The beginners grade spans ungraded to orange.
Intermediate level is green - brown (part 2) - and there is a massive ability gap between those two levels.
Yet, it pales in comparison to the experienced, expert and advanced syllabus: 5 belts of hard material in which you are typically learning and applying a new form with every dan grade.
I recommend patience.
If Sifu thinks that you are ready for something, it will feature in your grade.
Monday
Are belts necessary?
No, not really.
However, any martial art requires:
However, any martial art requires:
- A syllabus
- defining the components that will enable a student to achieve the objective
- a path leading to the knowledge
- a scheme of work
- how the student will proceed
- Topics
- breakdown of the syllabus into modules of information
- logical building blocks
- small steps along the path
- teach according to the students ability to learn
- Discrete lessons
- a lesson is an opportunity to explore a given skill
- examples must be provided
- thought-provoking
- stimulating
- encourage enthusiasm and participation
- engage the student
- allow for different ability levels
- Proof
- examinations, tests, grading
- pressure-testing
- an increasing scale of hardship
Without these, the material might potentially be taught in a haphazard, piecemeal, random manner.
Japanese martial arts schools are very good at offering a well-established means of teaching the art.
Chinese martial arts vary from school to school.
Tai chi schools in particular seldom have any kind of syllabus to speak of.
Are belts necessary?
No, but they chart progress.
The use of belts is a tried and tested method of teaching a detailed, complex syllabus in a logical, thorough, systematic manner.
Japanese martial arts schools are very good at offering a well-established means of teaching the art.
Chinese martial arts vary from school to school.
Tai chi schools in particular seldom have any kind of syllabus to speak of.
Are belts necessary?
No, but they chart progress.
The use of belts is a tried and tested method of teaching a detailed, complex syllabus in a logical, thorough, systematic manner.
Sunday
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Consider the question
Read the assignment questions carefully.
What is being asked of you?
When answering, refer to the text and make quotations.
Look for themes, principles, lessons. Make lists of ideas.
Do not cheat yourself.
What is being asked of you?
When answering, refer to the text and make quotations.
Look for themes, principles, lessons. Make lists of ideas.
Do not cheat yourself.
Integrity
A person who is comfortable with who they are and their life circumstances has no need to show-off.
They have integrity.
They have no need to prove themselves to the world around them.
No parading, no pantomiming, no over-compensating...
They have integrity.
They have no need to prove themselves to the world around them.
No parading, no pantomiming, no over-compensating...
Saturday
Make notes when reading
Jotting down notes can help you to enjoy the book more, and eventually understand it.
Use sticky tabs to mark passages that strike a chord/relevance/parts you liked.
Learn to interact with the text.
Use sticky tabs to mark passages that strike a chord/relevance/parts you liked.
Learn to interact with the text.
Fighting-back
Fighting-back can be very dangerous when working with Sifu.
If Sifu is teaching you something, and you are deliberately awkward or try to catch him out - then things may become somewhat unpredictable.
Instead of showing what he is intending to show, Sifu will adapt, change and improvise.
One way or another he will illustrate the lesson he has planned.
The worst case scenario with resisting is that you may break your own arm or otherwise injure yourself.
Luckily, we've never had a breakage in class, but we've had plenty of students who bite off way, way more than they can chew. Myself included!
If Sifu is teaching you something, and you are deliberately awkward or try to catch him out - then things may become somewhat unpredictable.
Instead of showing what he is intending to show, Sifu will adapt, change and improvise.
One way or another he will illustrate the lesson he has planned.
The worst case scenario with resisting is that you may break your own arm or otherwise injure yourself.
Luckily, we've never had a breakage in class, but we've had plenty of students who bite off way, way more than they can chew. Myself included!
Projecting a larger self
One myth is the lie that you can successfully project a larger self.
People are misled by advertising (the source of many insecurities) into believing that ownership will enable you to present a larger, more noteworthy self.
This is simply not true.It is what it is: an attempt to play on your insecurities by enticing you to spend more money.
A big car, a fancy phone, a rare breed of dog. These are no more than they appear to be.
Imbuing them with greater significance is false.A car is (and only can be) a car. No matter how big, expensive, fast or fancy it is.
It is not an extension of self. You will discard any car in favour of a bigger/better/newer model or if it runs out of fuel, or when you reach the end of your journey.
Objects/things are functional. They are not part of you. They serve a pragmatic purpose.
There is no need to be emotionally and psychologically invested in them.
People are misled by advertising (the source of many insecurities) into believing that ownership will enable you to present a larger, more noteworthy self.
This is simply not true.It is what it is: an attempt to play on your insecurities by enticing you to spend more money.
A big car, a fancy phone, a rare breed of dog. These are no more than they appear to be.
Imbuing them with greater significance is false.A car is (and only can be) a car. No matter how big, expensive, fast or fancy it is.
It is not an extension of self. You will discard any car in favour of a bigger/better/newer model or if it runs out of fuel, or when you reach the end of your journey.
Objects/things are functional. They are not part of you. They serve a pragmatic purpose.
There is no need to be emotionally and psychologically invested in them.
Friday
Ambition
You cannot reasonably expect to get into the intermediate syllabus (and beyond) without making a tremendous effort.
This is simply unrealistic.
In any endeavour, you must be willing to sacrifice time, money and work hard to make progress.
Tai chi is no different. No matter what you think.
This is simply unrealistic.
In any endeavour, you must be willing to sacrifice time, money and work hard to make progress.
Tai chi is no different. No matter what you think.
Read a small amount daily
Buy a tai chi/tao/martial theory book and read just a small amount every day.
