We all know people who radiate activity even when sitting still. You can almost feel movement. There are people who are complete opposites, projecting stillness. Occasionally you run into a third type – those who are grounded and project a certain level of tranquility.

With quiet pride, Kurt holds his certificate from the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Such is the feeling evoked when spending time with Kurt Kraus, associate professor of counseling.

When he speaks, his speech is more often than not measured. He takes time to think about the question before answering.

His movements are graceful, seemingly measured on an unconscious level.

The way he moves his body suggests familiarity with the martial arts and Kurt acknowledges his expertise. In fact, his fascination with China stems from boyhood and at the age of 11 led to his lifelong involvement with martial arts and taiji (tai chi) in particular.

It reached its peak about ten months ago when he returned home from a seven-month sojourn in Beijing where the teacher became the student.

It took about a year for Kurt to finalize the details that led to his study of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine. His goal for this sabbatical was to see if the field of TCM, with its integrated approach, could benefit his field of counseling.

That’s how Kurt found himself living in a small apartment far from family and friends, in one of the largest cities in China. While pursuing his own course work, Kurt was responsible to teach several sections of English. His classes, extremely large by Shippensburg standards, caused him to explore other methods of teaching. He laughed recalling 50 students faithfully attended his Western culture class only for him to discover they were not among the 180 registered students.

This beautiful and peaceful garden was outside Kurt’s Beijing apartment.

What was interesting about this sabbatical was Kurt’s approach. He set certain goals for his time there and feels he was successful in reaching them.

A major goal was cultural immersion, an idea that grew from the capstone counseling course here at Ship. “We challenge our students to put themselves in a situation for a period of time that is outside their comfort zone. It is a small way they can experience a culture other than their own. I decided, in effect, to put my money where my mouth is.

“So I left behind all I was comfortable with – career, language, family, even something as basic as diet – knowing this would result in a very sustained, rich experience.”

He was also determined to make the experience mindful. He used journals, photographs, and essays to record aspects of his sabbatical. This caused him to be very aware of what was happening, where he was, and other details that often go sailing by unnoticed in our modern way of life. It took conscious effort and daily practice.

A practice he said, he brought back with him. “A more mindful approach has given me permission to take more risks here. It allows me to say ‘no’ to things. It takes personal risk to bring life into balance.

You look back at life and you have to forcefully move things to get into balance. It’s a purposeful adventure,” he added.

Kurt points out he would have never considered some common experiences as risky before his time in China. Riding a bus was but one example. It raised questions:Did he read the schedule correctly? Would he hear and more importantly understand the driver? Could he read the signs? Would he be able to ask questions correctly in Chinese? It took on added risks since Chinese is tonal with elements having multiple intonations with vastly different meanings.

This personal journey complemented Kurt’s professional one and his studies on the theory of TCM.

In TCM, he found an entirely different way of conceptualizing the human being, the human condition, society, and the cosmos. In a lecture on the kidney he learned the kidney is related to winter, the color black, cold, and water. It is also a condition, a set of symptoms, and considered the “organ of science and technology: strong kidney leads to strong skills and intellect.” Kurt noted, “This is not western biology.”

Mental health is a good fit for TCM, but what has hindered its acceptance is the lack of a common vocabulary. He found TCM encourages healthy practices and paying attention to the natural rhythms of the world.

“Man is the only animal who changes nature to suit his needs,” Kurt said. “We no longer follow the natural progression.” Consider how heating/cooling has allowed this change or how our sleep patterns no longer follow the setting sun.

With a greater knowledge of TCM, Kurt is excited to complement the western approach to mental health with what he learned. He is currently working on several projects that work to integrate knowledge of TCM into western aspects of mental health treatment.

Since being back, Kurt has discovered unexpected things related to his sabbatical.

“I’m surprised by the many things happening to me now that triggers a memory or experience I had in China.” This goes along with the difficulties he had in reentering his culture and daily home and work routines.

On the more mystical side, the strongest connection to his experiences occurs when practicing taiji, a martial art he studied extensively while in Beijing. Just by closing his eyes he is transported to China, recalling incidents with great clarity.

“I didn’t know how long seven months could be when you are separated from your loved ones,” he reported.

The depth of his relationships with his Chinese hosts (students) was unexpected. He marvels at how much he learned from them. And he can’t wait to go back.

Kurt’s small Western Culture class (left) was a learning experience for him as well.

“It was 25 years between my initial visit to China and my sabbatical. It will be ten months when I take students there this summer.” He hopes ten months between visits is the maximum from now on.

“It’s an exciting time in China right now. They are aware that unbridled growth is disasterous so how they manage it will be fascinating. As their economy expands, there is a correlation to social and interpersonal challenges and in their desire to promote family and mental health. China is on the cusp of welcoming the aims of my profession in the foreseeable future; something I will watch and likely participate in as a result of the months I spent in Beijing.”

Readily admitting he is changed by his sojourn, Kurt plans to sustain those changes by continuing his studies, pursuing higher levels of taiji, integrating his knowledge into his profession, and returning to the source of his rejuvenation.