Sifu Stephen Watson of Clinton, CT, has practiced and taught the healing arts of Tai Chi Chuan, Qigong, and meditation for over three decades. As a world Push Hands (a two-person Tai Chi style sparring) champion multiple times, you might imagine him as a formidable figure. Steve is tall with a big build, yet he has the demeanor of a gentle, huggable bear. Often, he carries a stuffed animal or two on his shoulder, adding to his approachable charm. I first met him about ten years ago at the Tai Chi Gala, an event hosted by Sifu Loretta Wollering in memory of Master Jou, Tsung Hwa. Stephen was like a magnet, drawing people in and filling the crowd with laughter.
In Tai Chi Chuan training, particularly in Push Hands, listening to the energy (Ting Jin) is essential. Ting Jin involves using all your sensory functions to feel the sensations within your body as you move or stand still, rather than relying on your ears. During Push Hands, you listen to your opponent’s energy through a touch point, such as their wrists or arms. This sensitivity training is difficult to master.
In September 2022, Sifu Watson noticed something different in his lower torso. It wasn’t painful, and he had no other symptoms that would suggest a medical issue. With decades of practicing Ting Jin, he sensed that something was wrong and sought a medical checkup. He was diagnosed with colon cancer that had metastasized.
Many people in his situation might react with anger or fear, but Stephen accepted his reality calmly. Instead of fighting the cancer, he maintained a positive attitude, respecting the natural course of life. Unlike someone might have an epiphany or a rude awakening during this dire moment, Steve did not think differently. He didn’t inquire the odds of success for various treatments or his life expectancy, not because he wanted to avoid the truth, but because he trusted the law of the nature as well as the medical professionals. He followed their guidance without argument. His attitude is that if it’s his time to go, he will leave gracefully without putting up a flight.
Sifu Watson is unique. Around age 12, he began contemplating the meaning and value of life. He found guidance in Laozi’s “Dao De Jin,” or “Tao De Jin”, the foundational text of Taoism. This text, composed of 81 short chapters written in poetic form, emphasizes the natural way of everything and the duality of the universe as Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang are at the two ends of a spectrum, but they are not in conflict with each other; all matter in the universe continually morphs from one phenomenon to another, just like day becomes night and winter transitions into spring, summer, autumn, and back to winter. Everything, living or not, possesses both Yin and Yang characteristics, just as all human beings embody both Yin and Yang energies within. There is no absolute value in the universe. Wu Wei or “doing without expectation” is the core of Taoism. Taoism has profoundly influenced Zen, a form of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China.
As a long-term practitioner of Taoism, Steve subscribes to the notion that life is a continuous process of dying from the moment we are born. He acknowledges that, barring suicide, no one can control or predict the specifics of their death. Most deaths are not sudden events but processes that can take years. Steve pointed out during our interview (watch the above embedded video) that while we practice living daily, we rarely practice dying. This doesn’t mean he has a ritual for dying after his diagnosis; rather, he emotionally surrenders his physical body to the professionals and trusts them to do their work. He maintains his lifestyle and routines, adjusting only for necessary medical treatments. Even when bedridden in the hospital, he practiced Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong as best as he could, moving his toes when he couldn’t wave his arms. He meditated, read poetry, and even live-streamed lessons from his hospital bed. Allowing the medical professionals to treat his body without fighting the cancer himself or expecting any positive outcome exemplifies what Wu Wei is.
Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong are mind-body exercises that require focus and mindfulness. They are similar to the practice of prayer in Christianity or living in the moment as taught by Buddhism, Taoism, and Zen. Sifu Watson has fully internalized these healing arts and serves as a true role model for living peacefully and authentically in the moment.