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Modern behaviour
People behave in a manner that is consistent with their upbringing,
social group, work and family.
This is unlikely to correspond with how
someone should behave in a martial arts class.
Martial attitudes
Martial arts are dangerous.
The classes are run in a certain manner on purpose in order to instil the
right attitude for learning and
becoming a martial artist.
They also take health & safety into
account.
Confucius
Many features of a martial arts class stem from the Chinese
traditional method of
learning.
This is Confucian in origin.
It was focussed upon humility,
hard study and a
sincere commitment to practice.
One does not applaud the
tenor for clearing his throat.
(Dangerous Liaisons)
May all your wishes come true (Chinese
curse)
The first so-called Chinese curse is very relevant in a
martial arts class.
It addresses self-gratification.
Modern people like to have things made-to-order, tailored to suit... They expect
the same treatment from their instructor.
This is utterly naive.
An instructor's role is to quash the ego, train body and
mind, and seek to turn an
ordinary citizen into a martial artist.
Not an easy task?
The cart leading the horse
A student cannot tell the instructor what or
how to teach them because the student has no
actual comprehension of the
art or the
syllabus.
The individual is simply acting out of pride, vanity and
self-importance.
In combat, these qualities might get you killed.
May you live in interesting times (Chinese curse)
This curse is about the fact that excitement and novelty are not
necessarily good.
In Taoism, the pursuit of thrills reflects a
restless, immature character.
Why do people want to surround themselves with fuss,
glamour, spectacle and noise?
Because they are shallow and boring.
Such individuals look outside of themselves
for entertainment. This is
intrinsically not 'internal'.
The ordinary
Zen favours the simplicity
of everyday life.
It encourages us to see the profound wonder of the
'mundane' aspects of life. Rustic and homely, Zen shuns fads,
trends and fashions. It favours the real.
Expecting your instructor to entertain you (like a
performer) is stupid and insulting.
Routine
The dull-seeming routine of training
tai chi
every day grounds us.
Amidst a life of confusion, uncertainty,
insecurity, frustration
and conflict... tai chi
remains wholesome and simple.
It is deeply ordinary and fulfilling.
I very much
enjoy your sessions - without any false flattery, you have been the
best instructor I have encountered for any martial art. Your commitment, patience
and dedication to the art and your students is something that I believe many
instructors should aspire to.
To your credit Sifu Waller, you have
shown me something that has I did not expect to find in tai chi... a
comprehensive fighting system in itself. I wish the rest of the MA community
would wake up and see what you see.
(Stuart)
May you come to the attention of people in high places (Chinese curse)
The problem with attention is that it can take many forms and it may not
be favourable.
In a martial arts class it is essential that vanity is crushed from the
onset.
Preening, vain, pretentious students are
never destined to become a martial artist.
They are insecure and weak.
Be careful
Attracting the wrong sort of attention
from the instructor may be met with stern measures.
The instructor is professionally obligated to be intolerant of
time wasters.
Such people disrupt the training
environment.
Focus
A martial arts student seeks the opportunity to improve.
Praise is neither sought nor expected.
Instead, a student wants their mistakes
exposed, corrections offered and limits
extended.
They seek to find gaps & deficiencies in
order to grow stronger through remedying them.
Your opinion
Sharing your opinion with a martial arts instructor illustrates an
immense degree of arrogance. Are you claiming to fully understand
the art?
If you are, then no further lessons are warranted.
If you are not, then you are making a fool yourself by looking
incredibly naive.
Your recommendations
Students occasionally recommend retreat experiences, books, workshops and
even other teachers to their instructor...
This is not the right thing to be saying to your instructor. How on earth can you possibly gauge
what is suitable for a master?
Inadvertent slips
It is very common for students to make enormous blunders without
realising it.
A simple example: the individual is talking loudly about the news and
political events, yet in the same breath explains how they never have
time to practice.
They don't have time to practice because they are
on-line or watching TV.
No one can serve two masters
Students sometimes attend classes taught by other people at the same time as
they are learning tai chi: other
martial arts classes, meditation groups, the
gym or yoga classes...
The problem with this is quite simple -
conflictive training methods.
By studying with another teacher you are making it harder for your
tai chi master to teach you.
It is highly unlikely that outside
training methods are aligned with our tai chi syllabus.
Disrespect
In Chinese martial arts culture it was considered immensely insulting
to learn something elsewhere that is being taught by your instructor.
It demonstrates a lack of faith.
Unless you have completed the syllabus and found
it to be useless, why look elsewhere for insights?
You are merely a novice.
The answer is Chinese curse number 2: impatience,
boredom, restlessness. Not a good combination for a martial artist...
Prove yourself
The Confucian approach is stated at the bottom of the
page.
It is uncomplicated. Yet very, very demanding.
If you read it carefully and think it
through, you will see that Confucius placed
tremendous emphasis upon initiative and
self-reliance. There is no hint of indulgence.
Confucius delivers a direct, no-nonsense message that leaves no room for
misunderstanding.
New?
New starters are usually ignorant of martial arts
etiquette.
This is to be expected.
The solution is to learn, and change.
I
do not enlighten those who are not eager to learn, nor arouse those who are not
quick to give an explanation themselves.
If I have presented one corner of the square and they cannot come back to me
with the other three, I should not go over the points again.
(Confucius)
Page
created 7 April 2008
Last updated
16 June 2023
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