Old & new material
The mobilization of the
jing is like refining steel a hundred times over.
There is nothing hard it cannot destroy.
(Wu Yu-hsiang)
The basics
You are not expected to master the syllabus.
You are only asked to have a good basic understanding of the core exercises and
form.
We provide ticksheets and grading in order to encourage the individual to learn
the material for themselves.
It is not a competition.
You are not under pressure.
Do not worry.
Our intention is simple: to help you to learn and remember
the tai chi syllabus.
If you do not know the qigong exercises, neigong, form or drills, how can you
practice them at home or in the class?
Classmates
Some people will invest more time in their tai chi than you do.
This is their choice.
Good quality practice usually leads to accelerated progress with the syllabus.
If your classmates are leaving you behind, do not get annoyed by this.
There is no emotional content involved.
You are where you are and they are where they are - each according to their own
degree of understanding.
Forcing the material only
gives you the illusion of progress. It does not fool anybody else.
Be patient with yourself.
Topics
We do not cover material in great detail initially.
You are introduced to it, then we move on. Later, we come back to it and
re-consider the topic.
Students who attend regular private lessons and workshops have more opportunity
to explore topics.
Practice makes perfect
Nobody is expected to perfect their tai chi.
Too much is missing from the syllabus and your body needs years of practice in
order to re-grow.
As you learn more, the missing pieces are provided and understood. The puzzle
begins to make sense.
But this process cannot be rushed, and there are no shortcuts.
Be patient with yourself.
Core material
Topics are usually comprised of small drills and exercises that
consolidate to form a core drill.
These drills are not discarded when you pass the orange belt.
You continue to practice and refine them for as long as you study tai chi.
We have designed the syllabus to have a limited number of core drills.
If you have too much to practice, you never get through the material with any
degree of regularity.
It may feel like that now.
That is because you are still learning the ancillary exercises in preparation
for the consolidated drill.
There are only 10 consolidated drills in the lower grades:
Countering
Escapes
Eyes-closed walking
Freeform
Monkey paws
Pushing hands
Pushing legs
Silk arms 1-10
Yielding/chin na
Yielding exercise
New material
There is no shortcut when learning new material. You simply need to
practice it.
The Tai Chi Union like to say "the more you put in, the more you get out" and
this may seem reasonable at first glance.
Yet, tai chi is not about quantity, it is about quality.
With any new topic, aim to discover the underlying purpose and lesson in the
exercise.
Armed with this insight, you can train more effectively. Use your time
carefully.
Be wary, though - exercises in our syllabus are typically multifaceted.
The early grades will only give you some degree of insight - you may come to see
the exercise differently over time.
Learning for yourself
Our syllabus is designed to be thorough and comprehensive.
We cover every topic in detail and aim to develop your underlying natural
responses as an ongoing concern.
It is not enough to copy or quote. You must know and you must do.
Belts
Many martial arts classes give out belts when you learn a new skill.
This is a popular method of encouraging progress and commitment, but
often leads to students seeking belts rather than understanding.
We give out belts as well.
Our approach is quite simple: when achieve a certain level of ability, you get a
belt.
If you fail to maintain your standard, you will be asked to re-take the grade.
If your standard has fallen badly, you may be demoted.
Mastery of the syllabus
Tai chi is not about a
result;
the entire system is process-oriented.
Your attention needs to be on what you are doing, how and why.
A scientific attitude helps; strip things down and understand what makes them
work.
Explore their resilience.
Let your understand emerge by itself;
you cannot force it to occur.
Knowledge takes time, and experience can only come through practice.
Be patient and all will become clear.
If you feel to be floundering, turn your mind away from the physical and
exercise your mind instead.
If you are not patient, you may find our syllabus and teaching method very
frustrating - we adhere to a zen/taoist approach - and it cannot be stormed by
force.
Only when you let-go and change within, will it all become clear to you.
Just like a koan.
The answer is to relax and let it all happen.
Keep attending, keep practicing - and trust yourself.
Page created 5 August 1999