Thursday
Monday
The instructor
A good instructor is concerned with the spirit of the art. Their tai chi chuan should be lively and fresh, not droll.
Vibrant tai chi chuan possesses spirit.
The instructor should look lively and expressive.
Their applications are varied and diverse, spontaneous and effective.
The art flows from them without effort. They are natural, comfortable and at ease.
Vibrant tai chi chuan possesses spirit.
The instructor should look lively and expressive.
Their applications are varied and diverse, spontaneous and effective.
The art flows from them without effort. They are natural, comfortable and at ease.
Friday
Palm changes
Palm changes are essentially form. We practice 8 different palm changes.
Palm changes are quite short in length.
They teach the body how to move in a bagua manner and enhance your ability to walk the circle.
A student learns how to coordinate changing, stepping, turning and arm movement.
Palm changes are quite short in length.
They teach the body how to move in a bagua manner and enhance your ability to walk the circle.
A student learns how to coordinate changing, stepping, turning and arm movement.
Thursday
Your own agenda
Everyone has an agenda.
The more honest and open you are about your own, the more likely you are to find a suitable class.
Do you have health-problems? Have you bad knees? A bad back?
Are you concerned about being thrown on the floor?
Does the prospect of self defence training frighten you?
Is your age an issue?
What are your expectations?
Are you willing to commit to a weekly class?
Do have previous tai chi chuan experience? (Are you hoping that the new class will be the same as the old?)
Are you attending class because you really want to, or because you think you should?
The more honest and open you are about your own, the more likely you are to find a suitable class.
Do you have health-problems? Have you bad knees? A bad back?
Are you concerned about being thrown on the floor?
Does the prospect of self defence training frighten you?
Is your age an issue?
What are your expectations?
Are you willing to commit to a weekly class?
Do have previous tai chi chuan experience? (Are you hoping that the new class will be the same as the old?)
Are you attending class because you really want to, or because you think you should?
Tai chi master
Mastering tai chi requires the following:
• A lifelong commitment to the furtherance of the art
• Spontaneous demonstration of every and any aspect of the art
• The ability to train other people to become tai chi instructors
• An embodiment of the principles outlined in the Tai Chi Classics
• Highly accurate rendition of every exercise/form/drill/application
• Extensive knowledge of every facet of every subject in the syllabus i.e. 'jing'
• An in-depth understanding of every facet of the exercise/form/drill/application
• How the exercise/form/drill/application links to other aspects of the curriculum
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why the different components operate
• Grace, ease, subtlety, sensitivity, nimbleness, appropriateness, simplicity are all a given
• The willingness to train disciples to acquire every aspect of the teaching and perpetuate the art themselves
• Unselfconscious, skilled and utterly effective application of the art in combat employing chin na, jing and shuai jiao
• The ability to develop, improve and deliver a thorough, fully differentiated syllabus suitable for all ability levels and all ages
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why every form posture operates and how it can be applied in at least 7 different ways
• Comprehensive theoretical knowledge and the ability to discuss and explain how taoism, martial theory and actual practice all tie together
• The ability to apply the tai chi principles (yielding, stickiness, peng, jing, composure, connection, 4 ounces etc) in every situation with absolute ease and certainty
• A lifelong commitment to the furtherance of the art
• Spontaneous demonstration of every and any aspect of the art
• The ability to train other people to become tai chi instructors
• An embodiment of the principles outlined in the Tai Chi Classics
• Highly accurate rendition of every exercise/form/drill/application
• Extensive knowledge of every facet of every subject in the syllabus i.e. 'jing'
• An in-depth understanding of every facet of the exercise/form/drill/application
• How the exercise/form/drill/application links to other aspects of the curriculum
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why the different components operate
• Grace, ease, subtlety, sensitivity, nimbleness, appropriateness, simplicity are all a given
• The willingness to train disciples to acquire every aspect of the teaching and perpetuate the art themselves
• Unselfconscious, skilled and utterly effective application of the art in combat employing chin na, jing and shuai jiao
• The ability to develop, improve and deliver a thorough, fully differentiated syllabus suitable for all ability levels and all ages
• The ability to dismantle and explain how and why every form posture operates and how it can be applied in at least 7 different ways
• Comprehensive theoretical knowledge and the ability to discuss and explain how taoism, martial theory and actual practice all tie together
• The ability to apply the tai chi principles (yielding, stickiness, peng, jing, composure, connection, 4 ounces etc) in every situation with absolute ease and certainty
Sunday
Saturday
When to concentrate
Concentration is a specialist tool and should be employed sparingly.
