a member of the Canadian Taijiquan Federation  e-mail: stevehiggins@rogers.com

Choosing a Teacher or Club

(thanks to The Canadian Taijiquan Federation in whose journal, Tongren, this article was originally published.)

Choosing a teacher is something we all go through, although sometimes we go through it in a somewhat negative sense -unchoosing the teacher or organization we originally started with. Similarly, at a particular point, we may elect to leave one teacher and go to another because of certain needs we sense in our Taiji development.

If your intention is more serious - if you wish to change your life and are willing to commit years of effort to doing it - then seeking out a good teacher and making the effort to travel to his or her class may be one of the best investments you will ever make.

The whole subject is inherently controversial. In the old days, for example, teachers guarded their techniques and training methods very jealously. As inevitably students would leave, the logical result was for teachers to divide their students into those who were "in-door" (completely committed and loyal to the teacher) as opposed to those who were "outside" - taught the form in a public class but not privy to the inner secrets of the art. Often the two groups were actually taught different forms! This is the origin of the public, as opposed to private or secret teachings, which bedevil Taiji to this very day. For a student equipped with "in-door" knowledge to leave was, in the old days, frowned upon. Although we now live in more enlightened times, a lot of ego is sometimes on the line between Taiji teachers; traditions of exclusivity sometimes die hard, as many students have found to their cost.

Another factor which makes the issue of choosing or unchoosing a club or teacher rather hard to address is that the Taiji community includes clubs which are primarily interested in combatives, others which are exclusively interested in health, and yet others which are pursuing meditative goals; generalizations can therefore be deceptive. It is therefore extremely important for the student to clarify what he or she wants. Is the prime objective health, fighting facility, mental balance, spiritual clarity…? Further, what sort of a learning experience is desired? Does the student want a relatively intense immersion in Taiji culture, or a relaxed and low-intensity exploration of the art in a friendly and less demanding atmosphere?

One problem may be that the student is sometimes proceeding from a position of relative ignorance. Someone fascinated with combatives may actually require deep relaxation and Qigong training to unlock his or her hidden potential. Another, pursuing improved health, may require exposure to combative training in order to acquire enhanced self confidence and personal focus. So the first thing the student should do is to read, research and attempt to become better informed. Then should come visits to a number of different clubs as a guest or spectator, so as to be able to make informed comparisons. In other words, shop around a bit!

Another point is that it may be difficult to find one instructor who satisfies all your wants. But remember that, regardless as to your expectations, this individual is only human with his or her own ideas and priorities. Further, in considering the instructor, do not forget to also look in the mirror and think about whether you constitute that teacher's ideal student? If the instructor does not fill all your requirements, but nevertheless meets some of them, will that prevent you from enthusiastically participating and benefiting from his or her instruction? Remember that it is better to light a candle than curse the dark!

Some suggestions:

