Getting it Right
As human beings we often divide our world into black and white, good and bad, right and wrong. Perhaps it’s a hangover from a perception of our world as presented to us as toddlers. Let’s blame our parents and teachers.
When I watch a student performing tai chi it is incumbent upon me as a teacher to suggest the next thing that I believe that they should focus on in order to improve.
This benevolent intervention is sometimes met with something akin to disbelief. How could I possibly be criticising their tai chi when they are certain that it’s now ‘right’.
They have been practicing. It feels good. Another teacher or student told them it looks great. They are doing what I previously told them to and exactly the way it was explained. There was a time when they couldn’t fully remember or perform the move but now they have it right. 'Negative' intervention is unwelcome.
This could be taken as a rebuttal or lack of respect for the teacher. Fortunately most teachers are well versed in handling resistance from students. Essentially it’s a student who is failing to understand the foundations of learning.
Every teacher must also train with a teacher in order to improve.
While a teacher is cognisant of a student's many faults ( most of which the teacher is at various stages of overcoming themselves ), when it comes time for the teacher to adopt the role of student, he or she must be vitally aware that to improve requires corrections from their teacher. If none are forthcoming, then they need to find another teacher. When you reach the top of a learning level you are now at the bottom of the next level.
A teacher will leave the student alone for 3 reasons. Either the teacher is lacking in knowledge, the student lacks the ability to take the next step, so the teacher considers that anything he or she says at this stage won’t change anything or the student is wearing his ego like an overcoat and actually thinks they are doing it ‘right’. Actually, tai chi is never right, it just keeps getting better - as long as you are prepared to suspend the ego, listen, learn and practise.