There are many situations in which it is important to concentrate.
Other occasions would benefit from attention rather than concentration.
Determining the appropriate application of concentration can improve learning and help you to narrow down options.
There are many situations in which it is important to concentrate.
Other occasions would benefit from attention rather than concentration.
Determining the appropriate application of concentration can improve learning and help you to narrow down options.
Tuesday
Things people say...
I've heard people comment that tai chi chuan cannot be used in self defence... or that the bagua palm changes are a training method rather than martial...
These comments/opinions tell me two things:
1. The person saying them cannot personally apply these arts
2. They have not attended our school
It is dangerous to generalise about martial arts; applicability rests in the hands of the instructor. The better your instructor, the more they can do with the tools they have been given.
These comments/opinions tell me two things:
1. The person saying them cannot personally apply these arts
2. They have not attended our school
It is dangerous to generalise about martial arts; applicability rests in the hands of the instructor. The better your instructor, the more they can do with the tools they have been given.
Saturday
Business address
Newcastle Tai Chi
St Andrew's Church
Station Road
Benton
NE12 8AW
0750 3604568
http://www.newcastletaichi.co.uk
newcastletaichi@hotmail.com
St Andrew's Church
Station Road
Benton
NE12 8AW
0750 3604568
http://www.newcastletaichi.co.uk
newcastletaichi@hotmail.com
Thursday
Child-like
After long years of practice, your body will regain the qualities of a baby, and you can respond to everything around you with the simplicity and naturalness of a child.
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
(Yang Jwing-Ming)
Distraction
Concentration is the act of focussing. It is a narrowing of perspective.
Extraneous distractions are blocked out and the attention is directed towards a limited target.
Keeping your mind on what you are doing is excellent. It improves quality.
Sometimes, it is good to be distracted, to notice unexpected possibilities, to wander off in new directions.
However, there is a danger with distraction: the more distracted you become, the less competent you are.
Extraneous distractions are blocked out and the attention is directed towards a limited target.
Keeping your mind on what you are doing is excellent. It improves quality.
Sometimes, it is good to be distracted, to notice unexpected possibilities, to wander off in new directions.
However, there is a danger with distraction: the more distracted you become, the less competent you are.
Friday
Is tai chi chuan dance?
Tai chi chuan may look like dance and move like dance but it is something else - something far more complex than dance.
The art has many facets.
It is a healthy form of exercise, a system of self defence, meditation training, the physical embodiment of taoist insights and a spiritual journey.
The art has many facets.
It is a healthy form of exercise, a system of self defence, meditation training, the physical embodiment of taoist insights and a spiritual journey.
The student
A dedicated student aims to steal their instructor's art.
This is akin to acquiring a trade secret.
Only by taking responsibility for their own learning can a student hope to learn the true depth of the art.
Motivation, commitment, intelligence, enthusiasm - these are all relevant factors.
To quote the proverb: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
This is akin to acquiring a trade secret.
Only by taking responsibility for their own learning can a student hope to learn the true depth of the art.
Motivation, commitment, intelligence, enthusiasm - these are all relevant factors.
To quote the proverb: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Tuesday
Flitting
Some beginners want to collect forms. Instead of learning one form thoroughly, they want to accumulate.
As a consequence, superficial knowledge is sought, and the beginner never penetrates the art.
Collecting forms and drills is not a good thing. It leads to an attitude of flitting.
The untrained mind becomes goal-oriented and skips around.
By doing more, we accomplish less. Do not spread yourself too thinly.
Thinning our time and our attention leads to a watered-down outcome, rather than a richer one.
As a consequence, superficial knowledge is sought, and the beginner never penetrates the art.
Collecting forms and drills is not a good thing. It leads to an attitude of flitting.
The untrained mind becomes goal-oriented and skips around.
By doing more, we accomplish less. Do not spread yourself too thinly.
Thinning our time and our attention leads to a watered-down outcome, rather than a richer one.
Sunday
Lineage students
Taking private lessons and/or training with an instructor for many years does not make you an 'indoor student'.
If a class member wants an indoor relationship with the instructor, the process is quite formal.
The student must become a 'lineage student' and this entails meeting certain criteria and fulfilling specific obligations.
If a class member wants an indoor relationship with the instructor, the process is quite formal.
The student must become a 'lineage student' and this entails meeting certain criteria and fulfilling specific obligations.
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