day and I am looking forward to hearing more stories and learning more about great places to visit at the end of the month when I am traveling to Fort Fairfield.  

Our workshop today was focused on learning a form developed by Dr. Lam - who has taken traditional Tai Chi forms and adapted them for specific medical conditions.   This form which is quite simple and beautiful in movement of chi and deep relaxation was developed for heart conditions.  We learned the form and the teaching was so clear and affirming.  We had ample space for teaching and learning, and took good long breaks.  

One of the interesting things about the church is that in the basement they have the Cup Cafe - it is a coffee shop where music, food, and other gatherings take place.  We all at together in the cafe.  Food and conversation was good, and there were at least several of us who were keeping track of what is happening with the weather.  There was a lot of rain and the temperature reached almost 50!  A new appreciation of the term "january thaw".  

I made it home safely,  the rain is quite incredible and how knows what tomorrow night will look like, as through the night the temperature will fall and the snow is supposed to start around midnight when the rain turns to snow!  Hold on, we are in for a weather ride.  

It is Saturday night and I am happy to be home sweet home.