Advanced syllabus
Ultimately, you must forget about technique.
The further you progress, the fewer teachings there are.
(Ueshiba)
Advanced
The black belt syllabus covers almost 70% of the overall curriculum.
A black belt student is certainly skilled, but not necessarily advanced.
7th dan black belt is
the first of the advanced-level belts.
8th dan is the second advanced belt and the final belt in our
syllabus. Passing it means that the student has come full circle.
10,000 hours
Being a tai chi expert is more than just talent. You need to put in the
work.
An advanced-level practitioner should have at least 10,000 hours of practice
behind them.
Dr. K. Anders Ericsson found that this was true of any art; whether
tai chi, dancing or playing the
piano.
Do the maths: if you trained tai chi for 2 hours a day (every single day)
for a year, that would mean 730 hours a year.
At that rate, 10,000 hours would take you 13 years of practice.
What is advanced?
Students often have funny ideas about what 'advanced' means.
In our world of video games, special moves and Jet Li films, people have some
startling misconceptions.
Advanced-level tai chi is not a matter of new forms and material.
It is to be found in the comprehensive nature of the practice.
The thoroughness of the understanding. The simplicity, sensitivity, softness and
ease of ability.
Every action should contain the tai chi principles.
Advanced skill is versatile and complex - demonstrating a broad degree of
insight.
It is also remarkably understated.
7th dan
There are levels beyond 'teacher'.
Advanced-level students must understand taoism, zen and martial theory to an intricate degree.
This will entail an awful lot of study.
The 7th dan syllabus is all about being a scholar.
Highlights:
The art
Form
Meditation
Principles
Self defence
Sensitivity
Simplicity
Softness
Strategy
Study
Tao
Whole-body movement
Zen
8th dan
Dependence on
any teacher or
master
must diminish and the student must learn tai chi by themselves.
In this final stage of the
syllabus, the student must find out
what it means to
walk alone.
Coming full circle
Having completed 8th dan,
the students has come 'full circle'.
Passing the whole syllabus will not earn you a new title.
You will still be sifu.
There is no formal curriculum or syllabus now.
The exponent has come full circle and has a beginner's mind once
more.
Study, research, practice and progress must continue. The art must unfold and
your insight deepen.
Tai chi is an incredibly complex, sophisticated art.
Being
'sifu'
requires an understanding that transcends rote learning and repetition.
You need decades of practice, skill and teaching
experience.
Page created 11 October 2000