Welcome to TCF’s October 50th Anniversary Blog, with Vanessa Costigan and Jonathan Stow

Vanessa Costigan and Jonathan Stow with the Tai Chi Foundation’s Legacy Holders in Amsterdam, 2024.

Left to Right: Els Eijssens, Margaret Olmsted, Greg Woodson, Gerrie Sporken, Sherri Kent, Vanessa Costigan, Jonathan Stow, and Margaret “Matsu” Matsumoto.

Welcome to TCF’s 50th Anniversary Blog! Each month this year, we have shared writings and images chosen to celebrate our school’s remarkable history — allowing us to see the bigger picture by listening to the ‘voice’ of individual practitioners sharing their experiences.

This month’s blog features Jonathan Stow and Vanessa Costigan, tai chi teachers who, alongside the Tai Chi Foundation’s Legacy Holders, make up our Legacy Advisory Council. We are fortunate that the school’s founder, Patrick Watson, selected Legacy Holders with the vision, tenacity, and flexibility needed to carry the school forward for half a century, and even more fortunate that those Legacy Holders are providing for the years ahead. The creation of the Legacy Advisory Council was an important step in that process and we are grateful to Vanessa and Jonathan for the energy and commitment they bring to the Foundation’s mission.

October Memories

Join Vanessa and Jonathan as they share their tai chi stories that started decades ago on different continents and continue today

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Vanessa on Finding Tai Chi

One morning, while stuck in a traffic jam en route to work, I caught sight of a small group of people practicing tai chi in the park. I remember saying “I’m going to do that,” though I was not even sure that I knew what “that” was.

Timing being everything, it was a few years later before an opportunity arose to take a class, through a recommendation from a neurologist to a family member. Luckily for me, I went along, excited to try my first tai chi class. That first class had such an impact that I announced to my family after the class that I had found what I was going to do for the rest of my life.

Click to Read Vanessa’s Entire Article

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Jonathan’s Tai Chi Remembrance

I started studying Tai Chi with our school in May or June of 1992, just before the passing of Patrick Watson on September 1. I never met him in the flesh.

I first encountered Tai Chi in my first year of college at the University of Florida. I had to deliver a paper to the Biology Department Building located in an obscure part of the campus just south of the Museum of Natural History. The museum building was, at the time, set up like a Mesoamerican Ziggurat with a large courtyard to the south and a giant Aztec sundial. I had to deliver the paper early in the morning, having waited until the last minute, and the sun was just coming up as the fog was lifting. To save time, I of course rode my bicycle down the stairs of the museum and almost careened into a group of people, dressed in black, doing Tai Chi. In my memory, for what it is worth, they were performing Golden Rooster stands on one leg. I almost fell off my bike, and in my embarrassment, I rode off without haste to deliver my paper, but I was mesmerized. I wanted that!

I have no idea who the group was. I was told later that our school practiced there at times, but who knows?

Click to Read More of Jonathan’s Article

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Are You Starting Your Tai Chi Journey?

You can learn more about tai chi by exploring the diverse offerings of the Tai Chi Foundation (TCF). TCF provides live online courses, allowing you to participate in guided sessions in the comfort of your home. These virtual classes offer unique opportunities to connect with experienced instructors, ensuring that you receive personalized guidance and feedback. Additionally, TCF offers Teachable on-demand classes, providing a flexible way to learn at your own pace. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, these online resources offer a wealth of knowledge to enrich your tai chi journey. For those seeking a more hands-on experience, check out the in-person course offerings of TCF’s affiliated local schools.

TCF is a not-for-profit educational organization that promotes, funds, and teaches programs that enable people to learn tai chi chuan and embody its principles.

Be sure to check out our new TCF 50th Anniversary Shop, where you can find stylish tai chi t-shirts and other great branded merchandise!

The Tai Chi Foundation Editorial Team

Photos courtesy Tai Chi Foundation Inc.

Copyright Tai Chi Foundation 2025