Turn into a doll made of
wood: it has no ego, it thinks nothing, it is not grasping or sticky.
Let the body and limbs work themselves out in accordance with the discipline
they have undergone.
(Bruce Lee)
Fighting
Our school of
tai chi has no interest whatsoever in
fighting - there
will never be competitions or full-contact bouts.
Fa jing, striking and
chin
na are not toys to be treated carelessly.
No sensible person would allow you to snap their joint
just to prove that it can be done.
You must be far smarter than that if you want to learn tai chi.
Harm
Nobody actually wants to be hurt.
Broken bones, concussion, bleeding and damage are not going to be found
in our school.
Aggressive martial arts classes can cause their students more harm than a real
life attacker would - instead of learning to defend yourself, you are beaten up
every week.
Be honest with yourself: what do you really want from your lessons?
Play
Many studies have proved that 'exuberant
play' is the most effective learning
medium.
With the stigma of violence, pain and injury removed, students are free to relax
and explore at their leisure.
The paradoxical physics associated with tai chi emphasises the importance of
relaxing and letting-go.
Play encourages this.
Prove yourself worthy
In order to complete the
beginners syllabus you must prove
that you can play.
You are taught new skills when you
have proven that you can handle them
responsibly.
Trust must be earned,
respect must be shown and
consideration must be demonstrated.
This is a safeguard for all school members.
Mastery
Playing is the first step in
mastering your own
ego and overcoming your
conditioning.
Lao Tzu wrote: "Master self before attempting to master others".
If you lack the control necessary to employ the tai chi safely and carefully,
you are still a beginner.
Humour is the greatest contribution you
can bring to the practice; be good-natured, kind and light-hearted.
When you stop taking
yourself too seriously, you can begin to play in earnest.
If you can play for the fun of playing, then the syllabus will be an enjoyable
experience.
Page created 3 June 1998