Return to Stillness: Twenty Years with a Tai Chi Master

by Trevor Carolan

Trevor Carolan studied tai chi, meditation, and traditional Chinese healing for twenty-three years under the guidance of the late Master Ng Ching-Por in Vancouver's Chinatown. Over his many years of practicing tai chi and learning from Ng Ching-Por, Carolan absorbed the wisdom that comes from studying so closely with a master teacher. Now he offers what the Japanese call "palm of the hand" tales: thirty brief chapters that explore the essential motivations that inspired him to adopt the path of tai chi and persevere in its practice. Among the subjects he addresses are the dynamics of Asian teacher-student relationships, contending with the competitive urges of oneself and others, the student's frustration at making little apparent progress, the humor and embarrassment often involved in cross-cultural learning exchanges, as well as more practical subjects, including the mechanics of breathing and Taoist and Buddhist meditation techniques. Carolan's easy mix of anecdote, insight, drawings, and teachings will appeal to novice and advanced tai chi enthusiasts alike.

Genres: Spirituality, Philosophy, Nonfiction, Martial Arts

256 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2003

About the author

Trevor Carolan(born 1951) is a Canadian writer. He has published 16 books of non-fiction, poetry, fiction, translations and anthologies.

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this a lot more if I'd read it while I was still taking Tai Chi in college. Maybe it would have encouraged me to find a place to keep going after I graduated. But I didn't do either, so now, it mostly made me feel that I've missed out.

Oh, well.

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got interested in this book due to my recent involvement (beginning December 2011) in studying tai chi.

This is not a tai chi "how to" book nor a history of the art; it is more a collection of short anecdotal stories about the author's 23 years of study with a beloved tai chi instructor. It does discuss some of the basic lessons of Taoism and how those basics can be applied to both tai chi and everyday life. I have found many of the stories amusing as well as educational.

Chapters are fairly short; it's a great book to just read for 5 minutes or so, finish another chapter, and then sit back and think for a bit on what was said.

[Mary Stanger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Found it an interesting read, because I've started Tai Chi earlier this year.