the Right To Be: Walking Toward Freedom. Tai Chi and path of personal evolution.

The Right To Be recounts my lifelong love affair as a student and teacher of Tai Chi. It's told as a collection of stories ranging from lessons with eminent masters to enlightening encounters with animals. Its stories run the gamut from scary moments of imminent danger to the sudden elation of a personal breakthrough, from the need to recover from traumatic experiences, to the realized accomplishments from walking the path to clarity and peace. The Right To Be explores the core principles that guide Tai Chi's remarkable insights for living with strength, purpose and integrity. Inside the gentle waving movements lies a wealth of knowledge that goes far beyond the physical. Along with balance, presence and equanimity, Tai Chi's wisdom teachings support mental and emotional well-being. The Right To Be zooms in on Tai Chi's transformative journey of self-discovery. The book is written for those readers from the curious novice, thinking about testing the water, to devoted practitioners with a mind toward the martial, all the way to the spiritual traveler inspired to dive into a joyous celebration of being alive. The Right To Be recounts my investigation of Tai Chi as a body-mind guide for personal evolution. Encompassed in the accounts are meaningful insights meant to reward curious seekers-be they novices or seasoned practitioners-looking for better health, contentment, and longevity. Tai Chi conceals an interior of a profound wisdom tradition that has been refined over thousands of years by the close observation of nature, her rhythms and rules. The practice brings comfort to the body, ease to the mind and understanding to the spirit. For each person willing to take the journey, it restores the center of being, where self-control and the ability to respond are at their best. And this is why, when all else is stripped away, Tai Chi gives rise to the quality of life I call, "The Right to Be."