Cord: Who are you?
Blind shepherd:
Whoever you think I am or want me to be, I am.
(The Silent Flute)
Come as you please
Students are not pressured to attend weekly lessons. Nobody can make you
come to classes regularly.
Attendance is your concern.
But we would like to advise you that you only get out of tai chi what you put
into it.
Commitment
Your progress is inextricably linked to your degree of
commitment.
If you attend weekly lessons, your progress will be strong and
steady.
If you attend casually, your progress will be far slower.
Individual priorities
Not everyone wants to commit themselves to weekly lessons and daily
practice. Nobody says that you should.
It is important to do what feels right for you.
Similarly, you must not resent the progress of others in the class who are
dedicated and skilled.
Each student is free to proceed at a pace of their own choosing.
If you want to attend once or twice a month, that is fine providing you accept
that you will need plenty of revision and your progress will be slow.
Weekly attendance
Some
students only train in class.
They do make progress, and the pace is satisfactory for them.
Despite no home training, they can feel an improvement in their tai chi.
This is fine.
Now consider how much greater your skills would be if you practiced...
If you enjoy the skills you have achieved through weekly attendance, how much
more might you enjoy the skills that come through home training?
Little and often
Most
people are not used to training at home.
If you possess tremendous enthusiasm for the art, training is easy.
Otherwise, it is a chore.
The key to home training is to work into it gently.
Try doing a small amount every day.
Nothing ambitious.
Gradually cultivate the habit of doing tai chi at home. Eventually, you will
find yourself wanting to do it.
And if you miss the training, you will notice its absence.
Responsibility
Your tai chi is only as good as
you make it.
People are not always happy with the reality of their situation.
We teach the material, we revise it with you, we offer you practice partners and
we pressure test your understanding.
But only you can do the work.
This is not what most people want to hear.
Tai chi
skills
cannot be purchased. You must use your mind and your body. And you must
practice.
"I don't have time to practice"
People make time to watch TV but they do not exercise.
Setting time aside to practice is a matter of choice.
Everyone has the same number of hours in their day. You choose how to spend
those hours.
No one is short-changed.
Playing the victim is pointless. You have a choice.
If you do not want to practice, be honest with yourself.
Under pressure?
Feeling to be under pressure runs contrary to the very spirit of tai chi.
Be patient and allow that things take time:
What your
body remembers is what is important for you at this particular stage of
development.
What your mind forgets, your body is telling you it couldn't use anyhow at this
time.
(Tsuchihashi)
The
complete syllabus
Learning the
complete syllabus is not easy. We are not going
to mislead you here.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of
work.
However, you are welcome to work through the material at your own pace...
Health-only?
If you find the complete syllabus too demanding, why not consider
learning the
health-only material instead?
It is still physically and mentally challenging, but the emphasis is different.
Instead of combat, you will focus upon relaxation, mobility and
strength-building.
Casual
If you want to attend on a drop-in basis, that is fine.
You can still train the material, however you will not be permitted to grade.
As you like it
If your personal commitments are such that you cannot (or do not want to)
put a lot of time and effort into your tai chi, that is fine.
You must do what feels right for you and your lifestyle.
People all get something different from the art.
Take it easy.
Do what you can.
Do what suits you.
And let the art unfold at its own pace.
Page created 13 October 2000