Masterless | ||
Written by Rachel | ||
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The Japanese
approach
Japanese martial arts are usually taught in a very
methodical, thorough way.
There is a clear syllabus, steps of
progress, grades and some degree of
ongoing continuity.
In a Japanese class the student is encouraged to replicate the teachings of
the art perfectly.
Like a carbon copy.
No initiative is necessary.
The Chinese approach
Chinese martial arts are not taught like Japanese
arts.
By comparison there can often seem to be no discernable syllabus, no
continuity and a generally haphazard
approach to teaching the syllabus.
If indeed a syllabus actually
exists.
In Howard Reid's book The Way of the Warrior, Chinese instructors in Hong Kong
admit that a lot of Chinese masters are lazy, biased,
corrupt and indifferent.
Of course, many are not.
Quite soon after meeting Sifu Waller, I saw him do
things that I'd thought impossible. Having seen many martial arts movies in
Borneo during my youth, I thought it was all special effects and wire work. I
didn't really think you could knock someone clean across the room or inflict
incredible pain with such total ease. But you can. And he does. And this is part
of what we are learning every lesson.
(Rachel)
Seeking a teacher
In traditional China it was not easy to find a martial arts
instructor willing to offer tuition.
The onus was upon the student to prove themselves.
An instructor was leery to waste time and effort with a lazy
student. Finding an advanced martial arts instructor was even harder still...
The internal approach
Tai chi is ultimately a journey of discovery; simultaneously uncovering the
art
and ourselves.
The subjects and insights revealed in our training have ramifications
beyond
class.
We can take new skills, methods and attitudes into all aspects of
life.
For this reason, most of the understanding and progress must come from the
student.
Insights cannot merely be passed on/taught. They must be discovered.
Making things
up?
As with Japanese martial arts, a kung fu instructor provides much of
the syllabus for the student to learn; albeit at a crude level.
A tai chi student has no need to make up new forms or qigong
exercises.
These are provided by their instructor.
But applications are usually not supplied.
It is up to the student to develop these themselves.
That way, the applications become their own expression of tai chi.
Why is it like this?
Confucius believed that a student
must show a high level of initiative:
Waiting to be told what to do shows no initiative at all
Finding things out for yourself shows initiative
Figuring things out for yourself shows a high level of initiative
The internal martial arts
encourage students to find their own way, recognising that some lessons
simply cannot be taught.
Beyond teaching
There are many lessons
that cannot be taught.
Many teachings are akin to Zen koan.
Attempting to explain the material coherently is not so easy, but a direct
physical application proves
the point nicely.
If somebody gives you the answer to a koan, do you really
understand at all? Many things in life are only fully
understood when you figure them out for yourself.
Rivalry/secrecy
One reason why Chinese martial arts were taught this way is secrecy.
Every school wanted their own unique method/approach.
These were closely guarded. Sharing with other schools or martial artists
was not an option.
Surprise, innovation, spontaneity and creativity were highly prized.
Bespoke
Chinese martial arts schools not only wanted different skills from one
another, they also wanted every student within their own school to
cultivate bespoke skills.
This final point is important.
Everyone has different bodies, minds, knowledge, experience, background.
By encouraging the student to discover their own way, the skills would be more
relevant, valued and viable.
The role of the teacher was principally to stop the student from going astray.
Tradition
Peter Southwood adhered to the traditional Chinese teaching approach of
offering only the smallest amount of information.