Make a habit of it.
A page, a verse or a chapter will slowly mount up and before you know it you will have read the entire book.
Make a habit of it.
A page, a verse or a chapter will slowly mount up and before you know it you will have read the entire book.
If it hurts, say so
Remaining stoical when suffering pain or discomfort is not the right approach.
It is far better to be honest.
Honest with yourself, with your training partner, and with Sifu.
If you need someone to ease-up, slow-down and be gentle... then just say so.
This is not a sign of weakness. We are all vulnerable.
Instead, it shows that you are sensible and recognise that you are indeed human. That's ok; we all are.
It is far better to be honest.
Honest with yourself, with your training partner, and with Sifu.
If you need someone to ease-up, slow-down and be gentle... then just say so.
This is not a sign of weakness. We are all vulnerable.
Instead, it shows that you are sensible and recognise that you are indeed human. That's ok; we all are.
Your contribution
The student has nothing to offer but an absolute willingness to follow the teacher's instructions and direction without question or comments or personal improvisation.
(Dave Lowry)
(Dave Lowry)
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Validation
An insecure person looks outside of themselves for recognition. Their cry is this: "Validate me! Validate me!"
The drawback with such a request is that it puts them at the mercy of everyone else.
Their need to be noticed and acknowledged annoys other people. Other people who equally feel that they too are the centre of the universe.
The drawback with such a request is that it puts them at the mercy of everyone else.
Their need to be noticed and acknowledged annoys other people. Other people who equally feel that they too are the centre of the universe.
Thursday
Fellow martial artists
The martial books were written by people who undertook the same journey as you.
Different time, different culture, maybe even a different martial art... but still a fellow martial artist.
Texts such as The Book of Five Rings have an amazingly contemporaneous feel to them and remain entirely relevant to your own practice.
Different time, different culture, maybe even a different martial art... but still a fellow martial artist.
Texts such as The Book of Five Rings have an amazingly contemporaneous feel to them and remain entirely relevant to your own practice.
It is in the black belt syllabus for a reason
Students ask Sifu to demonstrate black belt material on them and then experience a great shock because it was way more scary than they'd anticipated.
Here's a tip: it is in the black belt syllabus for a reason.
There are 10 belts before you take the first black belt grade.
This should tell you something...
Your body needs time to loosen, strengthen and be prepared for the experienced syllabus.
You need time to cultivate internal strength. You need to know how to fall safely.
Here's a tip: it is in the black belt syllabus for a reason.
There are 10 belts before you take the first black belt grade.
This should tell you something...
Your body needs time to loosen, strengthen and be prepared for the experienced syllabus.
You need time to cultivate internal strength. You need to know how to fall safely.
Nothing beats practice
Practice what you were shown. Get good at it.
If the quality is good, you will be shown more.
If you demonstrate an attitude of consistent, ongoing improvement, you will taught relative to the ability you demonstrate.
Master Waller does not play favourites.
He helps those who struggle and challenges those who are gifted.
If the quality is good, you will be shown more.
If you demonstrate an attitude of consistent, ongoing improvement, you will taught relative to the ability you demonstrate.
Master Waller does not play favourites.
He helps those who struggle and challenges those who are gifted.
Showing-off
Showing-off is considered to be a respectable way of demonstrating that you are 'something' or 'somebody'.
Parading your possessions: mobile phone, 4 x 4 car, large house... (and perceived possessions: trophy wife, accessory children, designer dog) is quite normal in society.
Unfortunately, this need to show is a result of insecurity.
Status, prestige... do these things exist?Very Important Person... by whose standards?
Consider: a TV celebrity walks down the street, chin lifted; expecting autograph requests, praise, compliments and praise.
But who notices them?If you watched the TV program they were featured in and liked the individual, then you may notice them and care.
However, if you do not recognise the celebrity, then they are irrelevant to you.
They are just another face in a vast sea of faces.
Parading your possessions: mobile phone, 4 x 4 car, large house... (and perceived possessions: trophy wife, accessory children, designer dog) is quite normal in society.
Unfortunately, this need to show is a result of insecurity.
Status, prestige... do these things exist?Very Important Person... by whose standards?
Consider: a TV celebrity walks down the street, chin lifted; expecting autograph requests, praise, compliments and praise.
But who notices them?If you watched the TV program they were featured in and liked the individual, then you may notice them and care.
However, if you do not recognise the celebrity, then they are irrelevant to you.
They are just another face in a vast sea of faces.
Wednesday
The well-spring
The reading requirements in our syllabus feature books written by spiritual sages and martial artists.
It is extremely useful to read the insights that led to the creation of tai chi chuan and baguazhang.
Understanding the principles will enhance your practice considerably.
It is extremely useful to read the insights that led to the creation of tai chi chuan and baguazhang.
Understanding the principles will enhance your practice considerably.
Lazy
When it comes right down to it, an egotistical beginner is inevitably bone idle.
Watching video clips and reading books involves virtually no effort.
Talking is easy.
Practice is hard work.
Hours of daily solo training and potentially rough partner work requires effort not excuses.
Lazy people want everything doing for them.
They instinctively look for a short-cut.
They procrastinate.
Instead of doing the actual work, they do nothing and then complain when a reward is not forthcoming.
This shows weak character.
Watching video clips and reading books involves virtually no effort.
Talking is easy.
Practice is hard work.
Hours of daily solo training and potentially rough partner work requires effort not excuses.
Lazy people want everything doing for them.
They instinctively look for a short-cut.
They procrastinate.
Instead of doing the actual work, they do nothing and then complain when a reward is not forthcoming.
This shows weak character.
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