The Tao Te Ching is a lucid masterpiece on the art of living.

 (Doug Marsh)

It had stopped raining; the roads were clean, and the dust had been washed from the trees. The earth was refreshed, and the frogs were loud in the pond; they were big, and their throats were swollen with pleasure. The grass was sparkling with tiny drops of water, and there was peace in the land after the heavy downpour. The cattle were soaking wet, but during the rain they never took shelter, and now they were contentedly grazing. Some boys were playing in the little stream that the rain had made by the road side; they were naked, and it was good to see their shining bodies and their bright eyes. They were having the time of their life, and how happy they were! Nothing else mattered, and they smiled out of joy as one said something to them, though they didn't understand a word. The sun was coming out and the shadows were deep.

(Krishnamuti)

On the red earth in front of the house there were quantities of trumpet-like flowers with golden hearts. They had large, mauve petals and a delicate scent. They would be swept away during the day, but in the darkness of night they covered the red earth. The creeper was strong with serrated leaves which glistened in the morning sun. Some children carelessly trod on the flowers, and a man getting hurriedly into his car never even looked at them. A passer-by picked one, smelt it, and carried it away, to be dropped presently. A woman who must have been a servant came out of the house, picked a flower, and put it in her hair. How beautiful those flowers were, and how quickly they were withering in the sun!

(Krishnamurti)

They were chanting in the temple. It was a clean temple of carved stone, massive and indestructible. There were over thirty priests, naked to the waist; their pronunciation of the Sanskrit was precise and distinct, and they knew the meaning of the chant. The depth and sound of the words made those walls and pillars almost tremble, and instinctively the group that was there became silent. The creation, the beginning of the world was being chanted, and how man was brought forth. The people had closed their eyes, and the chant was producing a pleasant disturbance: nostalgic remembrances of their childhood, thoughts of the progress they had made since those youthful days, the strange effect of Sanskrit words, delight in hearing the chant again. Some were repeating the chant to themselves, and their lips were moving. The atmosphere was getting charged with strong emotions, but the priests went on with the chant and the gods remained silent.

(Krishnamurti)

A man of Sung did business
 In silk ceremonial hats.
 He travelled with a load of hats
 To the wild men of the South.
 The wild men had shaved heads,
 Tattooed bodies.
 What did they want
 With silk
 Ceremonial hats?

 Yao had wisely governed
 All China.
 He had brought the entire world
 To a state of rest.
 After that, he went to visit
 The four Perfect Ones
 In the distant mountains
 Of Khu Shih.
 When he came back
 Across the border
 Into his own city
 His lost gaze
 Saw no throne.

 (Chuang Tzu)

Chuang Tzu

Chuang Tzu was the Chinese philosopher who is credited by some people with transforming aspects of traditional Buddhism into today’s popular Zen. Much like some of the more popular text related to Zen and Taoism that I have read since beginning my Tai Chi study, Merton’s The Way of Chuang Tzu informs my Tai Chi practice. Since there is a long tradition of Taoist monks performing Tai Chi it is hardly surprising scholars such as Chuang Tzu’s writing influenced Tai Chi.

(Dr Leigh Riby)

The website is having babies...

Sifu keeps discovering pages on his website that he can't remember writing...

Not cheap

Martial arts lessons are not cheap.

Usually you should expect to pay for some (or all) of these items:

1. Monthly tuition fees
2. Annual membership
3. Affiliation with a third party organisation/federation
4. Insurance
5. Licence
6. Competitions
7. Grading (usually quarterly)
8. Uniform
9. Patches/badges
10. Equipment/weaponry

Many classes expect new students to buy a uniform within a month of starting a class.
The new starter is also asked to pay annual membership, insurance and commit to a monthly standing order.

Discover for yourself

Instead of travelling to China or Japan, why not look at your own life? 
Find significance and meaning in your everyday activities.

Read, study, meditate, contemplate and practice.

Do not be satisfied with being a tourist. Ignore the kitsch and the reproductions. Seek what was once sought.

Live as though there were a fire raging in your hair...

My husband exemplifies this quote. He does not rush, dither or cram his life with ceaseless activity, but his days are meaningful and complete. He works, he rests. He spends his time doing things that he deems important. It is a mindful life, of contemplation, study, awareness and consideration.

One of his books admonishes: Talk alone is not enough. The path to tao means sweating white beads.

This is what my husband is like. He squeezes every drop out of life.

When student come to class: frazzled, harried, tense, confused... my husband does what he can for them. But there is not much he can do. He watches certain students become increasingly haggard and drawn; victims of their own lifestyle choices. You can see that Sifu wants to help, to advise, but usually doesn't. People only hear what they want to hear.

We must find the path for ourselves.

Apologetic vegetarian

An apologetic vegetarian eats food that looks and tastes like meat.
Rather than embrace the non-meat diversity of a real vegetarian diet, they eat meat substitutes in order to maintain a 'meat and two veg' diet.

Reproductions

There are many tai chi classes around the world that offer a reproduction of tai chi that has very little bearing on actual tai chi.
It is quite easy to fake tai chi: move slowly, dress well, appear peaceful and speak softly.
If you are pretty and graceful, it helps.

Free from...

It would be nice if we could all eat organic, wholesome food and live without exploiting the planet.
The world has been regarded as a resource since the dawn of time.
Pollution, strip mining, deforestation, environmental disasters, garbage, water shortages and livestock are all sad testimonies to our modern way of life.

Plastic is a petroleum by-product. Metal is acquired by strip mining. Stone is obtained by quarrying.
Wood involves the destruction of natural forests.

Could we realistically live without any of these products?
It would be nice.
Sadly, there is often a need to compromise, to fall short of the ideal. But this does not mean that you should not try.

Commitment

If you trained taijiquan for 2 hours a day (every single day) for a year, that would mean 730 hours a year.

It will take 13 years to become an expert.

Relationships

In our society of disfunctional relationships, separation and divorce it may be prudent for people to be less rash with love... Are you in love? Are you compatible? Have you thought things through?

Yes, love is not logical, measured and straightforward. But a relationship is more than just lust, hormones, affection and familiarity. On what basis are you building your realtionship? Is it vanity? Is it sex? Or easy availability? Are you soul mates or simply intimate friends?

How many marriages end in divorce these days? How many people have affairs? How many people choose not to marry?

It may sound boring, but taking a moment to think things through is important. To contemplate. To reflect.

I love you...

Are you truly in love, or are those three special words being employed cheaply?

Society is filled with insincerity. How earnest are you? Are you burning with passion? Are you comfortable, contented, in bliss?

Or are you simply following a convention?

Dismantle the set

The experienced-level student applies the small san sau against a knife attacker.
They also dismantle this drill to see how it works.

The student uncovers power generation methods, hidden strikes and chin na throughout the set.

Your choice

Every student is given the same opportunity to attend classes, grade and progress.
Some people make the best of that opportunity.
Others do not.
It is up to the individual.

The determining factor is commitment.

Balance

Students often wonder how much they should train at home.
Ultimately, it is up to you.
The aim is to combine work, rest and exercise in a way that feels harmonious.

Prove yourself

Master Waller is unlikely to ever be as popular as other teachers.
We do not cater for the modern mentality.
Students are not pandered to or pampered. We will not cave-in to pressure or go easy on you.

Everyone who attends our classes is expected to embrace the art and work hard.

That is why the 40 minute qigong exercises and the other challenges exist.
They weed out the half-hearted people.
And - more importantly - they lay a powerful, necessary foundation for what comes next.

Every student has the opportunity to penetrate the art; it is up to the individual.