Sheer Mimicry

In T’ai Chi Chih Teacher Training courses, candidates are encouraged to question every assumption about their practice, and to release all fixed concepts about the movements to discover the essence of T’ai Chi Chih. This process is sometimes disconcerting for candidates, and they often state that they thought they “knew” T’ai Chi Chih but now feel that they understand very little about the practice. One recent candidate said of her experience during the week, “It was like dying!” When asked to explain this dramatic statement, she said that a large part of her ego had fallen away during the course of the week, and that there was now a simplicity to the movements and depth of feeling in her practice that she had never known before.

Many new teachers express a great feeling of freedom when they realize that there are very few fixed concepts or “right” answers about how the T’ai Chi Chih movements must be done. Each person does them slightly differently based on the size and shape of the body, age and personal temperament. However, the principles are the same for everyone, and when questions are brought forward, how the movements are performed is always emphasized over where the arms or legs should be placed. It isn’t just a matter of the height of the hands that must be remembered, but the amount of tension or effort exerted must also be considered. Rather than trying to “create” a certain shape or dimension in the movements, why not abandon fixed concepts and discover how is the movement being created by the Chi? This eternal life force is present in every aspect of our practice, but it can only be felt when we have an open attitude and rely on our feelings, not intellectual effort.

T’ai Chi Chih is a living art that we embody moment by moment. In order to realize this in our practice, it is of great importance that we focus on the interior aspect of T’ai Chi Chih. Without this internal dimension, the practice is hollow and becomes nothing more than a copy of someone else’s movements. While this may be appropriate for beginning students, it is sheer mimicry, and reflects a lack of depth in the practice. If teachers and students do not progress beyond this point they may become uninspired and find it difficult to experience the deepest benefits from their practice. As teachers, we must examine ourselves and our students to ensure this inferior attitude is not present in the practice of T’ai Chi Chih.

T’ai Chi Chih is very circular, and it doesn’t convey its lessons only once. Experienced teachers often speak about learning the same lessons over and over again at progressively deeper levels. These levels of understanding can be discovered and explored in our T’ai Chi Chih practice, but it is essential to not allow ourselves to become stuck in habitual concepts or ways of moving. Especially if those concepts came from someone else! We must come together as a community and go beyond what we’ve been taught or thought we “knew.” This is why I moved to live closer to Justin, and why teachers are encouraged to audit Teacher Training courses and attend the Annual T’ai Chi Chih Teachers’ Conference. If we are open, the depth of exploration at these events leads us to discover previously hidden aspects of the T’ai Chi Chih movements, and brings with it a deep wisdom that transcends our daily practice. This wisdom helps us recognize who and what we are, enables our T’ai Chi Chih community to flourish, and allows sincere teachers to assist students in realizing the deepest benefits from this profound spiritual practice.