Almost 3 weeks ago now I sent this email out to close friends & family. It was the evening that we received our certificates after a heartwrenching ceremony and a long week. Sam hand-painted all of our certificates. Each with a different painting and each with a very different feel. It was a particularly proud moment for me and I’m grateful to Sam for his generousity.

Now the ‘Thousandth Part Path’ work really begins. Sam gave us the goods–it is up to us to do something with it. For myself I have big plans to kick some taiji toosh & get my students and friends fired up about this work! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

The email:

Dear friends family students colleagues teachers & mentors

I have completed my 3 month Yang Style Taijiquan Full Curriculum Intensive in San Miguel de Allende Mexico. Today.

Many have you have been in the loop since the planning started over 1 year ago some have helped me through tears & trials others with planning & preparation and all with well-wishes of support.

It has required all of this heart-felt support to get me to this point and I’m grateful to you all for being a part of my life.

I am SO looking forward to getting back home.

I have much to give now to my students.

And I have a lot to keep working on!
My teacher Sam Masich has given me my certificate in the following curriculum today:

• Gongli for Yang-style Taijiquan
        Standing Post
        Symmetrical push
        Breath Placement
        Gongli (strength flexibility & conditioning training)

• Yang-style Taijiquan solo barehand forms
        108 Yang Style Taijiquan solo form
        37 Postures (& families)

• Yang-style Taijiquan Push Hands
         Eight preparatory exercises (‘1-8’; & mix of drills) (Ba Pan Jia Zi)
         Four-hands (Si-zheng Tui-shou)
           Fixed-step (forward & backward timing)
           Fixed-step freestyle 
           Moving-step (follow cover circle-walking)   Moving-step freestyle (leg changes)
        Large Rolling (Da Lü)
           Da Lü diagonal & square orientation
           Da Lü variations and freestyle

• Free sparring (San-shou)
        Taiji San-shou form (‘88’; & mix)