Difficult times give us new opportunities. Thanks to modern technologies, Saturday online sessions became a place for me to deepen my understanding of his teachings. More than two years of conversations, sharing experiences, chanting, self-practice of Taoist Tai Chi® arts have strengthened my body and mind, helping to be able to face the challenges. They became a tool for me to overcome anxiety, stress, and worries, first during the Covid-19 pandemic, and later during the war.

In the first days and months of the war, I was very worried. I woke up from explosions. There were missiles arriving in Lviv and near Lviv. The most terrifying for me was the night when I was tossed up in my bed by an explosion, and a fragment of a missile fell 1.5 km from my house. Air alarms were frequent and at different times of the day. It is already a part of our life. I can’t change that. It was necessary to accept it and learn to live on.

In the morning, while the coffee is being prepared, I manage to do some Taoist Tai Chi® practice. This is a good start of the day for me. And I also feel happy to receive an on-line question “how was your night?”, as well as to ask someone “how are you?”.

Daily household works help me to distract from worries: cooking, cleaning, working in the garden, petting cats and dog. I am lucky to live in a village. But the village life also requires for me to have enough force, health and courage, so I have to take care of myself. My house is near the forest. This is a favorite place to come for my friends from the organization. The closeness of nature, trees, grass, flowers, birds, wind, sun and rain, changing seasons and the daily practice of the teachings of Master Moy bring harmony and peace to my life. Yesterday, practicing the movements in the rain gave me an incredible feeling of balance and unity with the world.

I want to thank the Board for the support and the ERC (European Regional Committee) for listening and crying with us when we just wanted to share our pain and stress, explaining us what we did not understand or miss on Saturdays, and giving advices and examples how to overcome stress. I also want to thank the Polish, Czech and Slovak branches for the possibility to participate in their meetings for better understanding of the Saturday sessions. I am happy with all my heart to be a member of the organization.