| Thursday, November 3, 2005 JOHN ROLFE: ShopTalk
'Keeping the fun going'
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Q: So you'd been a fisherman, and you graduated from the Muskie School . . . A: At that time I planned to work as a recycling cooordinator . . . but there was no money in the public sector. And then my (t'ai chi) teacher at the time in this area felt the Maine winters were too hard for him - he was from away to begin with - and he eventually left for good in the fall of '97. And we had a good group of people doing t'ai chi, and . . . everybody kind of looked to me to keep the fun going.
Q: How come? Are you a fun guy? A: I'd like to think so! But I was the senior student. So I taught at other places and then rented this place on Forest Avenue in the spring of '99.
Q: Are you a master?
A: "Master" is a very overused cliche that does not signify what it used to.
Q: Are you from away, too? A: I grew up in Cambridge, Mass., but my relatives had a place in Georgetown since before I was born, so I'm one of those summer folk who finally wised up.
Q: How did you embark on t'ai chi?
A: I had broken up with my first true love, and was looking for something to do, and my housemate in college asked me to go to a class. So my first teacher, in upstate New York, was a guy named Maurice Haltom, who taught t'ai chi, kung fu and African dance. From him I learned about the joy of combining different ways of movement - and it was the first indication I got that there is not much difference between healing movement and martial movement. Q: T'ai chi is a martial art? A: Oh yes, it was developed in ancient China as a martial art. Only recently, meaning since about 100 years ago, has it been practiced significantly for its healing benefits. Some people call it the most widely practiced daily exercise program in the world. Q: So what is it exactly? A: Well, it's a martial and healing practice - we teach both here. We emphasize awareness of mind/body interaction, but the real key is the cultivation of relaxation. Anybody - in an athletic event, or business negotiations or asking the boss for a raise - if able to maintain high-quality relaxation, performs better. All the body's functions improve with relaxation. It's an interactive art. Unlike some others, it's not about just you, but you and the world. A real benefit of t'ai chi is that you don't go off away from the world - you cultivate the skills to relax in the world. One thing I'd really like to stress is the self-healing power of t'ai chi. A lot of studies suggest that it facilitates much better, faster, cheaper outcomes than Western medicine might have to offer. We've had a lot of success with people mitigating chronic ailments that don't respond to Western medicine, like arthritis and difficulty breathing. Q: Is it physically demanding? A: Not everyone can do certain movements . . . but we take in anybody who can take part in slow, meditative movement. The lower age range is in the early 20s, and we have one woman who's in her 80s. If you can walk in here, then you can do t'ai chi, although we don't require everyone to stand up throughout a class. One thing we say is that it helps to make the weak strong, and the strong able to sustain. The question I'm always asking is, "how is it going to be easiest for this person to learn the next movement or idea?"
Q: What about teenagers? A: We welcome them - and we have teenage students - but most teenagers are not inspired by slow, meditative movement. Q: Does it help people lose weight? A: It does for people who respond to stress by eating. Q: How's the male-to-female ratio? It seems that women might be more open to the idea than men. A: That's how it started off, but now we have a pretty even mix. A lot of men who might have been somewhat skeptical found that it could be really good for their weekend warrior pursuits. Hockey, running . . . we've got a number of golfers. I think the two sports that benefit the most from this are golf and winter sports, with their strong emphasis on balance. Q: Was it a hard business to get going in a Yankee state? A: I don't think it's a question of a Yankee state. It's more that we're not a large, urban area, with a population that can sustain the school, so that's been a bit of a challenge. Q: But you've grown over the years - A: We're at triple the enrollment (from the beginning). Q: How many students do you have? A: I don't usually give out numbers. It can vary a lot. We have classes four nights a week and also teach day and afternoon classes. We offer more t'ai chi classes than any other school in the state, perhaps in northern New England. Q: So others teach there, too - A: Four other people teach here with me. Q: How much do classes cost? A: We try to keep the rates reasonable. A 10-week (weekly) series is $105 and $140 a quarter for intermediate and advanced. Q: People must do it on their own, too - A: We encourage people to practice on their own, and a lot do. But some people find all they have time for is to come to classes, and that's fine. Part of the cultivation of relaxation is to meet people where they are rather than set expectations they can't meet or expect them to be somebody they're not. Q: Do you wear uniforms? A: Just loose, comfortable clothing. We like to stay informal. Q: Do you make a living doing this? A: I try! Q: Any drawbacks to the business? A: I really have to struggle to think of anything. I suppose, as a small-business person, it's hard to find enough time with my family. I have a fairly rigorous teaching schedule, with evening classes. I started to do this because I love it, and all the paperwork and administrative work can get in the way - but that's less a drawback than a stimulating challenge.
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