He taught the classical Yang style at the 'Long
Yang' advanced level (containing chin na, shuai jiao, neigoing and jing) and
Jiang style baguazhang:
Qigong
- ba duan jin
- moving qigong
- reeling silk exercises
- standing post
- full circle qigong
- qigong development
- form posture qigong
- 3 circle qigong
-
massage
- stretches & joint work
- qigong on one leg
- high circle qigong
Form
- 'Long Yang' form
- 2 person form
- 2 person cane
- sabre
- walking stick
- jian
- long staff
Pushing hands
- single pushing hands
- monkey paws
- pushing legs
- double pushing hands
- da lu
Weapons drills
- knife drills
- stick drills
- sword drills
Martial sets
- san sau
- 2 person cane
- small stick drills
Application
- traditional/common form applications
- shuai jiao
- dividing the muscle
- sealing the breath
- cavity press
- misplacing the bones
- finger chin na
13 methods
Freeform triangle
Neigong (50)
Jing
Crude fa jing
5 animals
Groundpath
Baguazhang
-
6 direction changes
-
8 mother palms
-
9 palaces
-
16 elbows
- circle walking
- figure of 8
- single palm change
- double palm change
- striking palm change
- piercing palm change
- flicking palm change
- body overturning palm change
- shaking body palm change
- turning body palm change
- swimming dragon
Although it sounds
like a lot, keep in mind that Peter only provided the absolute least
possible amount of information.
Sifu Waller said that it felt as though you'd been given a sack of junk
and told to build a viable art from pieces that didn't fit or even
necessarily make sense. Off-putting and intimidating?
Hard to learn
Peter taught by hints and suggestions;
not explanations.
Only by watching every movement made by
the teacher could Sifu Waller conceivably hope to learn the skill.
Nothing was volunteered, broken down or
made easy.
A direct question would simply be ignored.
Not the service industry
Peter had always adopted a Confucian teaching
attitude in his classes; a curt demonstration, no talking whatsoever and
then he left you to it.
This intensified with private lessons.
In addition to this, Sifu Waller was taken through every form in the
syllabus as quickly as he could absorb the movements.
Corrections were scant and no explanations were ever given.
I like Sifu Waller's humour,
enthusiasm and endless creativity. He shares constantly. But not in some
self-promoting manner.
I don't think he cares at all about opinions, perspectives etc. If somebody
argues or offers a different viewpoint, he doesn't fight them. He simply
explores the new information and if there is value to be found, Sifu Waller incorporates new insights.
He can see everything dually (yin/yang); good/bad, pros/cons. He does not
take sides.
(Rachel)
Show & tell
Private lessons followed a familiar format;
double pushing hands or monkey paws, then form corrections/new movements,
then show & tell.
During pushing hands, Peter wanted to hear about martial scenarios and
insights gleaned from combat, tai chi skills and Taoism.
Without losing focus on the drill, Sifu Waller was expected to provide
spontaneous, detailed narrative.
Explain it
Once a form pattern had been acquired the next
stage was to explain to Peter how the body mechanics operated and why.
A wrong answer resulted in no response whereas a correct answer might lead
to further questions.
Form applications were the responsibility of Sifu Waller and Peter again
provided limited response; relative to the quality of the material.
A poor application was met with "No".
After bai shi the training became harder
still.
Real understanding
Why make life so difficult?
Peter could have simply taught as Sifu Waller teaches; by
straightforward, logical, incremental steps.
He could have illustrated the science behind the art. Or tied it into
application, body mechanics or even The Tai Chi Classics.
Yet he did none of these teaching approaches.
Instead, Peter made Sifu Waller fight, struggle, work and climb for every
scrap of knowledge he obtained.
This is the Chinese way.
It leads to a deeper understanding and
encourages the student to work harder and commit more to the art.
10,000 hours
After 7 years of brutally hard training, Peter
softened up and starting sharing ideas with Sifu Waller.
The start of every private lesson became a time for sharing insights and
discussing practice.
Alternatives to applications were presented and neigong was explicitly
explored.
Sifu Waller had passed the 10,000 hour mark and was worthy of deeper
attention but hardly an expert.
At public workshops, Sifu Waller was frequently asked by Peter to
represent his teachings.
More...
Adapted from
Sifu Waller's writings by
Rachel
Page created 3
June 2011
Last updated
2 May 2015