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| Inner teachings | ||
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Searching for the Way
There is a book called Searching for the Way by Nigel Sutton which details
one man's quest to find the inner teachings of tai chi.
In the book Lost Japan, David Kerr visited Zen temples across Japan, looking
for the inner secrets. In most cases the teachers admitted that there
weren't any secrets.
The secrets their order once possessed had been forgotten. If they ever
existed.
Family first
It is very common for students to imagine that private lessons and long-term
practice with an instructor guarantees receipt of the inner teachings. This
is naive.
Traditionally, the secret workings of an art were passed on to family
members first. After family members, lineage students were the next
consideration. Then indoor students.
Everyone else was taught relative to their degree of commitment, and this
seldom entailed the secret material.
Good oil, bad oil
The traditional Chinese teaching attitude can best be summarised by the old
story about selling oil: The oil seller sold the good oil to the regular,
loyal customers who treated the oil seller well.
The bad oil was given to everybody else.
Inner and outer
Tai chi has always been taught in a two-tier way. There is the 'outer
school' - which anyone could join and the 'inner school' - which was for
'indoor students'.
Most students only ever learn from the outer school. They were taught a
satisfactory grasp of the art. The student themselves determines their
status: outer or inner...
Indoor student
Joining the inner school entails proving yourself to be more serious.
Students who possess the necessary attitude are invited to learn the inner
teachings of the art.
Outer school
An outer school is also known as an 'open school'. Most of the tai chi
being taught these days is 'outer school' material. This is the stuff you
find in books and on DVD's.
It looks pretty, it feels nice... but does it always have substance?
Quantity
Often, outer schools concentrate on acquisition. Students accumulate forms.
These forms are merely superficial patterns that differ slightly but are all
essentially the same.
Progress is rated in terms of how many forms you know.
Inner school
An inner school is also known as a 'closed school'. Traditionally, lessons
were taught at the teacher's home. An inner school focuses upon the real
substance of the art.
Every form nuance, every neigong, every martial application. Great emphasis
is placed on the small details. A minor change can produce a significant
effect.
At the heart of the inner teaching is neigong (whole-body strength), jing
(internal power) and combat skills.
Quality
The nature of an inner school makes it far harder for students to make
progress. Every step of the journey involves considerable effort.
It is not enough to stumble through the syllabus - it must be explored
carefully and thoroughly. Dedication, patience and endurance are all
essential qualities for the student to possess.
Each to their own
Students attend lessons relative to their own personal lives and
commitments.
Most people are not serious.
Yes, they want to learn and they make excellent progress... but they are
content to keep things fairly laid back and casual.
Very rarely, a student is more earnest.
They want to learn every little
nuance, insight and skill.
Inside and out
We cater for everybody:
1) Outer school
Most people adopt an outer-school mentality and are quite happy to train
every week in class, and maybe train at home.
Their focus is upon fun and limited learning.
They enjoy glimpses of the inner teachings at workshops and private lessons.
Our 'outer school' teaches the art to a fairly in-depth level. We do not
believe in offering a superficial degree of training.
2) Inner school
The 'inner school' offers serious depth and is not for the half-hearted
student. It is aimed at people who want fast-track progress through
the tai chi syllabus.
Sifu Waller currently
has 1 indoor student:
Page created 2 March 1995
Last updated
21 August 2023
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