The year is 2021. I have not been able to travel and visit my foreign friends for more than a year due to a pandemic. So I’m starting to browse and process some of my travel experiences. For example, I return back to my memories of a trip to Florida in 2013. It was a wonderful time.

At that time, I went to meet Tom Baeli and students of his Stone Monkey Taiji school. One of his teachers was the legendary Cheng Man-ch’ing and Robert Amacker.

Robert Amacker a Tom Baeli (1996-7)

Tom and I have been writing for some time and we wanted to complete our communication with a real meeting. This was not a part of any foreign dating site, as it might seems. We got in touch through Robert Amacker, who is our close friend and teacher of Taiji (Tai chi). I don’t remember who wrote as the first one. The certain is that our friendship developed and we wrote to each other often. And we still write and maintain unique intergenerational and international friendship.

Tom Baeli in Fort Myers was carefully preparing for my arrival. He even painted the room for me. He also gave me all his warm blankets. When I found out that he had slept badly because he was cold, I made him to take one back. For one thing, it was too warm for me, but most of all I would be sorry if he was miserable. During my stay, I really had the sincere care, interest and company of a person who dedicated his life to studying Taiji, Qigong and Chinese herbs. In addition to leading several seminars that Tom organized for me, I also met a lot of interesting people, Tom’s friends and students.

Now when I open the folder with the files that Tom uploaded for me before my return to the Czech Republic, I even discover my ticket there. It will probably be the only surviving ticket from my travels. I don’t normally keep them. The folder contains photos and videos that we shot together in Florida. There are also many other files with texts and videos focused on studying and teaching Taiji. It seems to me that even in future I will still appreciate these files and information. It shows Tom’s insight and reflection on what might be useful in my life.

I go through the photographs and memories … I feel a special timelessness, affinity of souls. I am aware of unique moments when people from different parts of the world meet, cultivate depth, cordiality and also respect for the art of Taiji and its transmission. I am grateful and full of gthanks that life and my friends bring me such opportunities.

Videos

Video from the seminars:

We made few videos, for example I tin ting..

Fotografie