Finding a tai chi class
The beginner’s enthusiasm is such that he cannot imagine
what blocks could lie ahead to halt his progress. If some decisive challenge to
his continuing on does occur at this early stage, he will likely abandon his
practice altogether.
(Dave Lowry)
Finding a class
Finding a tai chi class may sound like a simple enough proposition, but there
are many considerations to take into account.
Many classes purport to be teaching tai chi, but are really offering tai
chi-style exercise.
Often the instructor only knows a few warm-up exercises and a short sequence of
movements.
They move their arms around and the class copies.
Synchronised arm waving is not tai chi. No matter how pretty it looks. Or how
nice it feels. Or how popular the class is.
Choose your class carefully:
You
Everyone is different. Remember to take your own agenda and personality into
account.
Confusion
When people look for a tai chi class they inevitably have expectations, ideas,
notions, opinions and preconceptions.
These will all hamper you in your search.
What you need is some idea of what tai chi really is...
If you go looking
for what you think it is, you may indeed find something that fits your
requirement, but is it really tai chi at all?
Gratification is no proof that you have found a good class. You may merely have
found a class that pleases you.
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Media
The media depict martial arts in an unrealistic way; either as entertainment in
movies and TV shows, or as sport.
Now and again tai chi is lauded as being wonderful for the health.
Somewhere along the way, people become convinced that it is easy to learn a
martial art.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
It does not matter whether you plan to learn tai chi, baguazhang, wing chun, ju jitsu or the countless other styles and systems available to you.
Martial arts are not easy to learn.
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Learning
If you think about it, there are few things in life that are easy to learn.
Should you decide to become a very good cook, you will need to put in a lot of
time and effort.
How about learning to play a musical instrument?
Driving a car?
Speaking a foreign language?
Many people have unrealistic expectations. About themselves. About the subject
they are hoping to learn.
Usually, students underestimate the amount of effort involved. The time it will
take. The financial cost.
Ambitions are easy.
Fulfilling them is far harder.
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What makes tai chi 'tai
chi'?
Tai chi is not simply slow motion exercise. There are very specific
qualities that need to be present for the training to be called 'tai chi'.
You cannot simply ad lib and think that you are performing tai chi.
There are three short documents detailing the nature of tai chi:
Chang treatise
Wang treatise
Wu treatise
They are referred to as 'the tai chi classics'.
The art must follow the instructions given by these three expert instructors.
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5 styles
There are 5 recognised styles of tai chi:
Yang
Chen
Sun
Wu
Hao
Partial knowledge
There is an Indian folk tale about six blind men inspecting
an elephant:
The first man encounters the side of the animal and believes it to be a wall.
The second man imagines the tusk to be a spear.
The third man thinks that the trunk is a snake.
The fourth man considers the leg to be a tree.
The fifth man feels an ear and believes it to be a fan.
The sixth man finds the tail and is certain it is a rope.
Having a limited grasp about a subject denies you any hope of having
perspective.
You judge according to what you personally understand or experience, and this
can have some significant drawbacks.
Your knowledge has no context and consequently no meaning.
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A class
must teach
Every tai chi class should be following the tai chi classics, and teaching these
basic skills:
13 postures
4 ounces
Internal power
Kung fu
Self defence
Softness
If they are not offering the fundamental skills,
what are they teaching?
Qigong and form without an understanding of the 'principles' is empty, hollow,
and has questionable value.
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5 stages
There are 5 stages to learning any tai chi form:
(i) The pattern
The outline, the sequence of movements.
This stage of learning is often called 'the
square form' because it is crude and largely inaccurate.
The form is practiced slowly.
Once the form pattern has been learned, it must also be mirrored.
Unfortunately, most tai chi people
only learn the first stage, and remain a perpetual
beginner.
Neglecting the remaining stages leaves the form meaningless and empty.
(ii) Internal strength
Internal
biomechanical concerns are incorporated.
The way
in which the body is used is now the concern.
Every single movement is imbued with internal strength.
An understanding of The Way and Its Power,
the tai chi classics and taoism
is necessary.
(iii) Application
Traditionally, it is said that there are at least seven applications for every
form posture.
There are three types of martial application within form:
chin na,
jing and
shuai jiao.
Competence in all three areas of skill is required.
A student must be capable of skilfully applying the form in a
thorough and convincing way against an earnest attacker.
All applications adhere to the tai chi principles (4
ounces of pressure, softness, stickiness, yielding, peng etc).
(iv) Shen
Shen is a vitality that can be seen
shining through a person; it enlivens the body and refreshes the mind.
The eyes look expressive and alert.
For 'shen' to manifest, a person must lose all self-consciousness.
There is no more self or other, just movement, just sensation/feeling.
Instead of feeling apart from what is happening,
we feel the physics of the movement, the kinetic flow.
(v) Natural
Instead of
glossy, flamboyant, outward show, the attention turns inward.
The tai chi is not ornate.
It is simple, direct, flowing and natural.
Within the slow spirals, curves and gentle steps can be found a grace that
is difficult to articulate.
The vibe
When you enter a class, you notice all manner of things simultaneously. These
factors coalesce to produce a vibe.
Ask yourself:
Is the class friendly?
Are people having fun?
Does the instructor explain things well?
Is there humour?
Do you feel safe?
Can you feel a change in your body?
Is the lesson interesting?
Are you challenged with new ideas?
Does the material make you think?
Are you making progress?
Is the instructor calm or tense?
Is the instructor vibrant?
Do they move with ease?
Your own agenda
Everyone has an agenda.
The more honest and open you are about your own agenda, the more likely you are
to find a suitable class.
Do you have health-problems? Have you bad knees? A bad back?
Are you concerned about being thrown on the floor?
Does the prospect of self defence training frighten you?
Is your age an issue?
What are your expectations?
Are you willing to commit to a weekly class?
Do have previous tai chi experience? (Are you hoping that the new class will be
the same as the old?)
Are you attending class because you really want to, or because you think you
should?
Your personality
Being realistic about who you are and what you want
is vital.
Are you:
A hippy?
A performer?
A talker?
Looking for a hobby?
Wanting something easy?
If yes; then do not go to a tai chi martial arts class. Look for something more suitable for you.
Give it a
chance
The first lesson you have in tai chi will be hindered by your own
personality.
If you have never trained tai chi before, you are unlikely to see past the
veil of your own self-consciousness and fears.
If you tried other classes, resist the urge to compare.
It is usually worth trying a few classes.
That way, you can settle-in a little and really observe what is taking place
in class.
Pay particular attention to the more skilled students: what are they
training? How adept do they seem? Are they having fun?
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Locating a class
The world wide web is a good place to look for a class:
Tai Chi Finder
http://www.taichifinder.co.uk
Search engine
http://www.google.co.uk
If the school has a website,
read it thoroughly before trying the class. The site may
answer many of your potential questions.
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Can you recommend a class in my town/area?
No. We cannot offer any
recommendations.
Every tai chi school has its own agenda. Each school has its own values,
concerns and interests.
These are not necessarily compatible with other schools.
Our advice is to explore what is available in your area. Try out some classes.
You may find something you like. Something that appeals to your values, concerns
and interests.
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Page created 25 October 1994