1. Avoid any club that does not welcome visitors. Taiji, even if practiced at the most combative level, is a friendly art. A club which manifests feelings of hostility or paranoia is a good place to stay away from. Does the class have a good "feel" and do the participants appear to be enjoying themselves? Does the instructor feel "right" for you? Is there occasional laughter? At the same time, does it appear that something serious is being accomplished?
2. Avoid any club which requires hefty initiation fees or which only allows fees to be paid annually in advance. An excessive concern with up-front money is not a good advertisement. At the same time, a small initiation fee is sometimes applied by some clubs to cover those promotion costs which are attributable to attracting new students. This is proper and reasonable as long as the fee is relatively nominal. Also, avoid any club which promises to "make you a master".
3. Is the focus of the club consistent with your goals? For example, a club which philosophically recoils from the self-defence aspects of the art may be clearly inappropriate if enhancing your self-confidence or augmenting your self-defence capacities is one of your priorities. (My personal view is that discomfort with, or rejection of, the self-defence implications of Taiji indicates an attitude which is not holistic and which may be resting on a shaky theoretical foundation; but there are those unenlightened souls who disagree with me!). Similarly, a group specializing in free-sparring is not going to be appropriate for somebody seeking a way of living with chronic fatigue or arthritis!
4. Are the club and its members part of the larger martial arts community and is the club receptive to social interaction with practitioners of other arts and styles? In other words, don't get involved with a cult! Avoid situations which require that, in order to be accepted, you have to exercise a high degree of exclusivity and cut yourself off from others.
5. Is the club "commercial"? If so, has its commercial success resulted in the offering of a diluted product? This is a touchy area and deserves extended commentary.
   Tai Chi is presently enjoying a period of accelerating growth and popularity. In part, this is because the Baby-boomers are aging and finding that a lot of high-impact activities (such as Karate) can be hard on the joints and on the energy-levels. Therefore, in order to retain their students, some commercial martial arts studios are suddenly offering "Taiji" in addition to the usual classes in Karate ot "Kung Fu". The problem is that the teachers can sometimes be unqualified, the theoretical foundations may be lacking and what is being offered can be essentially ersatz. In some clubs the trusting student is simply taught a slowed-down and gussied-up Shaolin form and told that this is Taiji. In other cases the student may be taught a legitimate form, such as the Beijing "24", but at a very external or superficial level. There are some large, commercially-successful clubs and organizations which offer top-notch Taiji instruction. There are others which fall far short of the mark. When in doubt, contact the CTF for a reference and we will do our best!
6. Can the club's senior teacher connect himself to one of the traditional lineages? All Taiji forms and styles come from specific families and traditions in Old China. Any teacher should be able to tell you his or her martial "ancestry". This is the case even where a club is engaged in the practice of a modern composite form derived from more than one tradition. Also, there are now many fine teachers in Canada who are graduates of the various government-regulated institutes of wushu and physical education in China. Although these graduates may not be able to connect to the traditional lineages and families, they are generally of good quality. In either case, does the teacher seem knowledgeable and connected to the Taiji tradition? Does the teacher speak with gratitude and pride of his or her own teachers? On a personal note, my first experience with Taiji came in the Taoist Taiji Society of Master Moy Lin Shin. Although I no longer practice this style, I still feel gratitude to Daniel Schulman and Frank Dunn who years ago put a lot of time and energy into teaching me.
7. Is the Yellow Pages the best place to look? Perhaps! Perhaps not! As pointed out above, some big clubs and organizations can offer a very good level of instruction. On the other hand, the average Taiji club in Canada is often more a labour of love than a financial reality. Many excellent clubs are small, consisting of less than 20 students. For such clubs, an advertising budget is just not feasible. A good teacher may often be found in a church basement, at a seniors' recreation centre or in a school gym. In my own city, few Yellow-pages-advertised clubs offer an adequate level of Taiji instruction. Yet I also know competent teachers who offer instruction in all of the venues listed above as well as one who teaches in his basement and another who used to meet his students (all two of them) in a church parking-lot!
8. What does a good teacher look like? I'm afraid they come in all shapes, sizes and ages. A good teacher may be young, athletic, flexible, graceful and obviously powerful. On the other hand, he or she may be elderly, somewhat stiff and apparently unathletic. You never can tell; Taiji accomplishment is such a personal thing. One of my students, who has also been a teacher for many years, falls into the latter category. Prior to embarking on Taiji training with the Taoist Tai Chi Society, he was, due to injuries, able to walk only with the aid of a steel "walker". Today he walks without a limp and, in his mid-seventies, is acquainting himself with the practice of Chen-style Taiji! How would you measure his level of achievement?

• Be respectful and courteous. If possible, contact the teacher before the class and introduce yourself (in person or by telephone). When you enter the class, introduce yourself again and ascertain the teacher's preferences in regards to your attendance; he or she may want you to simply remain quiet on the sidelines or may, on the other hand, prefer that you actually join in the class activities. If the latter is the case, copy whatever is going on and be conscious that, even as you are sizing up the teacher, the teacher is also sizing up you.
• Assume that the teacher knows more than you do.
• Retain your critical faculties and exercise them (but in silence!). Question with caution, but never in that initial "shopping around visit", and respect the answers even when you don't agree with them or understand them.
• Retain an open mind and don't expect the teacher to always agree with you. He or she may not have the benefit of your wisdom.

• enthusiasm,
• discipline,
• a willingness to practice,
• intelligence,
• an open mind,
• respect for the teacher and the tradition,
• a sense of humour (hopefully!).