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| Are you a martial artist (2)? | ||
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Expectations
If you went to a dojo to study aikido then in all cases you should encounter a
martial arts class.
Naturally, there may be significant differences in teaching and style, but all
classes should be teaching combat.
Now, consider this in reference to tai chi.
When you go to a tai chi class what exactly will you encounter?
What is tai chi?
Unlike other arts, the words 'tai chi' encompass a wide variety of approaches.
To make matters even more confusing, some people teach slow-motion movement and
call it 'tai chi'.
Explaining the art
Explaining the martial art of tai chi is problematic.
A verbal description will not capture the nature of
the art, its
complexity,
nuances, skills and subtlety.
You will probably be faced with incredulity.
So, why bother to explain what you do?
The menu is not the food.
You don't want to be fighting biceps against biceps, the best techniques are the ones that the opponent gives you.
(Geoff Thompson)
Chinese curse
Peter Southwood lets students determine how they study.
This is not as kind as it sounds.
There is a Chinese curse: May your wishes be granted.
Why is it a curse?
People seldom consider the consequences of
getting what they want.
And when they finally get their way, their desire may have shifted to something
new.
Getting what you want may also prove to be far
more than you can handle.
Self-differentiating
Sifu Waller treats students according to
how they behave.
If you joined his class and told him that you wanted to learn
tai chi, then he would not say anything at all.
Instead, he would let Rachel teach you
qigong & tai chi
and see whether or not you behaved remotely like a tai chi student.
Your own conduct would determine what you
were taught.
Tai chi student?
Calling yourself a tai chi student and behaving like one are two
different things entirely.
The difference can easily be seen in combat.
A talker will be defeated immediately.
Tai chi behaviour can also be seen without
resorting to combat...
One face for giving and one face for taking
This Chinese saying means that people often perform the right actions and
say the right things when they want something.
They are pleasant and polite.
Yet, when asked for something in return, they are aloof and distant. Such behaviour is common in modern society but is not a tai chi
attitude.
Demons
The biggest obstacle facing a student is themselves.
The challenge of learning tai chi as a martial art means that you will
inevitably come up against things that you do
not like (or necessarily agree with).
This is to be expected.
We are all different to one another.
The question is: how do you behave in the face of this challenge?
Do you eat humble pie, accept where you are in the syllabus (relative to your
instructor) and carry-on training in the hope that your
perspective broadens?
Or do your demons consume you?
Combat involves adversity
It is easy to be happy and enjoy class when things are going your way. But how do you handle adversity? Your instructor needs to find out.
Learning to box
The popular book Chinese Boxing by Robert Smith refers to kung fu as
being 'Chinese boxing' which is what kung fu has historically being called.
The word 'boxing' summons images of fists and punching.
Taiji is supreme ultimate (yin/yang)
and signifies the process of dynamic balancing.
Quan is fist (combat/martial art/boxing).
Dynamic balancing boxing renders the art as a process.
You
Even if your teacher sought to imbue you
with his tai chi skills, he could not.
It simply doesn't work that way.
You must gain the skills through hard work, time and
patience.
Your body and mind re-grow.
Now, consider the Confucian quote:
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)
Behaviour
Confucius is saying that the
student is responsible for the learning, the
practice, the insights and the degree of progress.
Tai chi students should look at themselves
and ask the question; are you a martial artist?
The answer is very simple: You are only a
martial artist if you behave like one.
Page created
1 August 1998
Last updated
16 June 2023
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